| You've heard people say they don't have a | | | | not caring where it goes; writing down any |
| creative bone in their body. That's just not true. | | | | sudden brainstorm you have; telling a funny |
| We all have creativity lurking in our souls. You | | | | anecdote or a joke; singing along with the radio; |
| need it to survive. You use it for problem solving, | | | | emailing your friends; dancing like there's no |
| making ends meet, and an infinite host of other | | | | tomorrow; tweaking your golf swing; |
| things. Creativity is our wonder drug. No | | | | photographing whatever your heart desires; giving |
| prescription necessary. | | | | comfort to someone in need; suggesting |
| So, if you're willing to apply a tiny speck of | | | | improvements at work; finding ways to survive |
| imagination to writing, art, music, photography, | | | | the recession; indulging your creative side online; |
| painting, or any other subject you'd like to include, | | | | trying a new hairstyle; taking up a musical |
| you most certainly can explore and succeed at | | | | instrument; figuring out how to get in shape; |
| being creative. It takes practice like anything else. | | | | cooking; knitting; sewing; building furniture; planning |
| I'm sure some people haven't even considered it. | | | | a vacation; scheduling your day; need I go on? |
| Well, don't sell yourself short, me buckos. You | | | | Here's one of my favorite inspirational persons, |
| already do it all the time. | | | | Albert Einstein: "The intuitive mind is a sacred gift |
| Once you get going, you'll likely never stop. I'm | | | | and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We |
| living proof. If I'm not being creative on a daily, | | | | have created a society that honors the servant |
| and sometimes hourly basis, "Call the mortician," | | | | and has forgotten the gift." It is up to each of us |
| as a late great friend of mine used to say. | | | | to remember and to indulge that sacred gift. Need |
| Creativity is what gives life meaning. Yes, it's only | | | | inspiration? Just look at your child, or a classroom |
| my opinion, but it is my truth. | | | | full of young children. They don't need any |
| Alan Alda has a wonderful feeling for creativity: | | | | creative encouragement. They already know |
| "The creative is the place where no one else has | | | | what to do. After 30 years of teaching |
| ever been. You have to leave the city of your | | | | elementary school and 23 years of being a |
| comfort and go into the wilderness of your | | | | parent, I have long ago come to realize that the |
| intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. | | | | human species is born with a creative spirit that |
| What you'll discover is yourself." When we take | | | | yearns to be unleashed. |
| the premeditated risk to be creative, we are | | | | The battle comes as we grow older and |
| building confidence in our innermost souls. | | | | sometimes more cynical. The age in which we |
| Sometimes creativity rears its otherworldly head | | | | now live is a fertile hotbed for cynicism. It is often |
| when we least expect it. It's like a hunch. Follow | | | | creativity's archenemy. But, it's exactly in times |
| your gut instincts, don't deny them. | | | | like these that we need creativity for survival. |
| Creativity comes in all forms: Tying your own flies | | | | When you're being creative, it's hard to imagine |
| for fishing; training your dogs and finding ways to | | | | that you'd be angry. Quite to the contrary: You'll |
| keep them safely within the boundaries of your | | | | most likely be happy. I'm doing my part. Now, you |
| yard; painting your house; fixing anything and | | | | do yours. |
| everything; slapping a wad of paint on a canvas | | | | |