THE CYCLE OF CREATIVITY - How to create anything from nothing

THE CYCLE OF CREATIVITY

Whether we have the desire to create something ourselves...

Whether we are guiding young children and helping them understand that they can create anything...

Whether you are leading an organization and you want to empower those whom you guide to be more creative...

Enrique Feldman delivering a keynote address at the First Things First  Conference in Phoenix, AZ, August, 2015

We live in an increasingly visual environment. So, what does the creative process look like?

For children, it can be a moment in the kitchen with mom and/or dad and being part of the creation of a meal. Key to any moment would be the quality of the questions we ask while engaged. Open ended questions lead to a much more profound sense of creativity and begin to build a comfort level with the unknown with any age learner.

Mixing Paints and Pixels! Handmade Art mixed with Digital Art

Using different forms of Art can be a wonderful approach to opening up the creative process, as can collaboration. Assuming it is authentic collaboration, it can lead to synergy.  By authentic, I mean an environment where everyone feels safe enough to bring their ideas to the conversation.

Creativity can most easily be stirred in us when we connect to a passion we have.  When we begin to connect our sense of passion with others, creativity typically takes a leap forward in terms of the presence it has in our daily lives.

As children, we create everyday in most happy childhood situations. As adults, we quite often see creativity as a bonus, something we can sometimes engage... a luxury.

However, when we remember what it is to be a fully present human being, we are reminded of how much we have to learn from children. When we can find ways to create on a daily basis as adults, & live again like children, we find ourselves truly present in our daily lives and the cycle of creativity can become a way of life.

Early Childhood Educators experiencing iBG, Intellectual Brainwave Games, Original cognition and perspective games which remind us how it feels to learn something new!

Certainly, curiosity is connected to creativity...

There is a sequence of thought that, once engaged, will help you engage your inner sense of creativity and the feeling is like few others in life.  It is with great pleasure and authentic joy that I share this sequence with you. I call it the...

 Cycle of Creativity  

                                                              INSPIRATION 

What inspires you?

There are many ways to ask this question. For a young child it may start with "What do you like?" "What makes you excited?" I've decided to guide you through this cycle from both an adult and child perspective. Here we go!

ADULT PERSPECTIVE

Upon asking some adult friends of mine, many responded with one word... Chocolate! I wonder where the inspiration of chocolate will take us?

CHILD PERSPECTIVE

Upon asking some children what they loved and what excited them, some responded with... Ants! Hmmmm.... so many places this inspiration could take us, and actually took my daughter and me on a learning journey that has lasted for many years.

POV (Point of View)

What point of view do you choose and why do you choose this point of view? 

ADULT PERSPECTIVE

So in this example, chocolate was the inspiration. I asked one of my friends who said chocolate and they wanted to explore chocolate from the perspective of chicken wings... wow... I would not have thought of that. I asked this individual why, and they responded with, "I love chicken wings and I love chocolate and I wonder if the two could work together."

CHILD PERSPECTIVE

In asking the child who said "Ants!" I asked, from what point of view?  They didn't know what that meant, so we got down on the ground to see what things might look like from the eyes of an Ant and the young learner said, "Everything looks bigger!" The chosen point of view was how things look from an ant's eyes!

A tree from the point of view of an ant!

London from the perspective of an ant!

The above image of London is from a real website that looks at London from the perspective of an ant... I thought that was so inventive I just HAD to share it!

MESSAGE

What message do you choose to share from the perspective of your POV?

ADULT PERSPECTIVE

So far, from the adult response we have:

Inspiration: Chocolate

POV: Chicken Wings

So what message did my friend choose? Health benefits of chocolate is what they chose. Why I asked? They responded without hesitation, "I'd like to justify the eating of chocolate."  Brilliant...

CHILD PERSPECTIVE

So far, from the child response we have:

Inspiration: Ants

POV: How things look from the Ant's eyes

In continuing my conversation with the young learner, I asked, "what is something important you want to share with others about the ants?" Their response was priceless... 

"Pretend you're an ant and see everything"

I interpreted this as "Go on an adventure!" Perhaps it would become "explore the world!" 

Sam the Ant - a new children's book series

CONCEPT

What concept do you choose to focus on that best shares your message?

ADULT PERSPECTIVE

So far, from the adult response we have:

Inspiration: Chocolate

POV: Chicken Wings

Message: Health Benefits of Chocolate

The conversation with my friend was picking up as they were showing a great deal of curiosity as to where this could lead.  For their concept related to what they might create, they chose, "Healthy treat ideas!" They were all in, in part because they were creating the framework of creation.

CHILD PERSPECTIVE

So far, from the child response we have:

Inspiration: Ants

POV: How things look from the Ant's eye

Message: Explore the world!

In continuing the conversation with this child, the idea of what should the big idea be?  What is a concept we could create and this particular child said, "I want to make my own story... my own book!" I'm so glad I paid attention :)

CONTENT

What is the specific content which will best share your concept?

ADULT PERSPECTIVE

So far, from the adult response we have:

Inspiration: Chocolate

POV: Chicken Wings

Message: Health Benefits of Chocolate
Concept: Healthy Treat Ideas!

The conversation turned from concept to content, as in, ok... now that we have identified a lot of key details.... what do you want to create?!  The response was so cool.... "I want to create a chocolate based BBQ sauce that can be used with all sorts of cooking!"  I asked, "What about the healthy treat ideas?"  The response was so adorable.... "I'd like to change the concept to... healthier treat ideas."  Hahaaaaaahaa.... so, the cycle of creativity, like most cycles, is not always linear!

CHILD PERSPECTIVE

So far, from the child response we have:

Inspiration: Ants

POV: How things look from the Ant's eye

Message: Explore the world!
Concept: I want to make my own story... my own book!

Some of you know where this is headed and that it is based on the real life story of my daughter. When it came to the content, the actual stuff of the story, she wanted to create an Ant story where the Ant was always able to figure out what to do when there were challenges. Today, we describe this as "embracing adversity as opportunity." She is in fact the little girl who wanted to create her own book, and guess what.... yep, we did it and we're creating 27 of them.  The first one, Sam the Ant - The Flood came out in July of 2016 and the second one, Sam the Ant - Glow in the Dark, comes out this month! Barnes & Noble even picked it up for in-store purchase in 4 locations thus far.

A page from the new children's book series, Sam the Ant at www.SamTheAnt.com

PRODUCT

What is the product that speaks to content, concept, message, POV, and how is it inspiring?

ADULT PERSPECTIVE

So far, from the adult response we have:

Inspiration: Chocolate

POV: Chicken Wings

Message: Health Benefits of Chocolate
Concept: Healthier Treat Ideas!
Content: Chocolate Based BBQ Sauce
Product: Dark Chocolate BBQ Sauce

Ahhhhh.... the product.... so often, people begin with the product in mind, and sometimes you get lucky and it works. However, it is far more productive to begin with inspiration first. In this case, the product this person wanted to come up with was a Dark Chocolate BBQ sauce, so that the it wasn't overly sweet and could be matched with spices that pick up the earthiness of the chocolate!  Yum!!!!

CHILD PERSPECTIVE

So far, from the child response we have:

Inspiration: Ants

POV: How things look from the Ant's eye

Message: Explore the world!
Concept: I want to make my own story... my own book!
Content: An Ant who always knows what do do when there is a challenge (embracing adversity as opportunity)
Product: Sam the Ant Children's Book Series

Today, this series continues to unfold and evolve and the response has been tremendous and heart warming, in large part from the initial inspiration of Ants!

RESOURCES FOR CONTINUED THOUGHT

SAM THE ANT... 

Follow your curiosity with books, brain games and music

Free Sam the Ant Origin Videos

Kaleidoscope Children's Album on the Grammy Ballot!

Enrique's Public Speaking

Upcoming Free Events for Children and Families

My good friend Dr. Danny Brassell's Public Speaking who is the king of perspective in the educational world

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Professional Resources: Books to Make Time For

I have recently made a commitment to my own personal professional development by making time to read again. And, not just read for fun (although it's important to have time for that, too), but to read professional resources in the form of books. Because I have a job that requires I spent a lot of time in my car, and I listen to audiobooks regularly which is a great way to "find time" to read. I also create as much time as possible even if it's just five minutes an evening to read a book in my hands the old-fashioned way. On occasion I try to read a journal article or two, but I am finding that complete books on a topic of interest to my profession are intriguing and important to my work.

What I have for you in today's blog entry is a kind of annotated bibliography -- one book I have read;  one I am reading now; and one that I have in my "must be read" stack. Perhaps this will be the beginning of a series!

"The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: And Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist's Notebook -- What Traumatized Children Can Teach Us About Loss, Love, and Healing" 

by Dr. Bruce Perry & Maia Szalavitz (2007).

 If you make time for any book, make time for this one.  While it's true that Dr. Perry is my "rock star," this pivotal expose and sensitive sharing of his own professional development through his work with children of trauma can change the way you perceive and work with children.  It is a tremendously easy read for non-science people. Through his work with traumatized children (think of the Branch Davidian children in Waco; children of the worst orphanages in the world; and those beaten, abused, and abandoned), Dr. Perry explores the brain, critical periods of development, the importance of the attachment relationship, the development of the mental health profession with children, and his own development of the neurosequential model of therapy.

Dr. Perry share his experiences with several of his clients and work assignments and brings us along his own growth and development in the practice of child psychiatry. Through his work with a "failure to thrive" child, the treatment pattern for these children moved from a purely medical model to an interpersonal relationship model. Dr. Perry shares his stories of working with the Brand Davidian children in Waco, TX; children of a parent with Munchausen's by proxy syndrome; adolescent psychopathic killers; and more. What happens when a child is raised in a cage as part of a kennel with only dogs to interact with most of the day? Dr. Perry explains what happens to the brain under these extreme circumstances, his innovative methods for helping these children (when they can be helped), and how we can all work for the benefit of the children in our care. "What maltreated and traumatized children most need is a healthy community to buffer the pain, distress, and loss caused by their earlier trauma. What works to heal them is anything that increases the number and quality of a chid's relationships. What helps is consistent, patient, repetitive loving care."

The audio version of this book take about 10 hours to listen to.

"Women Who Think Too Much: How to Break Free of Overthinking and Reclaim Your Life"

Susan Nolen-Hoeksema (2003)

I have only just started reading this book, and already I feel it was modeled on my life! While I have learned many techniques to quiet the mind at least enough to sleep through the night most nights of the week, the author offers 29 proven strategies for ending worrying and overthinking. Several years ago I attended a workshop session in which the presenter showed us MRI scans from an experiment about brain activity. Men and women were brought into the scan room and told not to think about anything during the scan. The male brain scans showed a dark, inactive brain with a single point of light (other than basic autonomic functions like breathing). That single point of light was the sex center of the brain (lol!!). The female brain scans showed lots of light all over the brain. Both men and women were explicitly instructed not to think about anything, and they reported not thinking about anything. However, the female brain "at rest" is hardly resting!

My daughter recently shared this on my facebook page. Can any of you relate?

Nolen-Hoeksema provides these 29 self-help skills based on her research at Yale to help you stop worrying, reviewing, and basically obsessing about everything and anything in your life. Fundamental issues are addressed such as, "Who am I?" "What am I doing with my life?" "What do others think of me?" "Is my son taking drugs?" "Why am I still in the same dead-end job?" "How am I going to keep my spouse interested in me?" And so on, and so on, and so on. Learn along with me more techniques to bring calm and serenity into your life. 

"Einstein Never Used Flash Cards: How Our Children Really Learn and Why They Need to Play More and Memorize Less"

Kathy Hirsh-Pasek & Roberta Michinick Golinkoff with Diane Eyer, Ph.Ds (2003)

Since I have not yet cracked the binding on this book, I will share some reviews and a few select quotes. This book is endorsed by Dr. Edward Zigler, director of Yale's Center in Child Development and Social Policy (and the "father" of Head Start). It is also a "Books for a Better Life" award winner.

"By examining the evidence that scientists have collected on intellectual and social development, you will come to understand why PLAY = LEARNING. You will see your children in a new and exciting way, with a deeper appreciation of their capabilities -- and their true needs. This is not a typical parenting book. It will not tell you when to burp the baby, when to begin toilet training, or how to discipline your preschoolers. It will offer you instead the power to create a more balanced life for you and your family."

Ellen Galinksy (President and cofound of the Families and Work Institute in New York City) comments about the book, "Although parents know that the early years are learning years, just what that means has been confusing -- until now. Einstein Never Used Flash Cads makes practical sense of the vast number of technical studies and hyperbole of advertising claims. Ti explains in clear, compelling, and scientific terms how learning really takes place. This book is a must-read for parents, grandparents, teachers, caregivers, pediatricians, and policy makers -- in other words, all those who care about and for the next generation of children."

I am looking forward to this summer when I will have time to read this book which I hope will give me more and new word and ways to talk about how important play is to children's development.

Dr. Ellaine B. Miller, PhD, is the Managing Director for the Family Child Care Partnerships program at Auburn University. www.humsci.auburn.edu/fccp