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Dec
30

Happy Endings & Creative Beginnings

“Once we’re thrown off our habitual paths, we think all is lost, but it’s only here that the new and the good begins.”
Leo Tolstoy

Happy new year! Have to taken some time to do a ‘year in review’ ritual?  In my family – we review our individual accomplishments, then make a list of things/behaviors/conditions we are ready to release, as well as a list of ‘happy dreams/goals/intentions’ for the year ahead. This year I’m adding a new ‘wish’ the list: doing something that scares me every day!  Fear is the biggest joy and creativity blocker ever.  Our brains grow every time we take risks and do things differently.  If you do nothing else this new year – make friends with change.  Explore more. Try things that look interesting.  Pursue your curiosities. And experiment with new ways to play.  Most of us have forgotten how to be silly.  Just the act of laughing can positively change your outlook and your life!

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.
And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking.
Don’t settle. Stay hungry. Stay foolish.”
Steve Jobs

The simple collage pictured above is my tribute to Steve Jobs, originality and playfulness.  I thought about getting a tatoo of the “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.” quote, but my creative alternative is producing a lazer cut rubber bracelet that just looks like a tattoo!  Anyone out there have any design ideas?  I am looking for a ‘quote product’ production partner.  If you’re interested, send a note to: magicalmarta@aol.com

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking.
Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.
They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
Steve Jobs

2011 was a big year for accomplishments for me: I completed my Master of Science degree, got accepted to Saybrook University and began my doctoral studies. I was also hired as adjunct faculty to teach Creative Process at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg. The experience has been amazing!  My next goal it to earn my PhD in Psychology + Creativity to become a full professor.  As a result of my Saybrook experience and the magical mentorship of Dr. Ruth Richards, I’ve been published in a peer reviewed journal (Neuroquantology) and I launched my first research project in partnership with my professor.  My research question was:  “How do you define creativity?”  The initial findings show many people associate creativity with expression, imagination, and being inspired to bring something new into being.  When I think about it, I wonder: “Is there any form of expression which is NOT creative?” What do you think? 

This collage features photos I’ve taken in 2011.  Photography is my ‘go to’ creative outlet most days. It’s easy for me to carry my little Canon Sure Shot and catch ‘in the moment’ memories.  I love the way light bounces off the waves as I walk on Siesta Key beach (top left), a sign in a shop window reminding me to “Share Joy”, a funny face orchid at Selby Gardens, posing my puppy next to a hybiscus bloom on my front porch, capturing a truly amazing baby starfish in a tiny pool of water (look at the hearts in between each tentacle), the dance tracks of seagulls and my own painted toes, along with my ’award winning’ spiral fern exploding with light.  Gather up some images from the past year that inspire you. What themes do you see?  Consider starting your own blog and sharing your pictures with me!
 
“Find something you’re passionate about and
keep tremendously interested in it.”
Julia Child
 

Natalie Rogers has published an all-in-one guide to group facilitation titled: The Creative Connection for Groups ~ Person-Centered Expressive Arts for Healing and Social Change, which, I believe, has the power to impact personal and global transformation and healing.  Every step of her unique, intermodal expressive arts process is explained in a way which allows readers to take part in the exercises as if they were participating in a workshop intensive. The tools, procedures, and resources designed to initiate creative action have all been included, making it a ‘must have’ book for anyone ready to stimulate growth through expressive creative action.This book is a soulful wake-up call for a world in crisis which requires new ways of seeing, acting, and being to begin the journey toward peace through community engagement. Natalie Rogers writes: “Using creative expression to get acquainted with oneself – one’ values, thoughts, feelings, hopes, and dreams – is imperative in today’s world” (p. 4). The next step – using expressive arts to build community and move in the direction of inner and world peace – is the goal closest to Rogers’ heart. The underlying theme of the book is encouragement of expressive arts being used in groups as a vehicle for personal growth, transpersonal work, and building a sense of belonging and community (Rogers, 2011, p. 208).

The book is divided into 3 main parts: Part I – covers the theories and concepts incorporated into person-centered expressive arts, and outlines Rogers’ unique system which weaves together movement and expression to fully awaken creativity and consciousness. Carl Rogers’ philosophies for working with groups, in addition to step-by-step facilitation guidelines Natalie Rogers developed over the past 35 years doing this work around the world, are also included. Part II looks at the way groups work. In this section the author shares nearly every aspect of a typical facilitation. She details the processes and guidelines from saying ‘hello’ to facilitating closure, as well as managing the ‘hard’ emotions and ‘shadow’ moments which are bound to appear. Specific examples are shared and participant perspectives are peppered throughout. Section 3 is a showcase of the work person-centered expressive arts practitioners are doing with different populations nationally and internationally. It is a beautiful testimony to the power of this work to heal and make a positive difference. The exercises and meditations in this book, applied, can be transformational. The author held nothing back. This text is as much an ‘expressive arts tool kit’ as it is a guide for multi-modal group facilitation. The resource section is another priceless addition.

“Creativity is like freedom: once you taste it, you cannot life without it. It is a transformational force, enhancing self-esteem and self-empowerment.”
Natalie Rogers, The Creative Connection: Expressive Art as Healing

I am so grateful to Dr. Rogers for sharing her life’s work in a way which is as enlightening as it is easy to read and understand. As a professor of Creative Process, I can attest to the importance of weaving together movement, self-reflection, and expression as a way of activating creative potential. The techniques shared in this volume have wide applications for personal and professional growth, creativity enhancement, and building a community of conscious change leaders.  One of the most exciting aspects of my PhD program at Saybrook University is the opportunity to incorporate the two-year Person-Centered Expressive Arts Therapy Certificate.  The next cohort begins in January 2013.  Visit www.Saybrook.edu for additional information.  I’d love to know if you found this book review helpful. Your feedback and comments are greatly appreciated!
 
 
Did you know Saybrook University also offers a Master’s Degree in Psychology with a specialization in creativity?  There is also a brand new PhD in Psychology + Creativity…the first of its kind in the world! If you would like more information, contact: Dr. Steven Pritzker: spritzker@saybrook.edu  This is a distance learning program which includes two residential conferences per year in San Francisco.  I’d love to see creative change agents from around the world joining me on this journey! 
 
 
“Creativity challenges the status quo.”
Ruth Richards
 
I invite you to visit this link to read a wonderful story on iJourney titled “Everyday Creativity” written by my esteemed professor and magical mentor, Ruth Richards, M.D. & PhD!  It’s a real wake-up call for those times we think we are ‘awake’ – but are really ‘asleep at the wheel’ of life.  Please leave a comment on that site to share your reactions and similar experiences.  You are also invited to explore an article published in Neuroquantology co-authored by Dr. Richards and ten Saybrook peers (myself included!) about the importance of creativity in everyday life and connecting with creative mentors.
 
“Creativity pervades human life. It is the mark of individuality. The vehicle of self-expression. The engine of progress in every human endeavor.”
Elliot Samuel Paul
 
Creativity prompt #1:  Pick up a wall calendar for 2012 for $1 (I found some at Michael’s Craft Stores). Create your a collage for each month to replace the original images.  Build up a file of clippings from old magazines or book with images/words which make you smile. Use them to design your own, personal “joy” or “creativity” calendar. Have fun with it. This is a project you can also do with kids. Another option is dedicate each month’s collage to one of your intentions for the new year. 
 
Creativity prompt #2: No matter where you are on New Years Eve – alone or in a crowd – do a dance to bring in the year joyfully! Flap your arms like wings and feel yourself transported into a magical realm where your imaginings become real.  Visualize meaningful changes and doors opening to great opportunities all around you.  Give your creativity full reign and enjoy the ride.
 
Creativity prompt #3: Invite friends over for a New Year’s collage party! Have everyone bring stacks of old magazines, or visit a Goodwill store or your local library’s resale shop and buy some. Pick up some scrapbook sheets in a variety of colors for the collage bases, along with glue sticks and scissors and you’re set. Set a ‘collage theme’ of:  My Creative Vision for 2012 and let the creativity begin!
 
Creativity prompt #4: Looking for an introspective, solo activity to move you into new realms of creative possibilities? Check out these two sites: The School of Life  - I found the bibliotherary section really great! As well as the latest Brainpickings blog.  Guaranteed fabulous food for thought I predict you’ll enjoy!
My new puppy Alejandro!
The last six months have been a whirlwind for me.  On top of everything – I welcomed a 2 month old puppy into my household September 14th!  He is a bundle of joy who makes me laugh and play every day.  Who (or what) can  you add to your household to perk up your playfulness?  I wish you many happy endings and creative beginnings as we move into  2012.  My last little ‘new years gift’ to you is this link to a site which can provide funding for your ‘wild and wonderful’ creative endeavors.  Give yourself permission to take risks daily…fail fabulously…and really DO what you’ve imagined!  And be sure to share your comments.  This blog is a ‘we’ thing!
 
Light the sparklers! Welcome the 2012 with a vision of justice, freedom, healthcare, creative education, joy and meaningful work for all!
 
With billions of blessings and great gobs of gratitude for your
support of this blog and www.JoyofQuotes.com
Marta Davidovich Ockuly
 
 
 
Category: Beginnings, Creative Expression, Creative Play, Creativity, Creativity Book Reviews, Endings, Fun, Joy, Play, Possibilities  Tags: , , , , , ,  Leave a Comment
Jul
15

Fun Creative Inspiration

Blue toenail polish in honor of Dr. Mary Murdock

We all have the power to create!  Today’s first creative prompt is:  follow a child’s example. Invent a new world using markers and colored paper. Turn your handprint into a work of art. Make a book out of pictures you’ve torn out of magazines. Transform trash into a treasure. Take your imagination out for a ‘play date.’ Invent something fun and functional (like lizard sandals – my newest fashion statement!)  The only limits are in your mind…and I invite you to practice ignoring them;)

“When we live our life as art we make room for creativity, flow, connection, synchronicity, and magic.”
Heather Ash Amara

The 2011 International Children’s Art Festival held June 17-19th on The National Mall in Washington D.C. brought together children, parents, teachers and performers from around the globe to join in a transformational celebration of creativity. I was there presenting along with 9 other students from the International Center for Studies in Creativity - under the guidance of Dr. Cyndi Burnett. Together we created opportunities for children to exercise their creative spirits and play with possibilities. 

“Creativity is a characteristic given to all human beings at birth.”
Abraham Maslow

Witnessing spontaneous bursts of creative inspiration can be contageous!  A young girl named Dilnoza came half way around the world (look up Tajikistan on the map and you’ll see just how far she traveled to get to Washington DC) to share her talents at my table by creating the flower-filled lizard land shown above.  It was fun watching many new worlds being created out of the fertile imaginations of children from 2 to 12 who spoke different languages, yet shared a universal appreciation for different forms of creative expression. I noticed adults looking longingly at the art supplies – and in some cases – taking the markers out of their children’s hands and taking over the creative process. This is a big ‘creativity craving’ clue.  Adults: if you get the urge to take over/improve(?)/direct/guide a child’s art, it’s time to give yourself free access to the same supplies, as well as your own ‘creative play time.’  When children visited my presentation table, they were invited to select and ‘adopt’ a (rubber) lizard. Their creative ‘task’ was to create a ‘world’ the lizard would love to live in. It could take any form – from something on the moon or in the desert or anywhere in a child’s imagination. The most wonderful part was hearing the children’s ‘lizard land’ stories! Magical!  You ARE encouraged to try this at home!

                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                

“Moment after moment we are creating something, and this is the joy of our life.”
Shunryu Suzuki

When was the last time you gave yourself permission to play with your creativity?  ‘Everyday creativity’ researcher, Dr. Ruth Richards reminds us this type of creating is , “…one of the most powerful capacities we have, bringing us alive in each moment, affecting our health and well being, offering richness and alternatives in what we do, and helping us move further in our creative and personal development.”  (From Everyday Creativity and New Views of Human Nature , 2007, page 25).

“The creative process includes exploring, experimenting, messing around with materials, being playful, entering into the unknown.”
Natalie Rogers

 
 
 

Marta's "Wish 2B Creative" Collage, 2011

Currently, my favorite forms of creative self-expression are collage, photography, and Latin dancing.  I also have a dream to create an Art Play House in Sarasota, Florida, based on the work of Shona Hammond Boys, an art educator/advocate extraordinaire who lives in New Zealand.  We connected at the International Children’s Art Festival and discovered we share a passion for promoting creativity worldwide. She showed an amazing video which I highly recommend viewing, which tells the story of the Opotiki, New Zealand Children’s Mural Project (and the coolest view of a whale tail as well as children catching big fish with their bare hands).  When  you have a half hour to get inspired, click the link above. About 15 minutes into the movie, Shona speaks to the dramatic, positive outcomes of this project. It is nothing less than transformational. To learn more about Shona’s Art Houses in New Zealand, visit: www.arthouse.org.nz . I love the simple truth of this child’s view of creativity. View the video by clicking here.

“One of the most valuable things we can do to heal one another is listen to each other’s stories.”
Rebecca Falls

 

Fun creative inspiration comes from trying new things, playing with materials,being around children creating, and sharing stories. Creativity lessons are all round us. Listen for laughter. Follow your joy. Be curious and take some risks. It’s the recipe for making magical moments. The photo of my friend Carol (in blue) and I in front of a wrought iron re-creation of Cinderella’s carriage demonstrates the creative result of acting on inspiration. I saw the carriage and, like a couple of kids, we decided to sneak over and capture the moment, just for the fun of it!  Creativity prompt #2 is to do something just a little  bit daring (or ‘out of character’)…and take a picture! I recruited a ‘partner in crime’ to catch me in a few fun poses and discovered I enjoy being a ‘creative director’ in photo sessions!  Both photos were taken at The Art Center in Sarasota, Florida.  They have a great exhibit of scanned objects from nature which is jaw-droppingly beautiful which will be showing until the end of July. It’s a great place to visit!

I hope you enjoyed this ‘fun creative inspiration’ blog. As always, you’re invited to visit www.JoyofQuotes.com daily for positive, encouraging quotes and inspiration. We’ve added some new subject categories – including a page of quotes to use on Twitter. I’ll be adding ‘tweetable’ quotes weekly, so keep stopping by. You can also help support our website by clicking on the ads posted by our advertisers. Even if you don’t make a purchase, your click helps offset the costs of keeping our site up and growing.  Thanks, in advance, for your help! I also love hearing from visitors to this blog and hope you will feel inspired to share your comments. 

July is ‘birthday month’ for three of my very dear friends: Tamara on the 22nd, Carol on the 25th, and Janus on the 26th. I hope this is the year each of  your happiest dreams come true!
Thank you for all the ways you bless my life!  And if your birthday is in July, too, I wish you nothing but wonderfulness;)

With peace, joy and smiles….Marta Davidovich Ockuly

Photo Credit:  A special thank you to Tamara Williams who treated me to a fabulous photo session which resulted in many new ‘favorite photos’ – including this professional ‘head shot.’
She made it fun being photographed. If you are ever in Sarasota and need a wonderful photographer, Tamara comes highly recommended! E-mail: magicalmarta@aol.com for details.

Category: Creative Expression, Creativity, Creativity and Inspiration, Creativity Quotes, Fun, Imagination, Inspiration, International Center for Studies in Creativity, Play  Tags: , , , , , , , , ,  2 Comments
Jun
13

Are creativity & empathy connected?

 

Research based on 14 years of Peace through Art and Healing Arts programs, has shown measurable development of empathy in all those connected with these creative efforts (Lancet medical journal, December 2006). People who ‘own’ their creativity are possibility thinkers. To them obstacles are opportunities. They have the courage it takes to act on ideas and think differently. High creatives are sensitive to feelings (their own and others) and can easily come to tears, but they also bravely stand up for what is right and refuse to be silent witnesses to suffering or inequity.  We all have the creative ability to look at situations through another person’s eyes or imagine life walking in another’s shoes.  Radical creativity is about joining hands and hearts with creators worldwide and fashioning a sustainable world where both creativity and empathy are seen as keys to a peaceful and flourishing planet. Are you ready to get involved? 

Creativity & Empathy Collage

“Creativity challenges the status quo.”
Ruth Richards

One of my greatest discoveries as a student at Buffalo State, was the work of Ruth Richards, M.D., PhD.  Earlier blogs sang the praises of  Everyday Creativity: Psychological, Social, and Spiritual Perspectives.  Now, I’m excited to share a link which lets you to see, hear and learn from my mentor.  Click here for your front row seat:  Age of Empathy? New Views of Health, Human Nature, and Relational Creativity is an informative talk by Dr. Ruth Richards, Harvard researcher, eminent creativity scholar, and professor of psychology at Saybrook University, which offers insights into the connections between creativity and empathy.  I invite you to view the video and share it with others who have an interest in both creativity and empathy’s roles in the survival of our species!  After viewing the video, the slide show and reference list can also be printed out.  I found the information about Darwin’s later works very illuminating. I encourage you to explore Edwin Rutsch’s site:  http://CultureofEmpathy.com . It’s a rich source of empathy quotes, projects, experts, empathy curriculum suggestions, and much more. You are also invited to be part of: http://www.facebook.com/EmpathyCenter

 If you are a parent or educator interested in building empathy in children, Ruth Richards recommends Growing up Global: Raising Children to be at Home with the World by Homa Sabet Tavanger (2009).  How do you encourage empathy in your family?  I’d love your feedback in the form of a comment on this blog or via e-mail: magicalmarta@aol.com

“The encouragement of creativity from an early age is one of the best guarantees of growth in a healthy environment self-esteem and mutual respect – critical ingredients for building a culture of peace.”
UNESCO

Empathy-building creativity in action can be witnessed June 17-19, 2011, from 4th Street to 7th Street of the National Mall in Washington DC (across from the U.S. Capital), the site of the 4th World Children’s Festival. If you live in the area – consider come see me. The event is free and the public is invited.  I will be presenting Saturday at 2pm during “Creativity + Imagination Day.”  A group of ten students and graduates of Buffalo State’s International Center for Studies in Creativity led by Dr. Cynthia Burnett, will be stimulating children’s inherent creativity and potential in playful, experiencial ways. We’ll be there Sunday (at 2pm again) to present creative workshops focused on building creative and healthy communities during “Peace + Leadership Day.” The festival is held in honor of nearly 1,000 Arts Olympiad winners from around the world, along with their teachers and parents. More than 200 artists, educators, engineers, entrepreneurs, Olympians, scientists, and technologists will host free workshops and creative activities.  This event is designed to, “…nurture children’s creativity and develop their empathy in a global setting…The festival is a transformative experience where creativity and co-creation become building blocks for innovation and positive social change which empowers the children to shape the future and change the world” (ICAF program).  I am so excited to be part of this amazing event.  Creativity, playfulness, joy and connections will be fully present…GUARANTEED!

“It’s a joy discovering so many creative spirits sharing their gifts with a hungry world.”
Marta Davidovich Ockuly

 As a very recent graduate with a Master’s of Science degree in Creativity, I’m thrilled to be discovering so many amazing applications of creativity by agents for positive change in our world.  Shortly after returning home to Sarasota, I noticed this inspiring sculpture in front of a home on the way to the beach.  I love the message (and the fact the person who put it up cares so much about inspiring others!)  Giving ourselves permission to make mistakes is powerful. What fear is blocking you?  Pretend it’s a dragon you’ve banished from your kingdom. You are a creative free spirit with a destiny. Imagine me waving a magical wand over your head and declaring: “The world is waiting for what you long to create. The sooner you start making mistakes JOYFULLY, the sooner you’ll make the discovery which leads to a life-changing discovery.”  Make this a time of creative action. Consider re-creating yourself as a compasionate activist.

Creativity Prompt:  What ’cause’ do you care about?  How might you begin playing with this possibility? Create a ’cause’ collage (better yet – host a ’cause collage’ party)!

10 New Quotes About Empathy

“The great gift of human beings is that we have the power of empathy, we can all sense a mysterious connection to each other.”
Meryl Streep

“Self-absorption in all its forms kills empathy, let alone compassion. When we focus on ourselves, our world contracts as our problems and preoccupations loom large. But when we focus on others, our world expands. Our own problems drift to the periphery of the mind and so seem smaller, and we increase our capacity for connection – or compassionate action.”
Daniel Goleman

 ”Only by examining our personal biases can we truly grow as artists; only by cultivating empathy can we truly grow as people.”
Jen Knox

“Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not – and therefore the fount of all invention and innovation – in its’ arguably most transformative and revelatory capacity it is the power that enables us to empathize with humans whose experiences we have never shared.”
J.K. Rowling

“To embrace suffering culminates in greater empathy, the capacity to feel what it is like for the other to suffer, which is the ground for unsentimental compassion and love.”  
Stephen Batchelor (Confessions of a Buddhist Atheist)

 ”I believe empathy is the most essential quality of civilization.”
Roger Ebert

“If we are to love our neighbors, before doing anything else we must see our neighbors. With our imagination as well as our eyes, that is to say like artists, we must see not just their faces but the life behind and within their faces. Here it is love that is the frame we see them in.”
Frederick Buechner

“Help someone, you earn a friend. Help someone too much, you make an enemy.”
Erol Ozan

“We live in a culture that discourages empathy. A culture that too often tells us our principle goal in life is to be rich, thin, young, famous, safe, and entertained.”
Barack Obama

 “Empathy is a respectful understanding of what others are experiencing.  Instead of offering empathy, we often have a strong urge to give advice or reassurance and to explain our own position or feeling.  Empathy, however, calls upon us to empty our mind and listen to others with our whole being.”
Marshall Rosenberg

Ann Paquin, creator of 'Gratitude Dancing'

This is a photo of my amazing friend Ann. She is the inspiration and creative spirit behind ‘Gratitude Dancing’ on Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota, FL.  I joyfully participated in her last session and it was a truly beautiful experience seeing friends and strangers dancing with joy.  Ann sets the scene by bringing a boom box (her own or borrowed), CD’s, a variety of colorful silk veils in adult and child-friendly sizes, and a small sign which invites everyone to take part in the fun.  It’s all about appreciation for the gift of  ’this moment’ and the healing benefits of moving our bodies to music in nature.  Veils are offered to people passing by. At first some people seem shy, but with a bit of encouragement they use the scarf to give their dancing spirit wings!  Men and women, boys and girls, elders and newlyweds, tourists and locals, jocks and self-professed ‘non-dancers’ connect with the primal urge to move with the music in a form of moving prayer to the angel of the present moment. Ann’s newest idea is to somehow help people make time in their busy days for a ‘dance break’ which can relieve stress while adding a dose of joy ‘in the moment’.  I told her my personal ‘dance break’ song is Waka Waka by Shakira. I simply cannot hear that song without getting up and dancing. What’s YOUR happy dance song?  Play it. To explore Ann’s creative ventures visit www.chezastara.com and www.facebook.com/gratitudedancer .  How can you use YOUR passion to bless the world?  It’s time to share our stories, build our creative tribes, and use our creativity to fuel empathy for a better world…gratefully.

“I want us to organize, to tell the personal stories that create empathy, which is the most revolutionary emotion.”
Gloria Steinem

“Leadership is about empathy. It is about having the ability to relate to and connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives.”
Oprah Winfrey

June is a month of very special celebrations. My website: www.JoyofQuotes.com will be 2 years old  June 18th!  Now we’re very close to hitting the “100,000 monthly visits” milestone thanks to positive, empowering quote lovers from around the world who choose this site for daily inspiration!  A big blessing goes out to every single person who has ever visited Joy of Quotes and recommended it to someone in need of encouragement, as well as my son who set up the site as a loving gift to his mom.  Thank you all for ‘getting inspired and passing it on!” 

June “Happy Birthday” wishes go out to Hanif, Miley, Ronni, Chepe, Stephan and Juliana.  May you all enjoy a year of great joy and amazing miracles.  Each of you are special blessings in my life!

With much love,


Marta Davidovich Ockuly, M. Sc.
(next step…PhD)

 

Category: Creativity, Creativity and Inspiration, Creativity and Joy, Creativity and Potential, Dance, Empathy, Encouragement, Gratitude, Imagination, Inspiration, International Center for Studies in Creativity, Mistakes, Movement, New Quotes, Play, Possibilities, Potential, Take Action  Tags: , , , , , ,  2 Comments
May
03

Creativity & Potential: Lessons from a little bird

“Some days there won’t be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.”
Emory Austin

A little bird taught me a lot about taking an ecological approach to creativity measurement.  I am a week away from finishing my Master’s Program at Buffalo State’s International Center for Creativity Studies.  Today’s blog is part of my ‘Final Product’ assignment for a class called Creativity Assessment: Measures and Methods.  Luckily it is taught by a fun and creative professor  – Dr. John Cabra. 

Dr. John Cabra 

 He patiently tutored us for months to learn the difference between quantitative and qualitative data, various forms of reliability, validity, and usability, and the magic Cronback-Alpha cut-off (.70).  Now that we can all properly assess research methods and evaluate factor loadings, we get to prove we understand the concepts by creating a product which proves our proficiency.  If you didn’t get all that – it’s ok, because the fun stuff starts here!

  

April 16th – while doing my morning journaling – I got a vision of the direction I wanted to take for my product.  I sketched it out in my journal along with some notes – and the “egg” of my idea was born.  I know enough about creativity to let things like this incubate – so that’s what I did.  Creativity is a really complex phenomenon to try to evaluate.  Lots of smart people have tried, but most focused on just one aspect (the ‘seperatist’ approach) or only paid attention to process.  The new direction in research is called the Ecological (or interactionist) approach.  It looks at complex interactions in an attempt to understand creativity.

 “Creativity is imagining possibilities and making them real.”
Marta Davidovich Ockuly


 Are you still with me?  Ok. One of the articles in my textbook (shown above with photos of the authors: Dr. Mary Murdock who sadly passed away last year, but continues to teach us through her videos, and Dr. Gerard Puccio our department head and noble creative leader) tells a story about a little bird in a cage.  If you studied the bird and wrote down all your observations, how much would you know about the bird?  Not very much.  Do you think a bird that’s been kept in a small cage can still fly?  In the past creativity assessments looked at creativity like a bird in a cage.  They were measuring artificial settings and none of the complexity.  Fortunately – our caged bird WOULD fly. The ability is encoded.  Here’smore good news.  Guess what’s encoded in all of us?  Creativity!  Why?  Because we were not born with wings.  How else could we hope to soar (or even survive) without our ability to imagine?  Imagination is unique to humans. It is so powerful – that if we imagine we’re not creative, we can – to all external measures – make it look as if it were true.  Can it ever be true – really?  The answer is no.  All human brains are creative and have unlimited amounts of potential. Now the question becomes – how do we activate it?  No need for tests or assessments – just start using it.

Now back to my project.  I found a bird cage with a little bird to symbolize our creative potential.  There were eggs in a nest which represented all the dreams and ideas we haven’t ‘hatched’ yet.  I added a Buffalo State lanyard holding 4 shiny keys which stand for the widely accepted four components of creativity: person, process, product and press.  The keys are also to remind us we have the ‘key’ to open any door if we use our creativity.  The butterfly perched on the outside of the cage is a symbol of transformation and playfulness.  Lighten up. Have fun with creativity.  Play with ideas, and projects and things you are deeply passionate about learning.  These actions will give your creativity wings. 


 Part two of my product project was to create a collage which spoke to ecology and how we (people and birds) must interact with nature.  I used this quote by John Muir at the top: “When one tugs at a single thing in nature…one finds it attached to the rest of the world.”  Thinking in terms of the ecology of creativity I wrote: “Creativity is a 1000+ piece puzzle…as complex and evolving as nature.”  The ecological model of creativity shows four overlapping circles representing person, process, product and press, but I added a fifth circle called potential.  Every one of these aspects is made up of many, many puzzle pieces.  Just like we can’t look at a bird and know if it can fly, we can’t look at a person and ‘see’ their creativity.  Research points to certain personality traits and thinking styles which sometimes lead to creativity, but no measure right now takes into account a person’s history, birth order, personality traits, knowledge base, habits, attitude, blocks, fears, competencies, culture, environment, health, commitment, motivation, self-esteem, openness, tolerance of ambiguity, curiosity, playfulness, intuition, risk-talking, learning style, flexibility, originality, values, interests, preferences, passions, talents, and challenges.  Rather than blocking creativity – challenges and a level of anxiety can actually encourage it!

Now what happens when we put it all together?  Would the bird act differently outside than inside?  Would it feel excited or afraid seeing other birds?  Some people create well in groups, and others prefer to be alone.  To me the ecological approach makes sense when it comes to the study of creativity and anything else.  If you are in the academic world – I hope you will join me and calling for creativity assessments which follow the 3 priorities suggested by Drs. Murdock and Puccio:  (1) nurturing creative potential; (2) ensuring that the differences in how people exhibit their creativity are recognized and used; (3) exploring creativity as closely as possible to the way it happens in realistic settings.

“Reliance on a single measure to draw conclusions about creative potential is like holding one piece of a 1000 piece puzzle & attempting to describe the overall image from that single part.”
Murdock & Puccio (1998) Creativity Assessment:  Readings and Resources

 I hope you enjoyed this ‘lesson.’  In just three weeks I begin teaching my own course in Creative Process at Eckerd College in Sarasota, Florida.  Thanks for helping me complete my assignment in an original and elegant way.  The 10-week journey into uncharted creative waters we began in February is officially over.  I will continue posting about creativity – but it most likely will be once every other week or even monthly.  I encourage you to follow my creative prompts, encouraging quotes, and informative posts on Twitter by following me on QuoteJoy.   As always your questions, comments and feedback are blessed and appreciated.  You can use the comment form or simply write me an e-mail:  magicalmarta@aol.com  If you need positive quotes, you’ll find my 200 topic collection at http://www.joyofquotes.com/  Create a joy and potential packed day, week, month!


 Marta Davidovich Ockuly

Category: Creativity, Creativity and Potential, creativity assessment, International Center for Studies in Creativity, Play, Possibilities, Potential, Take Action, Teaching Creativity Creatively  Tags: , , , ,  Leave a Comment
Apr
14

How are you creative?

Your beautiful, creative brain!

“Creativity is for us all – it’s about you, me, and about everyday life. It is
about the abundant originality we manifest, and our flexible improvisations,
whether teaching a class, raising our kids, fixing the car, helping
a client, landscaping the yard, planning a benefit, or
trying to figure out why we’re on this earth.”
Ruth Richards, M.D., PhD, originator of the term ‘everyday creativity’ 

Imagine this…you are in a large auditorium and the speaker asks everyone in the audience who thinks he or she is creative to raise their hand. Would your hand go up or stay down?  Truthfully!  Do you ‘own’ your creativity? This blog has an important mission and that is to inspire you to enlighten anyone you ever hear declaring they are ‘not creative.’  In fact,  ”Are you creative?” is the ultimate ‘trick question.’  If you are alive and have a functioning brain, the only correct answer is “yes.”  Need more evidence?  Spend ten minutes taking our new HOW ARE YOU CREATIVE? Quiz. Then explore the latest creative brain science explored in this blog. 

 

Shelley Carson, PhD, a Harvard researcher whose new book is titled Your Creative Brain, has this to say on the subject: “We are all creative. Creativity is the hallmark of human capacity that has allowed us to survive thus far. Our brains are wired to be creative, and the only thing stopping you from expressing the creativity that  is your birthright is your belief that there are creative people and uncreative people and that you fall in that second category.”  Once and for all we need to erase the old myth that creativity is something doled out to “the select few”. It is not just for artists, composers, rocket scientists, and other geniuses.  Our entire beautiful brain pulses with creativity.  You can create anything you can imagine – no matter who you are. The key is playing with ideas, being curious, and building up mastery the subject area(s) you find most intesting. Doing what you love is important to unlocking your creative potential, but simply learning new things, moving new ways, and stretching your creative muscles on a regular basis will deliver amazing results. 

 “You are in possession of one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers, one that has virtually unlimited potential not only to change your life, but also to change your world.”
Shelley Carson 

 April 15th is Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday and the kick-off of World Creativity and Innovation Week .  In honor of creativity week, a committee of creative change leaders (including me) attending the International Center for Studies in Creativity are launching an international HOW ARE YOU CREATIVE? campaign aimed at increasing every person on the planet’s awareness of their brain’s creative power. Will you join us?  Simply ask 5 people “How are you creative?” – have a creative conversation about the reality of everyday creativity – and then ask them to pass the information on the same way.  Encourage people to watch this wonderful video my friends Juliana, Erika, and Meagan created for our Current Issues class.  It’s all about ‘regular’ people talking about the importance of claiming their creativity.

“Most people see what is, and never see what can be.”
Albert Einstein
It’s time for people everywhere to know we can all be creative catalysts and agents for positive change. When people claim their creativity, they are empowered.  Awareness of creativity also opens up feelings of possibility.  Go public with your creativity between April 15th and 22nd.  Gather friends for creative play parties.  Everyone is invited to Grad House in Buffalo to attend our Creativity Week Collage Party Open House. E-mail me for details and directions: magicalmarta@aol.com Doing something as simple as using your non-dominant hand to hold your toothbrush will stimulate your creative brain!  Pick a fun-for-you-creative-project and just do it!  The point is to get creative!  Creativity is a great thing to share with your friends,  family, co-workers, and other people in your community.  Remember: playfulness pays big creative dividends, too!

Co-founder of Creativity Week & graduate of ICSC

 “Helping people to connect with their personal creative capacities is the surest way to release the best they have to offer.”
Sir Ken Robinson
 

  

 Creative Prompt #1:  Here’s the HOW ARE YOU CREATIVE? word and idea cloud I created.  Read through it and find the phrases which inspire you most. Tweet those words, make up your own colorful ‘affirmation’ card, or use the words to inspire a new creation this week.  If you usually collage, write a poem.  If you are comfortable writing about ‘reality’ – jot down a fantasy.  

 

Creative Prompt #2:  Click the link to take our new  HOW ARE YOU CREATIVE? Quiz.  There are just 10 questions.  Every ‘yes’ answer affirms your creativity. I challenge you to ask everyone you know if they are creative. If they answer ‘no’ or seem less than confident about their creative abilities, share this survey with them.  I’d love your feedback.  Send me a note about your results and/or experience and I’ll send you an autographed copy of the HOW ARE YOU CREATIVE? word and idea cloud. 

 

Creative Prompt #3:  Looking at things differently. Many creative discoveries come from combining things in a new way.  The fish and the feather show above are a beautiful example.  This prompt suggests you take a discovery walk in nature and begin to imagine unusual combinations – maybe a flower bird or cloud candy.  Be sure to take along a small notebook or journal to capture your imaginings.  Use as many of your senses as you can during your walk – including balance. Your brain will love you for it! 

 

Have you heard Ken Robinson’s newest TED talk?  It’s a great introduction to his recently released, revised edition of  Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative.  This book is literally calling for a creative education revolution – and it’s solidly founded on facts I believe most people will find astounding. Robinson offers evidence personalized education for every student is an investment rather than a cost.  He states,”The only way to raise overall standards is to engage the energies and imaginations of every student in the system.”  The book covers examples of this type of ‘radical innovation’ which is working miracles in pilot programs affecting thousands of students who use technology coupled with group work, collaborative projects and ’thinking’ time.  Standardized test scores are balanced with “…exhibits and demonstrations of achievement reflecting  real world evaluations and assessments that all of us face in our everyday lives,” (p. 258).  He does not suggest identical changes be imposed throughout the country. It’s up to each community to design a system which addresses their unique challenges. This book also has a strong creative leadership focus.  In his closing comments Robinson states, “To realize our true creative potential – in our organizations, in our schools and in our communities – we need to think differently about ourselves and to act differently towards each other. We must learn to be creative.”  To that I say ‘amen’! 

 

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”
Albert Einstein
 
 
  
 
 
 
 

My creative spirit daughter Sarah. Photo credit: Marta Ockuly
“Creative individuals tend to be smart, yet also naïve at the same time… Creative individuals have a combination of playfulness and discipline, or responsibility and irresponsibility.”
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
 
Creative Prompt #4:   Take yourself lightly. Pack a mini-picnic and pick up a package of sidewalk chalk first. Then go find a playground with a set of swings and set yourself in motion.  Make up a ‘swinging song’.  Here’s my attempt: Swing high, touch the sky, floating like a butterfly. (You need to sing this;)  Now it’s your turn!  Send me the words and I promise I’ll sing them back to you. Now take out the sidewalk chalk and make a ‘temporary mural’ or set of ‘silly signs’.  Use your imagination.  Invite some kids to play along.  Sing songs, run around, and fall down laughing.  If that isn’t enough to get your creative juices flowing, dip your hands in watercolor paint and leave hand prints on each tree you hug!  Journal your feelings the next morning.

 

I wish for you a crazy, fun, creative week of pulling out all your creative stops.  I hope you’ll also join our HOW ARE YOU CREATIVE? crusade. It is truly time for every man, woman and child in the world to know, without a shadow of a doubt, they are creative.  Teaching creativity has the potential to change lives and our collective futures for the better. Let’ get started!

 

SPECIAL REQUEST:  If anyone reading this blog has insights into available grants or fellowships for a person pursuing a PhD in psychology and creativity (that would be me!) I’d greatly appreciate hearing from you.  I’ve started the application process and hope to be starting my PhD studies at Saybrook University this Fall.  If you are looking for a PhD with a humanistic and creativity focus – Saybrook offers a fantastic program!
I hope you enjoyed this week’s creative brain work out.  As our journey of creative exploration moves toward closure, is there a topic you wish I would cover?  Let me know.  I’m very grateful for your comments and feedback.  Don’t forget to visit www.JoyofQuotes.com when ever you need some positive inspiration or encouragement.  My hand-picked quote collection includes 200+ subject categories as well as a fun ‘inspire me’ button for those times you need instant inspiration.  Enjoy the warmer weather and signs of spring.  I often end my blogs with an image of me dancing. This time I’m sharing a photo of a frog who has taken up meditation (or maybe he just downed a ‘chill pill’).  Keep going with the creative flow….Marta Davidovich Ockuly
  

 P.S.  Sending out Happy Birthday wishes to my super creative, master’s project  ’sounding board partner’ Amy!  It is certainly fitting for you to be celebrating the anniversary of your arrival on earth during World Creativity and Innovation Week!  Sending you billions of blessings and your happiest dreams come true! 

 

 

Category: Brain, Creative Expression, Creative Play, Creativity, Creativity Book Reviews, Encouragement, Imagination, Inspiration, International Center for Studies in Creativity, Movement, New Quotes, Personal Growth, Play, Possibilities, Potential, Take Action, Uncategorized  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  Leave a Comment
Mar
27

Creativity & Passion Play Well Together

“It’s hard for many to imagine, but having fun, feeding your passions, and engaging your talents are simple steps that will take you to the bigger answers you seek.”
Jonathan H. Ellerby

It’s time to turn your old ideas around passion and playfulness upside down! Exploring your creative passions leads you straight to your purpose. Finding what Sir Ken Robinson calls ‘the element’ is also the quickest path to joy in life. If you didn’t get the memo – pay attention to this message:  Life is NOT something to be taken seriously. We were put on this earth to make a positive difference while doing what we love. Happiness is not frivolous – it is a path to peace. One caution:  passion is not indulgence. It is harmless (to ourselves and others). Play with it. What you create will positively change the world!

Who are you? What makes you curious? What do you find fun? How would you most like to play all day? If you were free to do anything, what would you do?  The answers to these questions will provide you with ‘passion clues.’ They are parts of the million-piece-puzzle known as YOU.  My personal passion profile includes:  traveling, teaching, coaching, inspiring, sharing and caring,  making a difference, reading, researching, learning, and activating creative potential with joy. My favorite ways to play range from playing classic solitaire on-line, Scrabble in real life, Latin dancing or doing Zumba, and, of course, creating collages, books and doing my thing on Twitter.  A big part of my joy comes from just walking in nature. If there is a beach, park or nature trail around – you’ll find me there!  Why is it important to know these things about myself – because they all offer clues to my most meaningful work. My passion for inspiring and sharing positive quotes led to creating  www.JoyofQuotes.com website.  This website shares my voice with the world. The feedback I get and the growing numbers of visitors to the site offer dramatic testimony to the power of passion. It thrills me to know people are being encouraged and inspired by the words I’ve gathered. My life feels meaningful because of it – and I am also empowered to extend my love of sharing and caring in other ways – such as this blog. Living your passion does not have to be complicated. It does not mean you must quit your ‘day job’ or give up your family responsibilites, it simply means you make room for it in your life. Right now you have everything you need to start taking baby steps in the direction of what you love.  In your heart you probably have an idea of what this is for you. Give yourself that gift.  The world is waiting for you!

Ok. We started this post with snow, but Spring has sprung and here’s the evidence – my friend Ann invites us all to come gratitude dancing at Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota, Florida.  She is doing what she loves and all the world benefits! Watch the video and feel the joy, passion, creativity, and playfulness of putting up a sign and bringing colorful silk scarves to the beach. It’s magic!  Let’s all start dancing with our passions in new ways. Ann is the dancing goddess in the straw hat. If you’re interested in participating in a Creative Playshop in Sarasota (complete with a gratitude dancing experience) let me know and I’ll set it up!

Lucky you!  It’s Spring Break & you’re just one click away from dancing on the beach!!!! 
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frRvJ-1Hc-k
Now anytime you need a dance break, just come back to this blog!

“ When work, commitment, and pleasure all become one and you reach that deep well where passion lives, nothing is impossible. ”
Nancy Coey

I’ve mentioned this book before, but there really is no better book on the market about the power of passion for good than The Element by Sir Ken Robinson. If you missed my book review, click this link: http://tiny.ly/yGs8   Now it’s time to play with possibilities. Keven Carroll http://kevincarrollkatalyst.com Has written many books, but the one I’m calling your attention to today is titled: The Red Rubber Ball at Work.  Jenna Smith, one of my super passionate peers in the Buffalo State Creative Studies department http://www.buffalostate.edu/creativity/ wrote a great book review. Please check it out at http://tiny.ly/xlmp . All through the book, Keven shares stories about children’s preferred ways of playing led them to amazing careers expressing their unique passions.

“The master of the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which; he simply pursues his vision of excellence in whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing.
To him he is always doing both.”
Buddha 

 

Creativity Prompt #1:  Think back to your childhood and jot down your favorite ways to play. What did you enjoy doing most?  Did you prefer inside or outside play?  Did you like building things? Or taking things apart? Or creating imaginary worlds? Make a list as long as you can of your happiest memories. Write them out longhand. The act of writing will trigger more information to come up for you.  When you feel you have it all on paper, look for patterns. Are you doing similar work? Do those activities still stimulate interest?  Are there some playful actions from list you’ll like to experience again. Pencil ‘play time’ into your schedule and do it.  Take toys to the office if that makes it easier. Playing promises to stimulate both your brain and your creativity. Have fun with it!

 

“Never forget that you are one of a kind. Never forget that if there weren’t any need for you in all your uniqueness to be on this earth, you wouldn’t be here in the first place. And never forget, no matter how overwhelming life’s challenges and problems seem to be, that one person can make a difference in the world. In fact, it is always because of one person that all the changes in the world come about.  So be that person.”
Buckminster Fuller 

 We are all brilliant in different ways. Learning your strengths will help identify areas of potential passion for you, too. Which of these intelligences fit you? Musical (music smart), Bodily-Kinesthetic (body smart),
Logical-Mathematical (number smart), Linguistic (word smart), Spatial (picture smart), Interpersonal (people smart), Intrapersonal (smart about myself), Naturalist (nature smart), Existential (‘big questions’ smart). Visit http://tiny.ly/YW7T to complete a fun questionnaire and generate your own colorful intelligence/preference chart.  Howard Gardner www.howardgardner.com developed the theory of multiple intelligences and his books and web site are well worth exploring. You can also Google multiple intelligences and find good information. 

Creativity Prompt #2:  Consider recording your intelligence preferences to your journal and writing about their potential, or create a whole collage around your intelligence chart (print it out  at www.bgfl.org) and surround it with images showing the ways you’d most like to explore your preferences. 

“If God came in and said, I want you to be happy for the rest of your life, what would you do?”
Bernie Siegel 

   

Creativity Prompt#3:  Scrabble story challenge. These are all the words I pulled together on my Scrabble board. Your task is to write a short story, song or poem using all 26 words (and a few extra if needed). Please keep it to 100 words or less…total! Here’s the word list: passion, potential, preference, freedom, fun, play, create, gain, see, be, serve, give, idea, yes, ball, jigsaws, prison, what, why, how, too, brain, tao, odd, how, mind.

“ There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost.”
Martha Graham

Set yourself free! I read an interesting blog this morning which starts with a powerful quote about the role of passion in creative leadership. It’s also full of insights into the importance of having a mission, and making a commitment to creativity. Powerful stuff! http://t.co/lAPZ6jS Read the article and ask yourself: Have I put myself in a cage? In what ways do I consider myself ‘not free’ to create?

“Don’t be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.”
Rumi 

I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog about creativity and passion and playfulness. It certainly feels more fun than last week’s topic of failure.  I must admit to you I experienced some failure feedback from the Universe after that posting!  It all worked out in magical ways, but it reminded me to remind you – failure does NOT feel good when it’s happening. Sure – there will be learnings down the road – but in the moment they are pretty difficult to appreciate.  So my wish for you this week is for heaps of happy consequences from digging into the topic of passion and play. Thanks for visiting! 

Marta Davidovich Ockuly
Passionate Creativity Catalyst

P.S. Don’t just take my word for it. Click the golden link below to hear Tom Kelley of IDEO sharing the importance of doing what you love!
Tom Kelley, IDEO Do What You Love » Wisepreneur: Creativity & Innovation for Entrepreneurs

Category: Creative Expression, Creative Play, Creativity, Inspiration, Joy, Multiple Intelligences, New Quotes, Passion, Personal Growth, Play, Potential, Purpose, Take Action  Tags: , , , , , ,  4 Comments
Mar
14

Joy and Creativity

 Welcome!  This week we’re turning our focus from creativity and mindfulness, to joy and creativity.  

Let’s talk a bit about the nature of joy.  Psychiatry professor George Vallant reminds us, “We can laugh from either joy or happiness, but we weep only from grief or joy…Without the pain of farewell, there is no joy in reunion…without the pain of captivity, we don’t experience the joy of freedom.”  Happiness is cognitive (a state of mind), where as joy is affective (an emotion).  Joy is the least studied of all the emotions – but that is changing with better technology and being able to look more specifically at brain function. While happiness is not joy – often we can use happiness clues to lead us to our joys.  Happiness is a choice we make. Joy appears when we are deeply moved or when we accomplish something deeply meaningful or fulfill our natures as human beings. Humanistic psychologist and classic creativity theorist Rollo May’s writings link the concepts of joy, creativity, and human potential with anxiety.  Joy almost always shows up when we’ve overcome a challenge or worked hard to make a discovery or create something original. None of those things are easy – even when certain people feel they have ‘a gift’ – it does not bear fruit unless the ground is plowed and the seeds are planted and tended for a long, long time. Does this mean joy is out of reach for most of us? Absolutely not. In fact, doing something very simple – daily – can turn you into a virtual joy magnet. It required making joy and creative action a priority. You must also be willing to take baby steps in the direction of what you love – a dream, a project, something you’ve always felt a desire to do. By giving yourself as little as 10 minutes a day indulging in some ‘positive pretending’ and small actions you can see joyful syncronicities showing up where you least expected them.  A link will be provided later in this post to walk you through the process if you so desire.

“Joy, rather than happiness, is the goal of life, for joy is the emotion which accompanies our fulfilling our natures as human beings.
It is based on the experience of one’s identity as being of worth and dignity.”
Rollo May

Have you been practicing mindfulness for 15 minutes a day?  Are you seeing some benefits from journaling? I’d love to hear about your experiences. For me, mindfulness plus movement triggered great creative results.  Keep that in mind as you begin to explore your joys and use them to direct your creative play activities for the week ahead. Given the disaster of the earthquake and resulting trauma in Japan – we are reminded to be grateful for this moment and the blessings surrounding us – seen and unseen.   In times of emergency – we reach out to help others in our global family.  Life is precious precisely because there are no guarantees.  No one is promised a tomorrow. We have an obligation to ourselves and the world to use each day to the fullest doing what matters most to us. Joy and gratitude always appear together. It is simply impossible to feel waves of joy without being drenched in gratitude.  I invite you to reflect on what you may be taking for granted in your life right now.  Then as part of your creative actions for the coming week – reach out and make a positive difference in your world. By sharing a smile, a hug, a hand written letter, or a compliment  or encouragement – you will open doors to your own potential.

“Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only
this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand, and melting like a snowflake.”
Marie Beyon Ray

What does love have to do with it?  Decades of research led E. Paul Torrance, the man many call the father of creativity, to conclude: “One of the most powerful wellsprings of creative energy, outstanding accomplishment, and self-fulfillment seems to be falling in love with something – your dreams, your image of the future.”  Harvard researcher Theresa M. Amabile’s studies also show: “The best way to help people to maximize their creative potential to to allow them to do something they love.”  So what is your creative dream?  What would you do if you knew you could not fail?  Part of the reason you are on this planet right now is to pursue that passion. The dream and the dreamer are always matched. You would not have your particular dream if you did not have the means – right now – to begin walking in that direction.  This is not to say the dream will turn out exactly as you imagined, but I will assure you it will lead you to the place you need to be to find joy and meaning in your life.

 Did you know dancing with joy literally builds new brain cells? 

Biologist Carla Hannaford, PhD, reports:
 ”Self-initiated movement, exploration, interaction and physical experience for the joy and challenge of it, facilitates neurogenesis (nerve growth) for a lifetime.”

 In her fascinating book, Smart Moves: Why Learning is Not All in Your Head, Hannaford makes it clear new brain cells (neural connections) can ONLY be grown if we’re totally focused on (and enthused about) an activity.  What makes us most excited?  JOY!  Creative projects offer a great mix of challenge and joy.  If an idea gives you lots of energy – it has the potential to bring you joy.  What are you inspired to try?

Can you tell me 10 activities which bring you joy?  Before getting out of bed in the morning, spend 10 minutes thinking about what brings you deep joy. If you’ve never made a joy mandala, check out this link:  ActivateJoyPower .  Many people find this technique transformational. With a little practice, you can move joy into your ‘top of the mind awareness’.  When that happens you’ll begin attracting more and more joy.  My life is filled with joy because I use it as my GPS in life. My current ‘top ten’ creative joys are:  1. Zumba classes 2. Nature walks 3. Journaling 4. Making collages 5. Reading & researching 6. Being a creativity catalyst 7. Finding great quotes 8.  Creating and sharing inspiring ‘tweets’ on Twitter 9. Taking a trip to Ukraine with my kids 10. Latin music & dancing.

I’m happy to report I had my most creatively productive week since starting this project.  I give the credit to my joyful Zumba instructor, Tammy Davis, at Terries Workout Center in Buffalo, NY.  Her classes are sing-out-loud fun and energizing.  I love the results so much I’ve decided to commit to doing 40 Zumba classes (5x a week) between now and May!  If Zumba is too big of a stretch for you – commit to taking daily walks or swimming laps. It doesn’t matter what you do – as long as it makes you smile and fills you with energy.

In addition to making more art, I experimented with different processes. Normally, I create my collages inside my journal, but this time I painted a canvas board hot pink and used it as my ‘joy collage’ base.  How many of my joys can you find?  After completing my ‘joy collage painting’ – I painted facing pages inside my journal and then collaged them, too! 

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”
Albert Einstein

Creative Prompt #1:  Think about what brings you joy and start a joy list in your journal. Spend the next few days looking for small ways to experience your ‘joys’. You’ll get extra brain cells for trying something new. What creative project have you been wanting to do?  What’s stopping you?  

“What if imagination and art are not frosting at all, but the fountainhead of human experience?”
Rollo May

I was inspired to combine oil pastels, paint, and collage elements to this piece.  A friend e-mailed this beautiful  quote and print by visionary artist Gordon Wood.  His piece is called “Birth of Awe”.  Visiting his site was a joyful experience for me.  The background is a ‘scribble drawing’ I did in the dark with the oil pastels. It was a fun experience. Ihighly recommend it if you are stuck in ‘critical mode’. Closing your eyes, reaching for colors blindly, and drawing out emotions can be incredibly freeing.  I did it a month ago. It’s just been sitting and waiting for me to get the inspiration to finish it. Last night – I worked madly until nearly 5am to finish all six art projects and this blog.  This burst of creativity came from all the connections I’ve been making. Reading books, coloring, clipping images, dancing, taking walks, doing things outside my comfort zone, and most of all – letting all those elements blend in the big creative cooking pot called ‘incubatation.’  Inspiration comes from working at something daily – not waiting for the muse to move you.  Just do something – then relax.  Practice mindfulness, be silly and playful.  And get over your ‘old stories’ which sound like “…nothing sounds fun to me” or “I can’t do that” or “I don’t have time”.  Those are all just excuses.  Change your thoughts, take action, change your world!

 

“No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody by oneself.”
Virginia Woolf

I created this ‘positive self-image’ collage to help me visualize my new mantra:  NOW to WOW!  It was triggered by insights I picked up from Chip and Dan Heath’s book Switch (I reviewed it in last weeks’ blog).  Their ‘form an instant habit’ prompts are working for me.  A second book which also influenced me this week was the 365 A Daily Creativity Journal.  I’ve been thinking about something fun I’d like to do for a year – and Zumba came up as my answer.  As mentioned earlier – I’m going to try 40 classes in 2 months first – if it’s still joyful I’ll commit to the ‘long haul.’  What’s really exciting about all these insights and art projects is this:  the mindfulness and movement combination is working like magic.   I set an intention to unlock my creative potential and stimulate personal growth and I’m really experiencing the results.  Just a month into the process, I’m genuinely excited about the possibilities.

The next image shows all the creative projects I was inspired to complete this week.  It’s alot!!!! I’m happy I broke through my resistance to using acrylics and watercolor paints. I also played with Mod Podge and a variety of brushes. I let go of criticism and simply played with possibilities.

This is a crazy amount of creative expression isn’t it???  I tripled my usual output.  If you are really ready to break through blocks and get into the creative ‘flow’ – try movement and mindfulness – with a dash of joy.  There is no way I’d do any exercise class daily (for love nor money).  But joy makes it a fun thing so it’s a double win.  Your job this week is to find what turns you on in terms of creative, joyful actions.  Experiment. Play. Pay attention to your energy.  All this information will point you in the direction you need to go.

Creative Prompt #2:  Play with paints – buy a tube of white acrylic and another color that feels joyful (I picked magenta and bronze). Now flip through magazines, keeping your eyes open for images and words which catch your attention. Tear them out and keep them in a big envelope until you have enough to create a collage. Think about adding in collage ‘scraps’ – things like receipts, ticket stubs, or ideas scribbled on bits of paper make interesting additions. You can even Google a topic and find images to use – simply right click on an image, and do ‘save as’.  Stretch yourself.   There is no one grading you on your work. Just make a personal statement.

“Even without success, creative persons find joy in a job well done. Learning for its own sake is rewarding.”
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Creative Prompt #3:  Basic – buy a coloring book (they have a great selection at Target starting at just $1!) Coloring will get you relaxed.  It’s a non-threatening way to get your feel in the creative waters.  Color mindfully. Have fun with it! Advanced – create a coloring book.  Sit for a few minutes in silence, or take a 15 minute discovery walk and jot down  ideas which pop up, and start drawing.  A good book for drawing prompts is: The Confident Creative…Drawing to Free the Hand and Mind by Cat Bennett.  Cat suggests starting an artist’s sketchbook as a way of documenting your journey into deeper creativity. If you are interested in this topic, it’s a book worth having.

“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.”
Henri Nouwen

This is my first watercolor in ages.  I played with colors and swirls and then decided to place my new ‘creativity button prototype’ in the center.  It’s very much simpler (less cluttered) than my usual collages.  I used a mat board backing which ended up warping a bit. Oh well.  It’s not my favorite – but this blog is my record of all the pieces I produce week to week – so here it is!

“Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional, and mental states.”
Carol Welch

My dear friend Ann (shown below)  developed a practice she calls ‘gratitude dancing.’  She dances her joy on Siesta Key beach in Sarasota, Florida, to the delight of passers by.  Her creative actions have stimulated wonderful ideas and connections.  If you’d like to give spontaneous dancing a try – this Friday, March 18th at noon is the perfect time!  It just happens to be global:  ’Dance Anywhere You Are’ day.  For details visit:  www.danceanywhere.org

“True joy is that which gives us more energy and makes us feel more alive.”
Robert Puryear

I am thinking of creating a pin with this message. What do you think?  Do you prefer this message or the one which asks “What did you create today?”  Your feedback is important to me.  Please leave a comment.  I got my new FLIP camera, but can’t get it to work, so hopefully I’ll be able to debut a video next week.  I also want to report my Arthur Murray (dreaded) dance lesson was actually fantastically fun!  Thank you Myron – my cha-cha master at the Buffalo Arthur Murray Studio on Bailley.  Our hour together was pure pleasure.  I appreciate your patience and your affirming comments about my ‘club style’ dancing abilities.  Yea!

If you’d like to share art you’ve created on this blog, send it to magicalmarta@aol.com  Visit www.JoyofQuotes.com for our complete selection of creativity, risk, courage, and self-expression quotes.  The world is waiting for your unique contribution – that’s why it’s important to find your joy!  Create a wonderful week!

Marta Davidovich Ockuly
(Dancing with joy!)

 

Category: Brain, Creativity, Creativity Quotes, Dance, Journaling, Joy, Joy Quotes, Life, Mindfulness, Movement, Personal Growth, Play, Potential, Take Action  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  5 Comments
Feb
26

It’s creative play day!

“Our everyday creativity is not only good for us but it’s also one of the most powerful capacities we have, bringing us alive in each moment, affecting our health and well-being, offering richness and
alternatives in what we do, and helping us move further
in our creative and personal development.”
Dr. Ruth Richards, Everyday Creativity

The guiding principles behind this journey we are undertaking are deep and profound.  They are grounded in scientific research and  theory which spans decades. A New York Times article from the ’80 attributes the term ‘everyday creativity’ to Dr. Ruth Richards, my mentor and favorite creativity scholar, and her colleagues at Harvard Medical School.  Here’s what she says about this topic: “It’s strange – many people still think creativity is largely about making art, and is much more relevant to famous people than the rest of us. Not so!”  Dr. Richards wants us all to understand the idea of “originality in everyday life” is about seeing what may seem ordinary as extraordinary – be it creating a dinner from leftovers, to making up songs or stories for our little ones, orchestrating a cross country move, or planning a fund raising event for a cause dear to us. If we are breathing, we’re creative. It is, in fact, an essential life and survival skill. Got it?

“Almost all creativity involves purposeful play.”
Abraham Maslow

Play Prompt #1:  Now repeat after me: I AM creative! Louder: I AM CREATIVE. Now sing it:  I am creative…la la la..  Now make up a few more lines to this song… (have fun with this).  There – I’ve eased you into Play Prompt #1 for today. Write a song or poem or even a button/badge which declares: I AM CREATIVE…YOU ARE CREATIVE…WE ALL ARE CREATIVE!  Now – while you’re stretching your creative muscles – please know you are building your brain cells and new neural pathways.  Doing anything different from your routine stimulates brain growth. How’s that for a happy consequence? (By the way – the I AM CREATIVE button in the photo was created by Marci Segal, a graduate of the Buffalo State Creativity Studies program and the founder of World Creativity and Innovation Week April 15-21.  We will be celebrating that awesome event in a very special way through this blog so stay tuned!)  I took the photo just this moment using my two favorite monster finger puppets as sign-holders!  Do you have toys on your desk?  It might be time to go shopping for some!

“Play is the highest form of research.”
Albert Einstein

Play Prompt #2:  Make yourself a “Permission to Play” poster.  This can be a collage similar to the one in the image shown or a simple permission slip you create and print off your computer.  Dress it up with stickers, glitter or your reprints of your favorite quotes.  Grab some crayons and color it.  Make a mini-version to carry in your purse or wallet. Make it a playful reminder of your intention to make room for creative play in your day.

“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.”
Albert Einstein

Play Prompts #3 & #4:  Journal your resistance and your enthusiasm – whatever comes up.  Ask yourself: ” how would I most like to ‘play’ today?” and do it.  If you are not sure where to start on your journey into creative discovery, try intuitive inquiry.  Open your journal to a blank page. Date it. Then write out this question at the top of the page:  “What’s the best baby step for me to take to start this journey into creative play today?”  Next – switch your pen over to your non-dominant hand. And write the answer which comes into your mind. Do it now.

“We need to make the world safe for creativity and intuition, for it’s creativity and intuition that will make the world safe for us.”
Edgar Mitchell

Note about intuitive inquiry:  it is best approached in a relaxed state and with an open mind. The answer which comes forward is from your sub-conscious. This is as much a part of you as your cognative brain. It is your body’s GPS, designed to guide you, safely, to your desired destination. Pay attention to it. Resist the temptation to ‘figure it out’.  Trust it will move you in the direction you need to go. Play with it. It might suggest you scrub the kitchen floor. Just do it. Pay attention to your feelings and thoughts while you’re scrubbing. Write down your insights or discoveries. You might even do a second intuitive inquiry after you’ve followed your prompt to ask: “What was I supposed to learn from this?” And use your non-dominant hand to record the answer. This is a powerful tool. Put it in your creativity tool box and carry it around with you. I promise it will come in handy!

“Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen  hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.”
Mary Anne Radmacher

Last week I shared the motivation behind this 10-week experience. This is the week we dip our toes into the water.  I want you to imagine we’re all walking through a beautiful garden pathway leading to a wide river.  There is a canoe waiting for each of us.  We need to take off our shoes and wade over to our vessel.  Be prepared to get muddy.  Any journey into creativity is bound to be messy from time to time. Make room for the mess in your life.  Follow your curiosities. Challenge yourself to explore unfamiliar paths and activities which both excite and terrify you.  The terror is just fear of the unknown.  Remember this acronym:  fear is nothing but false evidence appearing real.  It’s the product of negative pretending.  For this 10-week experiment – promise me you’ll use every fear thought as a trigger to practice positive pretending.  Simply replace your ‘worst case’ imaginings with ‘best case’ scenarios.  It will be challenging, but it is absolutely doable.  Bonus:  you’ll be building brain capacity every time you pull yourself out of old ‘stinking thinking’ ruts and forge new ways of thinking and being in the world.

“The only journey is the journey within.”
Rainer Maria Rilke

Are you feeling excited or overwhelmed?  I am confident you have at least a few butterflies dancing in your belly at the thought of what may lie ahead.  Here’s more good news:  you get to craft your own journey. I will suggest projects and plant playful ‘idea seeds’ – but the choice is yours.  You are committed to taking creative action. If you’d rather explore another area of creativity which spurs your interest – do it.  We can talk all day about how to activate creative potential and unlock doors of awareness and personal growth, but nothing happens unless we take action.  So follow your heart or follow my prompts – just DO something fun and personally playful!

“It is a happy talent to know how to play.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

I’ve shared a photo of the ‘creative play’ nest I built in my bed last week – along with one of the collages I created. I really hope you will share your creative awakenings this week by posting comments. I’d love to see photos, too. Tell us what worked for you and what didn’t.  We will all learn from each other.  My reading list this week included: Everyday Creativity (2007) edited by Dr. Ruth Richards and Switch – How to Change Things when Change is Hard by Chip and Dan Heath (clicking on this link will take you to a free sample chapter of the book!). I want to send a personal “thank you” to Dr. Richards,  professor and executive faculty member at Saybrook University in San Francisco for all her contributions to the field of creativity, and for her generous sharing of insights and encouragement to me personally.  My plan is to apply to the Saybrook Graduate College of Psychology and Humanistic Studies to pursue my PhD in Psychology (they have a distance learning program which will allow me to live in Sarasota).  Dr. Richards – you are a true creative treasure!

Play Prompt #5:  Try something new. This might mean signing up for Twitter so you can follow my inspiration and play prompts all week long. I’m going to take a dance lesson at Arthur Murray Dance Studio – something I said I’d never do. Well – never say never.  My plan is to push past my resistance and have fun with it.  What will you do?  Give yourself permission to be a beginner. That’s a big key to being open to joy in life.  Don’t let your ‘brain’ decide that’s fun or creative based on old information. Jump in the water. Give some new experience a chance.  It just might open a door of awareness that blesses you the rest of your life!

“The very act of creating is an act of power, an act of hope.” 
Pam Grout

 Enjoy the journey my friends!  See you this time next week with a new chapter in our adventure. Don’t forget to visit www.JoyofQuotes.com when you need an extra boost of encouragement and inspiration.  You can also find me at http://twitter.com/quotejoy tweeting my prompts all week long.

“What (the creator) feels…is joy, joy defined as the emotion that goes with heightened consciousness, the mood that accompanies the experience of actualizing one’s own potentialities.”
Rollo May

 (The photo below shows me – far right – with a group of ladies from Columbia who joined in  “Gratitude Dancing” on Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota, Florida. Thanks to my friend Ann who ‘created’ the idea of Gratitude Dancing!)  She was inspired by Matt - a young man who went all over the world and shared his ‘happy dance’ with people. The  YouTube video he created caused an internet sensation. Watching it always fills me with joy. Click here or Google: “Where in the hell is Matt?”  Hope you enjoy it, too. 

Have a fun week!
Marta Davidovich Ockuly

Category: Creative Expression, Creative Play, Creativity, Creativity Quotes, Inspiration, Intuition, Journaling, Joy, Joy Quotes, Life, Personal Growth, Play, Potential, Take Action  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,  Leave a Comment
Nov
11

Who can I inspire or encourage today? 33 creativity quotes & more…

I am excited about the idea of offering inspiration and encouragement. It’s something that lights me up and fills me with energy and enthusiasm. What lights you up?  The answer (or answers) to that question hold the key to connecting with your true path of joy.

This topic is swirling around my head this morning because it’s the topic of a presentation I’m making at NAGC (National Association of Gifted Children) conference “Creativity Night”  in Atlanta tomorrow night. The title of my interactive talk is: Activate your Creative Potential with Joy. It will be a hands-experience peppered with science, theory, and joy stories.  If you’d like a copy, sign up as a subscriber to this blog and I’ll send you the full report. If you already subscribe, just jot me a note in the comments.

The bottom line is – we all have the power to inspire and encourage in every moment. You don’t need a class or a coach to share a smile or a compliment or to give someone some words of hope you find enlightening. It’s all about getting inspired and passing it on. You need to fill your well first.  I teach the power of joy because it’s my passion. Have you been practicing your passion?  So many beautiful souls are out there sharing their gifts. Find the tribe which speaks to your soul and dive into a new experience.  Stretch yourself.  Look inside for a curiosity or wonder waiting to be explored and take a leap of faith in that direction.

The quote collection I’m sharing today is all about taking action on creativity, possibility, passion and our powerful potential. If you are craving more quotes on creativity (and any other subject), go to www.JoyofQuotes.com I hope you have a magical day…and take time to play!  The photo in this post was taken by my daughter during a playful moment. I couldn’t resist posing next to a fire hydrant on the Michigan State University campus with this cute creativity quote: ”The chief enemy of creativity is good sense.” 

Thanks for sharing this moment. I hope I inspired you in some way today!

“Be brave enough to live life creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You can’t get there by bus, only by hard work and risk and by not quite knowing what you are doing. What you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover will be yourself.”
Alan Alda

 

“The best way to help people to maximize their creative potential is to allow them to do something they love.”
Teresa M. Amabile

 

 “Listen to the clues. The next time you feel real joy, stop and think. Pay attention. Because joy is the universe’s way of knocking on your mind’s door. Hello in there. Is anyone home? Can I leave a message? Yes? Good! The message is that you are happy, and that means that you are in touch with your purpose.”
Steve Chandler

 

 “Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.”
Mary Lou Cook
 

 “Creativity is a central source of meaning in our lives…and where we are involved in it, we feel that we are living more fully than during the rest of life.”
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

 

“I do not teach children. I give them joy.”
Isadora Duncan

 

 “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create.”
Albert Einstein

 

 “Allow yourself to trust joy and embrace it. You will find you dance with everything.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

“It is in the compelling zest of high adventure and of victory, and in creative action that man finds his supreme joy.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

“…joy is integral to all creativity. Creativity brings joy.”
Mathew Fox

 

“Life is not a dress rehearsal. Stop practicing what you’re going to do and just go do it. In one bold stroke you can transform today.”
Marilyn Grey

 

“Don’t be afraid to expand yourself, to step out of your comfort zone. That’s where the joy and the adventure lie.”
Herbie Hancock

 

“Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.”
Mae Jamison

 

“The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves.” Carl Jung

 

“Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow.”
Helen Keller

 

“Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

“The key question isn’t ‘What fosters creativity?’ But it is why in God’s name isn’t everyone creative? Where was the human potential lost? How was it crippled? I think therefore a good question might be now why do people create? But why do people not create or innovate? We have got to abandon that sense of amazement in the face of creativity, as if it were a miracle if anybody created anything.”
Abraham Maslow

 

“Joy, rather than happiness, is the goal of life, for joy is the emotion which accompanies our fulfilling our natures as human beings. It is based on the experience of one’s identity of being of worth and value.”
Rollo May

 

“Joy is the zest that you get out of using your talents, your understanding, the totality of your being, for great aims…That’s the kind of feeling that goes with creativity. That’s why I say the courage to create. Creation does not come out of simply what you’re born with. That must be united with your courage, both of which cause anxiety but also great joy.”
Rollo May

 

“What anxiety means is it’s as though the world is knocking at your door, and you need to create, you need to make something, you need to do something. I think anxiety, for people who have found their own heart and their own souls, for them it is a stimulus toward creativity, toward courage. It’s what makes us human beings.”
Rollo May

 

 “…what the artist or creative scientist feels is not anxiety or fear; it is joy. I use the word in contrast to happiness or pleasure. The artist, at the moment of creating, does not experience gratification or satisfaction…rather, it is joy, joy defined as the emotion that goes with heightened consciousness, the mood that accompanies the experience of actualizing one’s own potentialities.”
Rollo May

 

“Use those talents you have. You will make it. You will give joy to the world. Take this tip from nature: the woods would be a very silent place if no birds sang except those who sang best.”
Bernard Meltzer

 

“That impossible dream you dreamed when you were young but got talked out of, the one you thought you outgrew, might be the key to awakening your genius. That special talent you never followed through on might be an important source of delight, the one you should commit to. That old dream might be the one thing that will bring the magic of meaning to your life.”
Barbara Nichols
 
“Creativity is a natural extension of our enthusiasm.”
Earl Nightingale
 

“Begin doing what you want to do now. We are not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand, and melting like a snowflake.”
Marie Beyon Ray

 

“Each one of us has a fire in our heart for something. It’s our goal in life to find it and keep it lit.”
Mary Lou Retton

 

 “Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt

 

 “Joy comes from using your potential.”
Will Schultz

 

“One of the most powerful wellsprings of creative energy, outstanding accomplishment, and self-fulfillment seems to be falling in love with something – your dreams, your image of the future.”
E. Paul Torrance

 

“There must be freedom to pursue what one is in love with, to play one’s own game, to use one’s greatest strengths, not to feel that he/she has to be well rounded, and a chance to learn the skills of independence.”
E. Paul Torrence

 

“Why should we all use our creative power….? Because there is nothing that makes people so generous, joyful, lively, bold and compassionate…”
Brenda Ueland

 

 “Helped are those who create anything at all, for they shall relive the thrill of their own conception and realize a partnership in the creation of the Universe that keeps them responsible and cheerful.”
Alice Walker

 

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.
Oscar Wilde

 

“The greatest crime is not developing your potential. When you do what you do best, you are helping not only yourself, but the world.”
Roger Williams

Category: Creativity, Creativity Quotes, Joy, Passion, Play, Potential  9 Comments
Oct
18

Exercise your Joy Muscles

“Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable.”
~Mary Oliver

Have you been exercising your joy muscles? Can you name ten ‘joy things’ you do on a regular basis? Would you like to attract more joy in your life right now? All you need to do is start taking some baby steps. more »

Category: Imagination, Imagination Quotes, Journaling, Joy, Joy Quotes, Passion, Play, Take Action  Tags: , , , , , , ,  Leave a Comment