Creativity's Workshop

Extraordinary things happen in ordinary minds

Monthly Archives: April 2010


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Taking the Creative Initiative to Be Kind

Some of you may have heard about my family’s recent run in with an horrendous stomach bug. We were on Gulang Yu when my brother came down with it first. He was so sick we thought it was food poisoning. When I came down with it the next night we realised it must be a stomach bug. The following night my father endured its horrors. Thankfully we were able to shield my grandmother and mother from its worst effects. I will spare you most of the icky details. I mention it for one purpose – to tell you of an amazingly kind act.

On the night of the 14th I went through 7 hours of hell. During that time, I discovered I am an epically loud vomiter. Mum later said it sounded like I was in labour. My brother says it’s the sound a person makes when they are very scared and gripped by despair, willing the ordeal to be over. He made the same sound, and the next night my father would experience it too. However, at that point in time my father had never vomited in his life. He had no idea what it felt like. All he knew was his little girl was suffering. And so he walked into the bathroom, held me close and stroked my head. While I made all manner of noises, he just held me.

Both of us agree that it is something we would be very happy never to experience again, nevertheless I will treasure that memory and his kindness for as long as I live. Why? Because even though he had at that point never experienced what I was going through, he took the initiative to do the one thing he could think of to help – even though it meant personal discomfort. (I have since discussed this event with him in the context of creative thought, and he said he was definitely using his imagination at the time – imagining himself anywhere in the world but there. Still, that’s using Creativity, right?)

Creative Kindness

How do you feel when you see someone suffering? Naturally we all want to help. Even when words fail us, we still have the overwhelming urge. Our empathy kicks into gear and we start looking for ways to help.

A magazine I read once about helping people who have lost a loved one in death mentioned that we all say, “If there is anything you need, just let me know.” While we sincerely mean that we would do anything to help, we leave it up to the bereaved person to decide how we can help. The problem is, usually the person is so distraught or anxious not to put others out that they never take you up on the offer. Think about it. When was the last time someone rang you up and said, “I really need you to cook me a meal,” or “Could you help me with some cleaning”? Most times people who are grieving, or sick, or dealing with other emotional trauma don’t really know what they need.

At times like this, a little creative thought and initiative are called for. For instance, instead of saying, “Perhaps I can help out with a little housework sometime,” why not say, “I’ll do some vacuuming for you. How does Tuesday morning sound?” Or even better, why not just start vacuuming, or ironing, or washing? Perhaps bake a cake or a casserole and take it around. Use your Creativity to find a need and fill it, especially if all the obvious ones are taken.

Of course, we wouldn’t want to impose our presence and our help where it is not needed or wanted, but often you’ll find a little bit of friendly initiative is very welcome. In fact, very simple and seemingly insignificant acts on our part take on far greater meaning to someone who is suffering.

The Act of Being There

The opportunity for expressing kindness doesn’t necessarily stop a couple of weeks after a traumatic event. Sometimes the person’s physical and emotional pain continues on for months or years. Anniversaries of the event or other times that may cause painful memories to resurface are opportunities for you to show care and understanding to the person. Perhaps if your friend has lost a spouse, why not drop by on their wedding anniversary and offer a listening ear? Be there to reminisce, or distract if necessary. Show that you recognise the significance of the day and the pain they may be feeling.

While we ourselves may never have experienced the circumstance our friend is going through, and we would want to avoid saying, “I know exactly how you feel,” imagining what is involved in their situation can provide us with greater understanding. This understanding can lead to kindness and helpfulness in uniquely creative ways.

Often those acts of kindness hold a special place in the hearts of our friends and family.

Have you ever experienced someone’s creative kindness?

Image credit: Microsoft Clip Art


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Being the Creative ‘Freak’

Being a westerner (with very white skin) travelling in China means I get stared at. A lot. Gulang Yu has far more Chinese tourists than Western tourists. In fact, having a Westerner here is quite the novelty apparently. People get out their cameras and snap photos of me as I pass. Groups of people point me out and discuss the idiosincracies of white people among themselves. I almost expect the little tour buggies to call out ‘And if you look to your left you’ll see a Westerner walking past.’  The Chinese even have a special term for foreigners – ‘lao wai.’ It’s very easy to pick out in their conversations. ‘Look! Lao wai!’

Being stared at all the time can make you self conscious, almost as if you were a freak of some kind. (I wonder if this is what celebrities feel like.) And, if you’re not careful, you can end up becoming jaded and annoyed by the constant attention. You may even view the people as inconsiderate or uneducated.

The interesting thing is most people who stare are just curious, not deliberately being impolite or invasive. If you begin talking to them, especially if you can talk to them in their own language, you quickly discover that they’re happy to be friendly. They want to know where you come from. You repay the complement and ask where they’re from. And the conversation continues on to other enjoyable subjects.

While it’s true that not every person who stares at you is someone you’d want to initiate a conversation with, once you do start talking to people, they usually stare at you with far more accepting and friendly eyes.

What does this have to do with being creative?

The Creative Stereotype

Have you ever been stared at or singled out because of your creativeness? Perhaps you’re hesitant to allow your creativeness to grow because you’re afraid of the stares and attention. ‘Creative People’ have reputations to live up to, right? They’re supposed to wear colourful scarves, drink mocha chinos and speak in the third person. Oh, and they don’t actually do anything.

In reality, people exhibit their creativeness in many different ways. (And here’s a little secret, the people who vigorously perpetuate the ‘creative stereotype’ of eclectic, unreasonable artiest  are usually overcompensating for their lack of actual creativeness.) You don’t have to be a ‘social misfit’ to be creative. You just have to be you, in whatever form that takes. If you feel creative and you’re happy, then go with it!

Sharing Who You Are

There are always going to be those friends and family members who will turn to you and say, “So what exactly is it you do?” or “You’re not going to go all ‘writerly/artsy/philosophical’ on us, are you?” They seem to pin the label ‘creative’ on you as if you’re a foreigner.

While that can be annoying and even make you feel like your creativeness is something to be ashamed of, often this situation can be overcome by simple conversation. Try letting them into your world – share a couple of ideas, or explain a current project. Often times their cynical stares turn into stares of curiosity. Gradually they become intrigued and even excited. Some may eventually become important parts of your support network.

Sometimes it takes an example of your work to win them over. I had a friend who loved to read. We would always talk enthusiastically about books we’d been reading and recommend titles to each other. Every now and then I’d tell her about a writing project I was working on. Although she was never rude or belittling of my ideas, I would notice her enthusiasm decrease. One day I gave her two short stories I had written. The next time I saw her she was very excited about my work and told me I needed to continue writing. I realised that her lack of enthusiasm was simply because she never had opportunity to see what I’d been doing. Once given that opportunity, she had something to comment on and encourage.

Not everyone who stares at you or points you out as different is being mean or showing distain. Sometimes they’re noticing what makes you special. And if someone notices you’re special, then perhaps they’re the right person to befriend.

Have you discovered a new friend this way?

Image credit: Microsoft Clip Art


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The Road Less Clichéd

At the time of writing this we are on Gulang Yu, a gorgeous little island off the coast of Xiamen in Fujian, China. It’s positively dripping with history and character. The buildings range from Western style to Chinese style and many areas combine the two. We are all becoming very attached to it.

Because it’s a tourist attraction, the locals are used to tourists wandering down back streets and exploring. The picture above was taken by Jessica during one of these explorations. Pretty, ain’t it?

Now Jessica would have told you she was ‘lost,’ but I much prefer to say she was ‘discovering.’

You see, some travellers only ever stay on the big roads, the ones one the map. But those roads are crowded, noisy and they’ve been photographed from every angle. The more interesting places are tucked away – down back alleys and over hills, through the high grass or under trees. Finding one of those places not only gives you a unique experience, but also provides you with the sweet and addictive taste of discovery.

You may have experienced this sensation when travelling, but did you realise you can get the same sweet taste when using your creativeness? Yup, your own noggin can supply your daily dose of discovery.

The Pathways of Your Mind

Have you ever seen a picture of synapses in the brain? They’re like pathways through your mind – and I walk those pathways every day. Like the roads you travel to work or school or the store, some pathways are bigger and quicker than others.

The pathways you use every day, like repetitive tasks and favourite thought patterns, are very wide and fast – so fast you may not even realise you’re using them. Pathways used less often (conversations with friends for example) are slower and sometimes a little harder to find. Then there are the exciting pathways that have never been travelled.

These pathways are more hypothetical. They haven’t been made yet. Like exploring in the jungle, you have to forge your way through, machete and mosquito repellant at the ready. These are the ones where discoveries are made!

Cutting a New Path

Ideas come when you glimpse an unexplored side street within your brain, or push your way into the undergrowth of information to find a new path. Ideas are almost never found in the middle of the big roads you travel all the time. Why? Because you found them long ago. Like dropped chewing gum, they’ve been trampled into the street until they’re no longer sticky. To find new ideas you need to explore.

How? I’m glad you asked.

You need to view each thought as a journey, as a trip down a road. Instead of racing from one thought to the next, slow down and look carefully at where you are going – see the subtleties and unexplored possibilities. Take special note of where thoughts intersect, like junctions connecting perpendicular roads. Are there aspects to these meeting points you haven’t investigated yet?

As you explore new or seldom travelled roads, keep the following points in mind.

Firstly, be ready to detour. Some days you’re in such a hurry to get somewhere that there’s no time to explore. This is not the time to begin cutting a new road. You’re likely to hack right through your precious new discovery in your haste to get to the other side. It’s okay to be in a hurry sometimes, just realise that’s not the time for exploration. Don’t ruin a perfectly good adventure by always checking your watch.

Exploration happens best when there’s time to look around, when you’re not going to become frustrated at getting lost. Like Jessica’s detour the other day, although she was lost, knowing it was okay to take her time meant the experience was very enjoyable, if disorientating.

Second, be prepared to discover anything new, no matter how strange. Sometimes we don’t realise we’ve made a discovery because it isn’t what we were expecting. For example, the first synthetic mauve dye was discovered in 1856 by William Henry Perkin while he was attempting to synthesize quinine (medicine used for treating malaria). Imagine what would have happened if Will had squinted at the purple gloop in his beaker, decided it looked nothing like quinine and dumped it? As it happened, his interest in painting and photography meant he became very excited by his discovery, resulting in the very first synthetic dye. He filed for the patent that very year. Cool, eh?

So when you’re looking for discoveries, pay attention to the unexpected. Cultivate an interest in everything. Examine different things, even those that may not immediately capture your interest. This takes time, but that’s why being ready to detour is so important.

Third, know when to turn back. Every now and then you’ll come across a road which is dangerous or doesn’t actually lead anywhere. Some of these roads you may not want to explore, or you may only want to explore part of them. Decide on a time limit, or warning signs which will tell you when to turn back. Remember, although discovery takes work, it should be something fun or intriguing. If it becomes boring, dangerous or too laborious, perhaps it’s time to come home for teacake and lychees.

With these three points in mind, why not try a side road excursion with your Creativity? We Creativities are wonderful travelling companions when it comes to discovering new pathways through your mind. Don’t be surprised if your Creativity grabs you by the hand and pulls you head first into a detour of intense and epic proportions. Take a deep breath, whoop at the top of your voice and keep your eyes wide open. This is what being creative is all about.

Have you discovered any new sideroads recently?


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When Procrastination Isn’t Procrastination

I’ve recently been reading this article.

The article made me feel so much better about myself and my methods. I do feel I incubate my ideas. I’m conscious of them brewing in the back of my mind, percolating into something I will eventually put on to paper or into practice.

This harks back to a previous post about the Creativity Sponge. Time is an important part of the creative process, most times a necessary part. While we want our families and workmates to appreciate our need for incubation time, we also need to respect our own need for that time. This means knowing when not to force something, when to go for a walk, when to leave the idea for a week, a month, until another idea collides with it to take the idea from ordinary to inspirational.

Thoughtful Creativeness

I think the term that best describes this is ‘Thoughtful Creativeness’ – that which comes from time and consideration before anything tangible appears on paper.

We often equate Creativity with spontaneity – loud, unpredictable, surprising etc. But how much of this perception is actually the flurry of activity after a lengthy incubation process?

There will always be those moments of instant inspiration, witty responses right on cue and random ramblings of genius that you cannot prepare for. They just pop out. That’s the creative expression we expect, and is the hardest part of Creativity to predict and quantify. But, Thoughtful Creativeness is something better, more special and, if mastered, far more useful.

How often do we hear a person who has written a book, made a movie or written a song say something along the lines of, “The idea began several years ago when some-unusual-event-or-fact intrigued me. It took me several years before I really knew how I wanted to portray it.” That’s incubation.

How You Can Practice Thoughtful Creativeness

You’ve probably already experienced Thoughtful Creativeness. For example, have you ever been working on a project and suddenly have a brilliant idea for a final touch? The idea seems to just ‘come to you’ or ‘pop into your head.’ But really, could you have come up with that idea if you had not put in the effort and preparation which got you to that point? All the thought that came before incubated and nurtured the ‘flash’ of inspiration.

The biggest part of Thoughtful Creativeness is relaxing to the point where you trust both your Creativity and yourself. When you feel that little bud of inspiration forming in your mind, don’t feel like you have to do something with it straight away. Water it. Keep it warm. Shine encouragement on it. Be gentle and allow it to blossom in its own time. Ideas don’t die from nurturing and patience. They get better, they grow, gradually getting to the point where they open up into beautiful and colourful results that others will marvel at.

Have you ever experienced Thoughtful Creativeness? Do you have any tips on how to develop the skill? I’d love to hear your opinions.

Image credit: Microsoft Clip Art


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Off Travelling

I am sitting in my lovely serviced apartment somewhere in the heart of Beijing wondering what the day will bring. My travels are just starting, and this means my blog posts may be a little sporadic over the next month or two. 

I’ve got a couple of posts in various stages of production. To whet your appetite I’ll let you in on a couple of future post ideas.

  • Are you a procrastinator or an incubator? A couple of weeks back I came across a wonderfully liberating article that I’d like to share with you. It may just change the way you view yourself. I know it’s done wonders for me!
  • We’ve discussed how we need to build our trust in our Creativities. But did you realise that your Creativity also needs to build trust in you? Creativity will explain this in more detail soon. Needless to say it’s a subject she is passionate about.

There are plenty more ideas floating around in my noggin, but I’ll keep those a surprise (just in case they don’t come to fruition). I’ll also be telling you about the creative things I see on my journey. The Chinese are creative masters when it comes to practical ways to make things work. I’ll keep my eyes peeled and my camera handy to capture examples for you.

Now comes the bad news. Some websites are not accessible in China. Unfortunately, WordPress is one of those sites. This means I can’t post articles or comments. But do not despair! I have a backup plan. This article has been posted by my friend Evan, even though it has my name at the top. He will be looking after my blog while I am away. Let’s give him a big round of applause! Yay! Woohoo! Etc. Thanks Evan! It’ll take Evan a little while to learn the ropes so please be patient.

I won’t be able to reply to your individual comments, but please keep commenting. I can still read them because they will come through my inbox. Evan may be able to post comments for me from time to time, but we’ll have to see.

Well, I’d better head off on my shopping trip. I need to find brandy and washing powder. I love travelling, don’t you?

Image credit: Microsoft Clip Art