Strength of the Week – Creativity
Charles H Duell, once the commissioner of the US Patent Office, is quoted to have said that the patent office would shrink in size and eventually close because “everything that can be invented has been invented.” That was reported to have been in 1889!
There are many amazing examples of creativity in the world, both past a present, beginning with creation, “In the beginning God created heaven and earth,” Genesis Ch. 1.
It’s true that we live a more comfortable and longer life because of creativity, though in some cases it has complicated life too. We can all think of artists, musicians, scientists, inventors, builders, storytellers whose creativity has had an impact on us. These include people like Einstein, Da Vinci, Curie, Jobs, Spielberg, Rowling, Tolkien… those who disperse colour, hope and longevity into our lives, particularly in recent years. It’s sometimes easy for us to forget our COVID journey, but creativity was pivotal not only in finding health solutions, but also in ensuring that life had as much sense of normality as possible and allowed us to maintain connections when the future was not clear.
At St Michael’s, we see amazing examples of creativity in the learning experiences and opportunities offered to our students – not just in the vast range of curriculum areas in classrooms, but also outside of the classroom through many opportunities to grow, including Eco Squad and co-curricular areas. Being creative comes in many forms and can occur in any environment. For our Eco Squad, it’s in designing and planting new garden beds. It’s in reusing old materials to create beautiful new items. It’s bringing colour and life into a previously unused space. That’s so significant!
So, how does creativity work and how can we get some more of it?
Creativity is about taking our ideas and dreams and turning them into reality. People who are creative are often able to see hidden patterns, they connect things that may not seem related on the surface and create innovation. It’s a strength that supports problem-solving and is also highly appreciated by the business and employment world.
Sometimes creativity can seem to occur accidentally, without us even trying. Many people have creative insights on the brink of sleep, whilst walking or in the shower, for example. I’m sure that many of us have experienced a lightbulb moment when we least expect it! It feels great – thank you brain! Usually we are more creative when we are relaxed and feeling positive- so focusing on things that bring us joy and other positive emotions can help our brains work more creatively.
A webinar I recently attended which featured Justin Robinson from The Wellbeing Distillery explained a creative approach in viewing our responsibilities. He suggested that rather than saying we ‘have to do’ something, we should say ‘we get to do’ whatever that thing is. Give it a try – maybe the creativity of reframing with gratitude will make a difference to our thoughts and reactions!
Have a wonderful week ahead – may we see our creativity develop and flow!
Tonia Carfora, Year 7-9 Wellbeing Initiatives Leader
