Tag: creativity

Perspective

laughter

During a meeting the other day I laughed so hard that slobber dripped from my mouth, onto my face, in what is admittedly not my proudest moment. A classic “snort-laugh” combination erupted from someone else, and a brief moment later, we officially started our meeting.

The meeting was engaging, creative, and surprisingly focused. Our willingness to come as we were, express ourselves honestly…..and laugh a lot in-between, built a foundation that supported our success.

While there is a time and place for everything, if there is not enough time for laughter, that occasionally leads to unwilled slobber or a snort-laugh combo, what’s the point?

 

Growth Perspective

Routine

I have a daily routine that I operate within each morning. My routine is a sequence of events that I have crafted together after much trial, error and conscious effort. It’s a pattern of action that best helps me prepare for the day.

I used to have a great deal of resistance to a routine. I felt it would make my days seem too predictable and take the spontaneity and creativity away from life. In practice, my morning routine is the foundation that I build the rest of my day from. It allows me to be intentional about my creative efforts and offers me space so that I can visualize alternative possibilities.

A routine can seem like a dull existence, in reality, it’s the very thing that helps support productive creativity.

Brand Strategy Growth

More than talent

The first thing I do each morning is write for myself. No editing, expectations or excuses. Even while on vacation, during the holiday’s, and on the weekend. Its been nearly 3 years, and for about the first year, my writing was hardly legible. I don’t write for feedback, judgement or stories. And it’s rare that I ever go back to read what I’ve written.

The guidelines are simple:

1. Write every day.

2. Don’t think.

3. No expectations.

4. No judgements.

Before my commitment to this daily routine, I had several failed journaling attempts. My home carried the evidence of papers sporadically filled with random thoughts, occupying space among blank pages and hidden potential. And numerous blogs were created with good intentions and shared with nobody.

This daily routine has been my antidote to the many jump starts and creative efforts that could never flourish. Helping me realize that creativity requires more than talent. It’s about showing up every day and not over-thinking, while keeping expectations within reach and judgements to a minimum.