What is Creativity Anyway?

 

What is creativity anyway

What is Creativity Anyway?

Hi Marita here…. I came across this article by Ian Philips and found it very interesting. Working as a coach I noticed that one of the essential keys in order to live happy, peaceful, fulfilled lives is: to be authentic and express who YOU are. To express your creativity is a way of expressing your gift. Sounds very simple doesn't it? Well unfortunately it's not, but it can be practiced.

The question is: "What inspires you to create?" Using your creativity does not mean you have to be artists. "Every day" creativity is expressed when you cook, or talk, how you dress. It can be expressed through gardening or how you decorate your homes. Even sports can be a great way to express creativity and of course there are many more ways.

As long as you are immersed in the activity and find joy…………. you are creative…. the key is to dare to "be it and do it", it's a life purpose… Enjoy the article!

"Creativity is our gift from god, using it is our gift to god" Julia Cameron

Have you ever had the thought, "I'm not creative. I can't even draw a straight line"? If so, you're not alone. Many people think that there is some essential relationship between creativity and the ability to make art. If they can't paint like Picasso, sing like Josh Groban, or sculpt like Henry Moore, they don't dare claim to be creative. It feels like an arrogant thing to say about yourself, if you're not an expert, not making a living from your creations, not well-known and publicly acclaimed for your imaginative gifts.

Why, when creativity is our very birthright, do so few of us feel creative? Why, when we're asked to think of someone creative, do we rarely think about ourselves, but of the public figures that have defined creativity over the years? We think of Monet, Mozart, Jackson Pollack, Martha Graham, Ansel Adams, always the figureheads, when the real truth is that every one of us is a born creator. That's the hallmark of being human: the ability to create, to turn something invisible into something visible, to forge a poem out of a feeling or a song out of a sorrow.

Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention, says that creativity doesn't happen in our heads but in the interaction between our imagination and our social context. It's a matter of experience and response, a matter of relationship to others and a commentary on the significance of our encounters. Creativity is the vivid expression of who we are in the world–our imagination begets our thoughts, our thoughts beget our words, our words beget our actions, our actions beget our experience, our collective experience and expression begets our culture. Each of us is contributing to the creation of the cultures we participate in.

The world is not divided into two groups of the creative and the uncreative. If there's a distinction, it's between those who are creatively productive and those with unexpressed potential. We're creative by default. We're genetically predisposed to create. Each of us, to varying degrees, is intrinsically motivated to create, to be original and to solve challenging problems. The question to ask is not, "Am I creative?" but rather, "What inspires me to create?"

Personal creativity is not about intelligence or information. It's about inspiration, from the Latin spiritus, meaning "breath, courage, the soul." Creativity is about being fully alive, living courageously, or as the painter Joan Miro´ says, "Expressing with precision all the gold sparks the soul gives off." When is the last time you felt fully alive? What is it that calls forth your courage and trumps your fear of sharing your soul? Knowing this is the key to discovering the creativity that is waiting to be expressed through you.alive, living courageously, or as the painter Joan Miro´ says, "Expressing with precision all the gold sparks the soul gives off." When is the last time you felt fully alive? What is it that calls forth your courage and trumps your fear of sharing your soul? Knowing this is the key to discovering the creativity that is waiting to be expressed through you.

…….I hope this article was useful. Now I will inspire you to use some very basic tools to get into the creative zone.

Morning pages are a great meditation and very simple, all you do is: write 3 pages freestyle, whatever comes up and do this every morning. The only rule is not to think and not to edit. It's a way of getting all the rubbish out of your head, that prevents you from doing what you love to do.

Here is a sample of my morning pages: I hear the birds singing, oh I forgot to buy coffee, this woman really bothered me, I cannot believe she said that. Oh my god I don't want to judge people, but I don't care, I think I need another cup of coffee, I can write what I want. Somehow my nose is itching, this is such a beautiful song on the radio, I feel like dancing, it reminds of when I was on one of my beach walks………The beach is so beautiful, I miss the beach, I should have gone to the beach more often. Sometimes I like to write………….there is a big pile of stuff on my desk, why do I get so messy, oh well, right now I just write.

Try it, it's one of my favorite practices, I get addicted to it…

How do YOU express your creativity? Please leave a comment, it's always great to hear what YOU have to say.

How To Turn Work Time Into Fun Time

How To Turn Worktime Into Funtime

How To Turn Work Time Into Fun Time

Hello my friends, how are YOU doing? I hope life is treating you well, or if that's not the case that you find a way to make the best of it.

Some people wait for retirement to have fun…. no no no don't do that, make it fun now ๐Ÿ™‚

I am self-employed and work out of my home office, which is great, but sometimes I like to be around people. It’s so important to have fun at work and find ways to create an environment that inspires the creative juices to flow.

In the spirit of play I took myself to my favorite bookstore, ordered a cup of Cappuccino, and enjoyed the beautiful view of the old cathedral, the tall trees and the people streaming by below. The cloud formations floating across the sky were like pieces of art……….  

All this inspired me to write and I thought to myself: I am so lucky to be able to work like this. It was so easy to write, the words just kept flowing out of nowhere onto my paper.

Other times I go to the library to work on my laptop, which is another favorite place to have "fun at work." It’s a great place to take a break and look at books or magazines to get inspired in between.

Creativity and playtime need to be nurtured and it’s much more fun to work when creativity is flowing, so it’s important to come up with creative ways to do that. Sometimes we can’t draw it out of ourselves, but need to do little things to invite inspiration.

  • Meditation is a great way to get into the creative zone
  • Listen to your favorite music
  • Go for a walk in between to clear you head
  • Take regular breaks
  • Talk to some fun people

Some parts of work might not be fun……. period, but instead of complaining about it nonstop and giving it all this nasty, negative energy, try to make the best of it and change your perspective about it. YOU will see that it's a lot easier to just do it and then voila, it’s done. Now you just have to pat yourself on the back big time!

Mastermind groups of like minded, fun people are also a great way to have fun and get more ideas. We are communal beings and need the connectedness and exchange with others. This is a great way to practice connecting and exchanging………………Now I'm running out of ideas, the ball is in your court now ๐Ÿ™‚

What helps YOU to have more fun at work? Please leave a comment to share your insight, we love to read it.

 

Oh, I almost forgot, check out my "Dive into a Great New Life Experience" it's my gift to you.

Two 45 minute coaching sessions, a fun assignment in between and a great follow up.

Just do it! It's never too late to have a great life ๐Ÿ™‚

email me at maritasteffe@gmail.com to schedule your appointment

 

Simple Tips To Find What You Love To Do – Part 2

do what you love to do

 

Simple Tips To Find What You Love To Do – Part 2

Hello again my friends, today we will explore a few more tips on how to find the things you love to do. Below are a few questions that I would like you to ask yourself. Yes it may be strange to ask yourself, but it's more like asking the question to the universe, you’re higher self or whatever you want it to be.

We have all the answers inside of us and yes even if you do not believe this you have them too. The trick is to get quiet enough to listen. The stronger your personality is; the harder it is to listen, so please, please, please do yourself a favor start to meditate and listen, it's the only way ๐Ÿ™‚


• What are you passionate about?
• What is your biggest dream?
• Who do you want to become?
• What do you want to give?


I suggested 3 simple tips in the first part and today we will explore a few more. Please take the time and do the action steps, otherwise you can be sure that nothing will change. Small action steps repeatedly taken are required in order to create your dream life and please do remember: Everything we do that's new will feel uncomfortable.


7 years ago I did not have any idea what my passions are and if somebody asked me about my goals, it made me feel uncomfortable and I was avoiding the answer.  It made me feel bad that I did not have any; actually I was afraid of goals, I was afraid of them because I knew that it would require commitment and commitment scared me, it was associated with: that's too hard.

Life felt stuck and I thought there must be something wrong with me, if I cannot answer these questions. The good thing is: today I am crystal clear about my passions and the goals I want to achieve and all I did was practice all the little simple exercises and practices, I am giving you right here.

The answers just appeared like magic out of nowhere, but I had to let it go when they come and how they come.


โ—พGet your local community college schedule and sign up for a class
โ—พGo to the museum, or a concert and get inspired
โ—พTake some time out and do something completely different
โ—พGet some inspiring books, for example the "Artist Way"
โ—พFind some interesting groups on Meet Up and join

Always, always, always keep the meditation going, even if it's only a few minutes. It will help you to get beyond your conscious mind, into the subconscious mind. You must make it part of your daily routine like food, drink or exercise, yes it's that important. Just let it happen whatever idea comes up: explore it. 

The mind does not want to do new things and will come up with all kinds of reasons why not to do it. It's not the mind's job to make us happy; it just wants to keep us safe. This sounds self-defeating and yes it is. But the good news is that with some awareness and practice we can learn to move beyond the fear and do it anyway.
This is it for today, please leave a comment and if you have tips that I did not mention, please share it.

 

More instructions about:" how to make a vision board" when you watch the videos or click the links below

Vision Board Samples

Vision Board Meditation, created by Marita and lead by Marcela Manesis

 

How to help visualize and manifest your fitness and health goals with a vision board

 

 

David Lynch On Creativity And Meditation

 

David Lynch on creativity and meditation

David Lynch On Creativity And Meditation

Hello again; YOU are here that means YOU are interested in creativity and meditation, I am so happy you have found this ๐Ÿ™‚ Getting in touch with creativity and letting go of the thought that being creative means YOU have to create incredible artwork can be life changing.

Just on a side note; if you practice to get in touch in your inner creativity the result might be great artwork. The difference is that you are not trying hard to do it, but YOU let it happen. Wow, it's the possibility of a new life how wonderful this that! Now….. if YOUR intellect tells YOU, ah, this is all bullshit, YOU have a choice to listen to it, or say: thanks for sharing but I would like to try this…………. I hope you enjoy the presentation as much as I do.

Filmmaker David Lynch is talking about the connection between creativity and transcendental meditation and how this simple practice can change YOUR life, if YOU let it!

You will hear how it changed his life, from a very angry man to a man enjoying his life, his creativity and spreading joy instead of egomania….., a quality filmmakers are famous for. This is such an inspiring video recorded life in Boston. I soaked up every word; everything he said rang a bell, ding dong ๐Ÿ™‚

Question from audience: How do you think meditation helps the creative process?

Answer DL: Meditation creates more awareness, which is consciousness. Inside of us we have an ocean of consciousness, meditation will expand this ocean. Scientists call this ocean the unified field. Everything arises from this field, creativity, and bliss, universal love, intelligence. Side effects are; that negativity, anger and depression will start to recede.

Depression is a killer for creative people. With meditation you can grow solutions inspiration, innovative ideas and joy in life. Ideas just flow…………………….

Question from audience: What effect does pure consciousness have on our creative work?

Answer DL: Anxiety lifts, wellbeing and peace improves. Bliss is happiness from within

 

What do YOU think? Well I love it and I am happy to share that I have experienced this myself. Improved awareness and consciousness will let the creative juices flow. It's a right brain process, you just do it, for example meditate and see what the results are, it’s that easy. Just go with the flow…………………………

Sample of simple 3 minute meditation

I found this wonderful easy to do 3 minute meditation for YOU, created by Deepak Chopra, check it out and do it, if YOU like it please let me know and let others know by leaving a comment or and sharing this post. Meditation is not only important for YOUR well being, it's also important for the well being of our world. If we all take care of ourselves we will have a better world!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Simple Tips To Find What You Love To Do Part 1

simple tips to find what you love to do

Simple Tips To Find What You Love To Do Part 1

What do you love to do? What a huge question. So many of us are walking around and do not have a clue. If you don't know what your passion is, life can be pretty uninspired, it actually can be a drag. Life without passion and magic is stale and creates unhappy, resentful people.

That's one reason; gambling, shopping, excessive working; drugs and alcohol are so popular, because these substances create the illusion of bliss and fun. The illusion works for a while, but eventually it stops working and then……..   I know I've been there, I went through the illusion and I crashed. I had to do a lot of soul searching and ask the universe: Who and what do you want me to be? It took quite a while of listening but eventually the puzzle pieces came together. People with passions are more content and happier. This is not only good for us but good for our friends, families and the world. Do you agree?

As children we all instinctively know what we love to do, we get blissfully absorbed in the activity of play. But as we grow up and go to school we learn that other things are more important and we get drilled to fit in. Creativity and individuality get lost. The good news is: we all have this creativity inside of us; it just needs to be uncovered from deep inside of us. We have to find the hidden drawer and finally open it. The content of the drawer will be play, creativity, fun and beautiful life energy and we with it find the possibility to create a beautiful fabulous life.

If you would like to find out, start with these simple things.

  • Ask yourself the question: What do I love to do?
  • Simple meditation
  • Keep a journal and write down whatever comes up
  • Make a vision board

I know this sounds very simple, but it's effective. Do it every day and be aware of what comes up. Next week I will have some more tips for you, Have fun! Let's be happy and let's change the world to be a better place, by starting with ourselves. Vision boards are great tools to find our creative muse, if you like check some of the videos below. The meditation video is very helpful. One more fantastic book to read is the artist way by Julia Cameron, it's my bible ๐Ÿ™‚

More instructions about:" how to make a vision board" watch the videos below

 

This custom meditation will help you get into the creative zone

 

This vision board will help you attract your ideal relationship

 

How to express your creativity

Love Yourself The Way You are

love and accept yourself the way you are

Love Yourself The Way You Are

This is the trick to a fulfilled life. If YOU fully love and accept yourself , YOU will find happiness!

Do YOU believe it? If you don't you're not there yet. But don't worry this can be changed.

I will tell you what happened to me and at the end I posted some practical action steps for YOU ๐Ÿ™‚

Somehow I did not like myself very much and it was very painful. I was arrogant, which was a way for me to make up for my missing self love and selfworth.

When I look back, I know now that I did not have much awareness for who I was or how I felt. My main concern was other people, especially my husband and my 2 kids.

The focus was on taking care of them and trying to control everything around me. That's what I learned when I grew up, to control, to be perfect  and so forth. "To be a human doing not a human being". Boring story, I'm tired of it.

Continue reading “Love Yourself The Way You are”

Do You Believe You Can Create Your Life?

Do You Believe You Can Create Your Life?

 

Do You Believe You Can Create Your Life?

If you say no, then why?

I also did not believe I can create my life, it took me a long, long time. Somehow I could not believe that I can be successful, that I can be and have what I want. Success was for other people, the "lucky ones." Does this sound familiar to you?

Well thank god, I changed my mind. I now believe that I can create my life and that I can have and be what I want to be.

Continue reading “Do You Believe You Can Create Your Life?”

Be Creative And Empower Your Life – Make a Vision Board

Be Creative And Empower Your Life  Make a Vision Board

Be Creative And Empower Your Life – Make a Vision Board

Hi, Marita here, I hope YOU are well and will find a little bit of inspiration, or a glimpse of hope in this post. Today I want to share one of my favorite tools with YOU, the process of making a vision board. I have to admit, I am a vision board junkie once I start I cannot stop. But what the heck, to get lost in creativity is a good thing and it's healthy, better than to get lost in drama, resentments, drugs or alcohol………. I know, I've been there ๐Ÿ™‚

I just completed a whole wall in my new apartment in Germany. All my beautiful art is in boxes in California, so my designer friend had the splendit idea to transform some walls into vision walls. MY first wall is about 10 feet long by 5 feet tall. I look at it and it makes me laugh, I look at the paint brush loaded with paint and I want to paint……. I look at all the wonderful people and it  inspires the wish to organize a community of like minded people. The wish brews to help transform peoples lives, by inpiring hope and possibility that DREAMS are not frivolous, but are our birthright.

Three questions to ask yourself before YOU start.

  • Where am I
  • Where do I want to be
  • What do I need to do

A vision board is a roadmap to your dreams, to help YOU find out what YOU would love to do and get in touch with YOUR life purpose.  The great news is that YOU have the answer inside of YOU…. the bad new is: it's not obvious, but hidden inside the subconscious mind. Please don't despair, because a vision board is a magical tool that can help YOU to get access to the unconscious and will find the answers and motivation to keep YOU focused on YOUR dreams and goals.

Do I hear YOU say: this is too simple it cannot work for me, my life is complicated? I know, I had the same thought in my head. Accept the voice, but let it know that you want to try it anyway, While working and training in the field of human potential and spirituality, I learned to not listen to the "dreambuster" in my head, but to be willing to do it anyway. I actually would say that this has been the highest achievement over the last 10 years of transformation: to be open, to believe in possibility and to do it anyway.

To be creative, is to be in YOUR element, to be in your zone of joy and contentment, to express the gift you came into this world for. It's a happy place to be. Can you imagine to be able to enjoy this state of being and to empower your life at the same time? Make a vision board it's empowering, it's very creative and it's fun! Vision boards are collages with intentions, they can be simple and they can get very artistic and elaborate. A hand drawn creation can be just as effective as the more complicated, layered collages.

What matters is the intentions YOU have and how meaningful these intentions are in YOUR life and for others. If YOU have an intention of becoming a millionaire, that's fine, but it might not really inspire YOU to do the steps required and your subconscious mind might not be motivated enough to spring into action to help get YOU there. The key is: YOU need to be inspired to get your subconscious mind into action!

So make it juicy, be inspired about something worthwhile. YOU do not have to save the world, but try and find something that inspires positive change, maybe in YOUR circle of friends, or neighborhood. Let YOUR heart speak and bring love to the world, might just be enough already!

What you need to make a vision board

  • Glue sticks or yes paste
  • Scissors
  • Posterboard
  • Your choice of magazines
  • Printed images (optional)
  • Patience
  • Trust
  • Willingness

How to make a vision board

  • Start with a 5 minute meditation
  • Listen to your favorite music
  • Tear out the images that inspire you
  • Start attaching the images onto the board
  • Finish with inspiring words

What To do With a Vision Board

  • Hang the vision board where you can see it
  • Look at it as much as you can
  • Feel the images
  • Believe that you can achieve your dreams

By Making a vision board YOU take inspired action, it's a tool to "create your life your way". Let me know how it's going ๐Ÿ™‚

Please enjoy my custom meditation to get YOU into the creative zone. The meditation is lead by my healer friend Marcela Manesis.

 

How to make a vision board to attract the perfect partner

 

What To Do When Life Gets Chaotic And Stressful

Albert Einstein said it so well: “chaos proceeds order.”

chaos (1)Chaos: In this life, you have free will and you can make your own choices. You walk on the path established by your spiritual “blue print”. But like all creation, once you’re “playing” in life, situations present themselves that require choices. Your free will and choice are the chaos in your life. We only hope that we make the best choices and decisions for the evolution of our soul and spiritual growth.

These might be big words and if you choose to believe this theory great and if not it’s great too, it’s up to you.

Life can get pretty crazy sometimes especially when unexpected upsetting things are happening. Sometimes it feels like these periods do not end. It’s like a series of messes, upsets and often they include accidents and illnesses.

Do we know why? No we do not, but it’s important when you feel that chaos is coming, to step on the break and calm down. Meditate, do yoga, take care of yourself in whatever way you can, say prayers, mantras and affirmation. Talk kindly to yourself, listen to inspiring soothing music and audios, read happy books and most of all slow down, do not run, do not get stressed out and remember to breathe in and to breathe out. Always go back to your breath.

Stay away from non-supportive people and be as much in a positive supportive circle of friends as you can. It is essential to find balance within yourself, so you have to do whatever it takes to get yourself into a peaceful state.

Do it as long as the chaos lasts, it will be followed by something calmer if you learn to ride the stormy waves and remember that the sun always comes out again. We need these chaotic times to grow.  That’s a good way to look at it, it’s more empowering than feeling like a victim.

There is actually another universal law: The law of Catastrophe: Also referred to as the stage of drama/trauma. This is an absolute necessity for the evolutionary process, when the seed cracks and growth is permitted to begin. This occurs in the human experience, and in nature.

What do you do to keep your calm when life is stormy?