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Apr
24

Teaching Creativity Creatively

“Everyone has huge creative capacities. The challenge is to develop them. A culture of creativity has to involve everybody, not just a select few.”
Sir Ken Robinson

 

Happy Spring everyone! This week’s blog is dedicated to every person who recognizes the importance of nurturing, inspiring, and encouraging creativity.  Our 10-week journey into unlocking creative potential and the expressive path to personal growth ends – officially – with the next post.  The time has come for me to gather feedback.  Over the past two months I’ve shared my creative process so that you could follow along.  Now it’s time for you to grade my efforts.  Have these posts inspired you?  Did I encourage you to believe in your creative potential? Did I nurture your confidence to try? Did you follow any prompts?  Did you try something new?   Did you connect with an old or new joy?  Please e-mail your evaluation of my effectiveness to: magicalmarta@aol.com Thanks for your help!

Cricket Creativity

 “In today’s rapidly changing world, people must continually come up with creative solutions to unexpected problems. Success is based not only on what you know or how much we know, but on your ability to think and act creatively. In short, we are now living in the Creative Society.”
Mitchel Resnick, MIT

 Something I found very amazing about publicly sharing my creative process and products is how much acceptance I felt. It turns out the world IS a safe place to share our creative experiments.  I have also noticed each topic I feel inspired to research, shows up in my in-box five minutes later.  Is this intention, intuition, or just magic?  Whatever it is, this morning, right after thinking I wanted to find a scholarly study on creative ideas and inspiration, I discovered the work of Mitchel Resnick, Research Group Leader at the MIT Media Lab.  Google “Sowing Seeds for a More Creative Society” and print out a PDF copy for free. You can also access the work through Learning and Leading with Technology, 2007, http://www.media.mit.edu/ . This article introduces a ‘creative thinking spiral’ which tracks the process in a beautifully simple way. First – people imagine what they would like to do, next – they create a project based on their ideas, then they play with their creations and share their ideas and creations with others.  In the final step they reflect on their experiences and then imagining starts the process over again.  This process works well with children and adults. The report also cites exciting examples of creative learning inspired by Cricket and Scratch technology.  Sound interesting?  Explore the possibilities!

TLC: Cool 'Creators' School

My next discovery was a blog from 2008 about Teaching Creativity with TLC.  TLC stands for The Learning Connection, a school for creators (no matter what road they take in life) located in Wellington, New Zealand.  I so love the idea of “a school for creators” – aren’t we ALL creators?  Of course we are!  This school is the creation of Jonathan Milne. His wife, Alice Wilson Milne, is the school’s administrative genius.  Together they’ve built a school which teaches art in a way which grows entrepreneurs who have learned creative strategies through their art which can serve them in other life endeavors. They reach out to individuals beyond the arts with an interest in enhancing their inventive and entrepreneurial know-how and use a pioneering approach to teaching which puts self-choice learning in the driver’s seat. I just purchased Milne’s book: Go! The Art of Change. Visit The Learning Connection’s website: http://www.tlc.ac.nz/  to read about the miracle ‘success stories’ this school has stimulated.  I am in awe of the many creative gifts of communication, collaboration, and connection offered by the internet. I feel so blessed to be sharing this information within seconds of discovering it. We truly live in an amazing creative age.

 

Last week talked about our creative brains and started HOW ARE YOU CREATIVE? conversations with people as part of World Creativity and Innovation Week.  Did you make any interesting (creative) discoveries or take part in any creative events?  I participated in a Creativity Week dance party in Dr. Cyndi Burnett’s office (disco ball and all!).  Dr. Burnett set things up so that people she’d invited from all over the world could dance along with us via Skype.  A great time was had by all!  Dr. Burnett has been mentioned in previous posts. She is one of a handful of professors who have made my experience at ICSC (International Center for Studies in Creativity) at Buffalo State College extraordinary! 

 

Showing off our Creativity Week collages!

I’m happy to share photos from the World Creativity Week Grad House Collage Party Open House, Wednesday, April 20th.  Our visitors included a visiting professor from Taiwan, students from Colombia, Italy, Korea, China, India, and an assortment of creatives from the United States.  If you decide to have your own collage party – all you need is magazines, glue sticks, scissors, poster board or scrapbook sheets to use as backings.  Let people know collages are optional.  It’s more about exploring your interests and taking time for creative play.

 

My parting gift to you today is an inspiring collection of 100 Creativity & Teaching quotes.  Just scroll past the end of this blog and you’ll come to it.  If you feel this information is valuable – please share it via Twitter, Facebook, or e-mail. I really appreciate it!

 

New links in the Grad House creativity chain.

Create a beautiful week! 

Marta Davidovich Ockuly

Category: 100 creativity & teaching quotes, Creativity, Creativity and Inspiration, Creativity and Potential, Creativity Education Quotes, Creativity Quotes, Encouragement, Inspiration, International Center for Studies in Creativity, New Quotes, Personal Growth, Possibilities, Potential, Teaching Creativity Creatively, Teaching Quotes  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,  2 Comments
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
22

Failure leads to creative success!

 

“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

This week we are going to practice making mistakes. Our goals are to take wild leaps of faith and to make friends with failure.  Why? Because when we’re afraid to try, our creative potential (and joy) begin to dry up.  It’s Spring – the season of new growth, planting seeds of possibility, and beautiful beginnings. While Robert H. Schuller’s question is thought provoking, I’m wondering, “What would you create if you knew you couldn’t fail?” Here’s the secret: every creative act leads to an opening or awareness. The only way to truly fail – is not to try.  The two collages I created this week look at my personal failures to meet self-imposed expectations related to getting my books published and releasing unhealthy eating patterns.  I am choosing to see these ‘creative roads not yet taken’ as ‘feedback.’ 

 

“Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what next or how. The moment you know how, you begin to die a little. The artist never entirely knows. We guess. We may be wrong, but we take leap after leap in the dark.”
Agnes de Mille

 

Earlier in this journey we gave ourselves permission to create.  Today we will extend ourselves unlimited permission to fail, flop, screw up (or whatever your name is for not meeting expectations).  If this idea seems counter-productive to creativity – let me assure you the opposite is true.  Keep in mind: “An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail.” Edwin Land

 “When in doubt, make a fool of yourself. There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth.  So what the hell, leap.”
Cynthia Heimel

 

Let’s start with BEAUTIFUL OOPS by Barney Saltzberg.  This boldly creative and engaging book was brought to my attention by Dr. Cyndi Burnett, my professor and Master’s Project advisor at ICSC/Buffalo State.  You’ll find it in the children’s section, but I promise it will speak directly to your inner child.  It goes beyond teaching the futility of perfection and opens the door to embracing imperfection. It is absolutely freeing! Think of some creative project you’ve wanted to try. Sign up for a class or gather the most basic supplies and do it.  Perfection is never instant.  Thomas Edison tried (and failed) nearly 10,000 times in his quest to invent the light bulb. He considered every ‘failure’ research because it gave him data on what did not work.  The fact he kept trying led to his success.  In truth – you cannot fail unless you give up.

“Thomas Edison tried 10,000 different materials before finding one that was suitable to serve as a light bulb filament. So if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. We need to set up a system where risk is rewarded. One where we recognize that failure helps us to increase our creativity. Nothing risked is nothing gained.”
Beth Flynn

Creative Prompt #1: Ask yourself, “If I didn’t have to do it perfectly, I would try ____________ (fill in the blank with the first ideas which come to mind).  Now read over this list and see if it spurs more ideas: stand-up comedy, learn a language, take an acting class, learn to shoot video, read your poetry in public, take a sailing lesson, write a short story, learn to tango.  This prompt comes from Julia Cameron’s the ARTIST’S WAY: A Course in Discovering and Recovering Your Creative Self, first published in 1992. This timeless classic is filled with ways to connect with your creative potential through daily journal writing, prompts, and play dates.  Explore some thrift stores to find a bargain-priced copy.  If you’re looking for a local creative tribe, see if anyone is facilitating an Artist’s Way Study Group. Your personal process will be enhanced in a group setting.

“One sure-fire way to stay creative: force yourself to learn something new.”
Harvey Mackay

 

Creative Prompt #2:  Celebrate your mistakes. Think about mistakes you’ve made in the past which turned out to be blessings. Practice looking at mistakes as stepping stones bringing you closer to your desired result. This prompt comes from the CREATIVE LICENSE: Giving Yourself Permission to be the Artist you Truly Are by Danny Gregory (2006).  Gregory’s book is literally about using visual journaling and drawing to make creativity a daily habit. I love his one-page chapters on mistakes and drawing badly. He makes it clear flaws are part of what makes your work wonderful. 

“Dare to be wrong and to dream.”
Friedrich von Schiller

Creative Prompt #3:  Name and claim your biggest, happiest creative dream. Do in in spite of your fear of possible failure.  Remember fear is false evidence appearing real.  This prompt comes from SARK’s MAKE YOUR CREATIVE DREAMS REAL book (2006). She calls it a “plan for procrastinators, perfectionists, busy people, and people who would really rather sleep all day.” Any book by SARK will set your creative spirit free.   

 “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

This week I failed to get my blog done on Sunday or Monday.  So what?  I can give myself permission to do what works.  I also failed to attend 5 Zumba classes this past week.  I had a weekend class which prevented me from meeting my goal – but it is important to keep in mind – goals are guidelines.  We need to keep our priorities in mind and do what leads us to our most importation dreams daily.  My biggest dream is graduating with my Master’s degree in May. That deadline means other dreams might need to get put on hold. Being flexible is part of being creative.  Stretch yourself this week.  Make friends with your perceived failures and look at ways you can use them to keep you moving in the direction of your dreams!  Enjoy it all and if you need inspiration or encouragement during the week, visit www.JoyofQuotes.com and check out the quotes and coaching in the Risk, Courage, Beginning, Mistake, Fear, and Failure subject categories. 

Can you believe we are half way through our 10-week journey?  I greatly appreciate your participation and interest.  I hope you have a wonderful week ahead of creative discoveries and happy accidents! All comments and suggestions are blessed and encouraged.  I’d love to hear about your creative experiences and insights.  Have you been inspired to try something new? 

 Marta Davidovich Ockuly

 

P.S.  I am grateful to Dr. Ruth Richards and Dr. Cyndi Burnett for all they ways they contributed to my successful ‘Scholar Experience” this past weekend.  The images show Dr. Burnett and I posing in front of an ‘idea’ poster, and the collage covered binder I created to showcase Dr. Richard’s work.  Now that I’m almost finished with my Master’s degree my sights are on earning a PhD at Saybrook University. Yea for creative challenges!!!

“Life is a daring adventure or nothing.”
Helen Keller

 

P.S.S.  Here’s the lady responsible for shaking up my creativity and stimulating sweaty smiles. Thank you Tammy for being my Zumba motivator and for sharing your comments on this blog, too! (Yes – that’s me in the yellow top taking the photo!)

Category: Beginnings, Creativity, Encouragement, Failure, Fear, Inspiration, Journaling, Life, Mistakes, Personal Growth, Potential, Risk, Success, Take Action  Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,  2 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
Mar
06

Mindfulness = Creativity

Have you been playing with your creativity?
It’s time to add the element of mindfulness. 

“The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.”
Thich Nhat Hanh

Mindfulness is the act of paying attention and being fully present in each moment.  This week I invite you to give this gift to yourself by practicing 15 minutes of mindfulness daily, and journaling about the experience.  This practice builds new neural pathways while reducing stress and sending increased oxygen to the brain.  It’s also a sure way to stimulate creative ideas – so always keep a notebook and pen handy. Life is jam packed with ‘to dos.’  We are absolutely blessed when we claim a piece of our day to consciously slow down, notice our breath, feel, smell, touch, and truly see the miracles in our moments.

 Creative Prompt #1:  Take a discovery walk. This can be in your neighborhood, at a park or anywhere it’s convenient.  Turn off your phone, walk at a leisurely pace, and simply look and listen. Notice what calls your attention.  Keep your mind in the present moment.  Take photos or make sketches if you like, as long as you are fully immersed in the luxury of 15 minutes of ‘nowhere else to be, nothing else to do.’  When we are fully present, even a grey day is beautiful.  We notice things like the curving pathway which leads us, gently, into new ways of seeing.  And while you’re walking unfurl your wings – shake them out – and like a little bird perched on the end of a limb – begin to flap them.  Feel yourself drop and then lift with the current and soar. Mindfully observe your feelings…reactions…insights…and end your experience by recording random thoughts in the little notebook/journal you carry with you.  This is a good time to express gratitude for all the blessings which come to mind. This is how you will gather more pearls.

The collage I created below is filled with pieces I’d clipped long ago, combined with images I took on my discovery walk last week.  The only person I saw the whole time I was walking was David (the statue!).  Last week I asked you to speak: I am creative! out loud.  This week’s mantra is:  I am worthy! You are worthy of the time it takes to express your uniqueness. You are worthy of time to simply BE.  You are worthy of your dreams and desires. You are worthy of being authentically you. Who you are is priceless and irreplaceable.  Your creative contributions have tremendous importance to the world.

 

Creative Prompt #2:  If you can’t go outside, find a quiet cozy place to relax. Find a pair of scissors and a pile of magazines and do 15 minutes of mindfulness paging through magazines looking for words and images to use in future collages.  Set an alarm so you don’t end up doing this for an hour. I never fail to notice articles of special interest or recipes I’d like to try.  Your choices provide ‘joy clues’ as well as an opportunity to incubate. Incubation is time your brain uses to combine complex information and pull ideas and answers out of the air for you.  That’s why keeping a journal nearby to record insights and ideas is always a great idea.

 Creative Prompt #3:  Eat a piece of fruit mindfully.  This experience is amazing. Take one bite, close your eyes, and chew slowly.  Feel the burst of sweetness and the texture.  Do not swallow that bite until you have chewed your food to the point of being liquid. Then feel it move from your throat to your stomach.  Ask yourself if you are still hungry.  If you are, take another bite and repeat.  When your eyes are closed you will be amazed how easy it is to focus attention on the act of eating – as well as sensing fullness. Journal your discoveries.

 

During my discovery walk this past week, I experienced a whole series of awakenings.  Seeing a frozen lake starting to thaw clearly showed me places my resistance to change was beginning to melt.  Walking up a hill I imagined myself flapping my wings and lightening up.  No one was around so I did it and I felt like I was soaring to new levels of awareness.  I filled up 5 pages in my little pocket-sized notebook-journal.  I also got the idea to take my own picture using the timer (which I’d never used – or thought of – before). The image of me waving to you from the collage is the result.   Collage is a great way to display artifacts from your life. The combined images tell stories. To me – each door represents new possibilities, the little elephant by my ear is testimony of the way I’m led by my emotions (this goes back to the book SWITCH mentioned last week).  I loved finding mindfulness quotes in my clipping file. Believe it or not – this is the first time I’ve incorporated photos I’ve taken into a collage!  This process of unfolding is opening new pathways for me. I am seeing and feeling Spring in the air – a time of rebirth. I invite you to dive deeply into your eternal Spring and nurture your creative ‘idea babies’ to life!

Creative Prompt 4:  In the week ahead, explore your closed creative doors. Ask yourself what’s stopping you from opening them. Look into ways you can share an art making experience with others – strangers or friends.  Sign up for a class that sounds interesting – in your neighborhood or on-line. If you have art play web sites or blogs to suggest, please share them in the comments section.  The point is to be a beginner at something – anything.  Learning something new grows brain cells and possibilities.  I’m sticking my neck out and taking an Arthur Murray Dance Class!  How about you?

“Creativity, which is the expression of our originality, helps us stay mindful that what we bring to the world is completely original and cannot be compared.”
Brene Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection

 I came across Dr. Brown’s TED talk on Facebook.  It inspired me to read her book about ‘letting go of who you think you’re supposed to be and embracing who you are.’  It speaks to issues around shame and perfectionism and all the ways people block their full creative expression.  More than anything – it is a book of practicing self-compassion.  Her work is well documented and grounded in both science and research.  If you like taking personality assessments, take Dr. Kristin Neff’s Self-Compassion Scale at: www.self-compassion.org  I felt turned-off to Brene Brown’s talk of ‘shame’ – I didn’t relate.  But exploring the book further – I found lots and lots of meaningful touchstones.  The process of creative self-discovery is fraught with old thinking patterns and ‘pitfalls’ which have the power to derail us – but only if we leave them hidden.  This book is about looking at resistance square in the face and finding compassionate ways of finding peace with it all.  We are all on journeys in life – inner and outer.  We all have the power to make small changes which lead to wonderful shifts – but if our unconscious thoughts, feelings, and emotions are not addressed – we have no chance of long term success.  Let’s open the closet door and invite all the ‘monsters’ to come out to play. They are  a lot less scary in the light of day!

  “The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.”
Anna Quindlen

  

 Creativity Prompt 5:  Did you think you’d get off the hook this week just doing 15 minutes of mindfulness?  Not a chance!  I’m asking you to plant some creative seeds by thinking of something interesting you’d enjoy making or doing every day for a year.  Visit http://www.makesomething365.com/ for inspiration!  Noah Scalin, author of A Daily Creativity Journal: 365 Make Something Every Day And Change Your Life! decided to create a skull a day.  He recorded his daily creations on a blog and it led to publishing two books about the process and getting an appearance on the Martha Stewart Show.  Doing something every day takes persistence and imagination and commitment. It also delivers lots of practice and a sense of creative accomplishment. Are you up for the challenge?  I could share an inspiring quote daily or tweet words of encouragement.  I love the simplicity of what this photographer did – he has taken his own photo  - every day – for six years.  The video http://www.everyday.noahkalina.com/ is amazing!  What would you have fun ‘playing with’ for a year? Maybe I’ll make lizards or hearts or post quotes in all kinds of places.  What are your ideas?  Remember to make them easy enough to do for 365 days in a row!  (And have fun with it!)

NEW THIS WEEK:  Last week I made one posting and left it up – unchanged for 7 days.  This week I’ll be doing updates daily.  I might add an image, a whole new section, a new prompt, or even offer a challenge – so keep checking back!  I’ve also ordered a Flip Camera so I’ll be able to add my own videos to this blog.  This goes under ‘creative stretch-embracing new technology and change-and being a beginner’ for me.  What’s the worst that can happen? It will look goofy and people will laugh. So what. We’re here on this journey to grow together.  When we fail – it’s evidence that we’re taking risks and that’s a huge WIN! So stay tuned for multi-media magic…coming soon!

“Life is sweet when you pay attention. When it doesn’t seem sweet, put a sticker on your nose and do a funky dance.”
Whitney Scott

OK. This is a test to see who’s having fun with all this. Vote for your favorite ‘sticker kid’ (girl or boy) in the comment section. The first one who posts a comment wins a prize!

 Hot off the presses! My book review of Sir Ken Robinson’s fabulous book: THE ELEMENT was just posted on the International Center for Creative Studies Blog. Please visit and comment (I’ll get extra points!!!!!) Thanks!Here’s how I tweeted it this morning:  Passion pays! Connect to your creative capital. Stimulating positive change in the world starts here: http://tiny.ly/yGs8

I hope you are enjoying this process.  If you are on Twitter, be sure to follow http://twitter.com/quotejoy for my daily prompts, quotes and encouragement.  If you have questions or need a bit of extra coaching, feel free to e-mail me directly: magicalmarta@aol.com  Your participation and feedback is greatly appreciated.  If you need more positive, empowering quotes visit www.JoyofQuotes.com  Have an inspired week!

Mindfully….Marta

Category: Creative Expression, Creative Play, Creativity, Inspiration, Journaling, Mindfulness, Mindfulness Quotes, Personal Growth  Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,  2 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