Constant Choices

Before 8:00 a.m. today I'd already made several choices that impacted the rest of my day:

• a few more moments of relaxation/sleep
• creating a centerpiece for the kitchen island
• thus, running 1/4 mile less than anticipated, yet 1/4 mile more than my daily requirement to meet my annual goal

Fortunately, these terrific early morning choices positively impacted the rest of my day. I responded early to my needs for rest, creativity and exercise. 

Though our constant barrage of daily choices aren't always as clear cut as these, it is sometimes helpful to remember that each simple choice we make can positively or negatively impact our days, thus our lives. 

Trash or Treasure

My mom, husband and children are all accomplished chefs.  Because they routinely create yummy feasts, and enjoy the process, my culinary skills are quite limited.  However, my creative instincts and ongoing desires to make something delightful from unexpected materials  (that often yield non-culinary successes),  occasionally result in delicious, yet usually non-repeatable dishes.

Seeing and acting on potential, where others fail to realize possibilities, is so rewarding.  Refrigerator ingredients that would have been trashed, were combined to produce a scrumptious potato corn soup.  Though I was the only one in town to enjoy it, it was quite exciting to realize that acting on good instincts can occasionally yield results that would ordinarily require skill and experience.

We are generally more apt to experiment when the stakes are low.  And when we are able to turn trash to treasure the rewards are amazing.

Low Tech Connections

We sometimes take for granted the instantaneous fingertip access we have to unfathomable amounts of information.  And, once information is available on social media, a website or blog it's generally quick and simple to share with those who want to see it.  However, when the parties who want to see the info, don't have access to sites that easily provide for information sharing, we need to get creative in providing low tech access.

We were able to share fun, festive and patriotic photos with a group of colleagues who occupy 3 floors of an office tower by printing photos and mounting them on a large foam poster board and displaying them on an easel in a common area on one of the floors.  An email message announced the contest winners and provided the location for viewing the photos.

This low tech solution provides a reason for colleagues on other floors to leave their area, stimulates positive conversation about and among colleagues who participated, and presents a  visual display of cross-team camaraderie to all who pause as they pass.

Low tech and high tech provide different ways for us to keep everything connected.

No Limits!

This month has been a blur of positive energy, successes, possibilities, encouragement, advancements, challenges overcome, teamwork, creativity, initiative, compassion and innovation.  Though there are countless things over which we have no control, this reminds me that there are no limits to the way we react, respond or take charge of the situations we encounter.

I've previously shared insights from several of these events, but feel inspired to share some thoughts from some of the exceptional women I've been privileged to hear in the past two days:

• Kathrine Switzer - 1st female Boston marathon runner
• Kay Bailey Hutchison - 1st female to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate
• Sheryl WuDunn - 1st Asian-American Pulitzer Prize Winner
• Dr. Bonnie Dunbar - Astronaut who flew the first docking flight between the Russian Space Station and the Space Shuttle
• Bonnie St. John - 1st African-American ski racing Olympic medalist

Each of these remarkable women has chosen to use her accomplishments and wide public acknowledgement to become positive, outspoken role models and change agents.  

My loving parents encouraged me from birth hat I could do and be anything.  So many of our young women and men need external encouragers.

When we positively pursue our passions with hard work, commitment and obsession for excelling, there are no limits!

Creativity, Heart and Passion

One of my Comerica Bank colleagues, Dawn Allen, has abundant energy, limitless creativity and unbridled passion to make a difference for nonprofits in our community.  She has created 25 professionally presented baskets for our internal March of Dimes Silent Auction.  Thanks to her initiative, we will raise significant funds toward our $51,000 goal.  She saw a need and volunteered her incredible talents to raise much needed funds for March of Dimes.

When we are receptive to ideas, input and platforms for success from our broad networks, we often identify key contributors whose skills we might not otherwise realize.

Creativity, heart and passion are priceless!

New Uses for Things We Have

It is always energizing to me to express creativity and/or save time, money and other resources by embracing  things we have.  Some love single purpose tools.  I love things that meet multiple needs or that can be creatively re-purposed   Some of my top of mind favorites include:

• binder clips as chip clips and money clips for active pursuits
• Kleenex boxes to contain the endless supply of shopping bags (even when we often take our own reusable bags)
• contact lens case for travelling with preferred shampoos and conditioner ( can still avoid checked bags)
• law books or other hardback favorites stacked as a table
• ring holder as a visible, attractive and accessible hair band holder
• pine cones as filler around a potted plant

How do you creatively re-purpose things in your life?

Observe Carefully and Think Creatively

Can you create 6 by adding one line to IX?

What would you do if you encountered the following sign in a reading comprension test, with the word GO in the middle?




We can become so programmed to think of a line as straight, that we fail to think that adding a curving line (S)  in front of IX makes 6.

And we can become so fixated on equating the red octagonal image with a stop sign that we fail to read the unexpected word placed on the familiar image.

These examples are used to illustrate how easy it is to see or hear what we expect rather than what is actually being presented or said.

When we care about relationships, opportunities or projects, it behooves us to observe carefully what is actually being conveyed and think creatively about alternative meanings.



Add an E for Excellence

Create and react have 5 of the same letters.  However, when you move the "c" to the beginning and add an "e" to the end of the shorter word, we find that we are in control.  When we are reacting, others have the advantage.  But when we are creating ideas, plans and actions we have an excellent possibility of crafting the life we choose, rather than having one chosen for us by reactive default.

What's on Your Mind?

Challenge yourself to quickly write down 25 things, not people, then see why these came to mind.

My list contained:

• celebratory words: birthday cake, ice cream cone, wine glass, pumpkin (Halloween)
• pampering/comfort words: bathtub, lotion, nail polish, cat, ice maker, potted plant, red mitten (childhood)
• entertainment/exercise words: airline ticket, fishing rod, movie, book, monopoly game, bicycle, tennis shoe
• connecting words: telephone, coin (Lucky Penny Experiment) 
• putting best foot forward words: shoe, bracelet, snowflake (being best unique self)
• necessary words: umbrella (Houston's 2.5" above average rainfall)

This was simply an exercise that I did to stimulate creativity, and it's interesting to me that every seemingly random word on my list related to things that are meaningful to me.

What's on your mind?

Wish I'd Written It

This morning when I was running, an idea emerged.  I considered stopping to note it, but didn't.  Thought it was such a great idea that I would remember it.  I didn't, and have been trying late in the day to recall that flash of creativity.

Notepads, electronic devices, recorders, cameras are all ways to capture and bring to life our thoughts.  Sharing these ideas with our dear ones bring them to life. And, sometimes, our lack of an easy depository keeps the creativity flowing.  

USA State Street Signs by Julia Lovett

Work in Progress, United Streets of America

My daughter is determined and creative.  She recently spent a weekend on her bike photographing all 50 state street signs in Washington, D.C. 

Incredible Gift!

A dear friend created a fabulous gift that I'll treasure forever.  She saved all the Christmas card photos we'd sent through the years and created a beautiful album.  It brings great joy on many levels.  Friends, family, memories, creativity and thoughtfulness are captured in this unique gift.

Happy Halloween

This great site allows you to be enormously creative in carving pumpkins, with absolutely no mess.
Happy Halloween!

Creative Invitation

Gar received the most special, creative invitation to Cotillion (which he enthusiastically accepted!).  Gar has loved boating and fishing from the time he was old enough to participate.  I can't think of a more fitting way to invite him to a most special event than "commissioning" the S.S. Cotillion.

Intelligence-Slave

This is another exciting season at the Alley Theatre with three world premieres: Intelligence-Slave, Gruesome Playground Injuries and Wonderland.  Intelligence-Slave opened on Wednesday and runs through June 20.  Kenneth Lin is the playwright whose inspiration for this work came from reading an article about the concentration camp prisoner who invented the world's first hand-held four function calculator, the Curta calculator.

The inventor is being kept alive in order to complete this extraordinary break-through.  He clearly understands that he must show progress, but realizes that his value diminishes the moment the invention is complete.  There are life and death consequences to his actions. 

Though the consequences in our daily lives are not as dramatic, we are often held hostage by intelligence- slaves.  Our intelligence-slaves are our colleague experts who think that knowledge creates finite rather than infinite power.  They are afraid to reveal too much for fear of diluting their usefulness, or worse yet becoming obsolete.  As a result, we must make decisions and take action based upon incomplete information. 

Only in safe environments do creativity and innovation flourish.

Ideas

We all have many ideas each day.  Some have the potential for incredible impact.  Some we need to note that we've considered and consciously opted not to pursue. Other ideas provide for incremental improvement to our lives and to the lives of others.  Those ideas that we don't voice, act upon, share or record for future action that have potential for positive change are costly, missed opportunities.

Ideas are one of our continuously renewable sources for personal, community, national and global economic growth.

By productively thinking and acting we do our part to help our (everything's connected) circle thrive.

Creativity

Everything is blooming!  Flowers are abundantly available at reasonable prices all over town. What a marvelous way to brighten our homes and express our creativity!  I love getting bunches of roses perfectly tinted for our decor and arranging them in a variety of individual and grouped vases throughout our living areas. In addition to our beautiful vases, I love finding unexpected containers and filling them with blooms that we grow and acquire.  Spring vividly reminds us of the beauty of life!

Great Day!

The day started beautifully with everyone home, (one of the many benefits of Georgetown is Easter Break) cheery and interactive.  I had the chance to advance a charitable cause near and dear to me at a breakfast meeting. And, at work, I was able to creatively and successfully advance three distinct opportunities. At lunch I was able to encourage a friend who is re-entering the workforce. 

Though the day was filled with activity, I left the office energized.  I was vividly reminded that I'm at my best when I can creatively address priorities.

And the day is concluding with my loved ones near.   Start to finish, the day was filled with love, challenge and exhiliration.

Blank Sheet

All options are open when we grab a blank sheet of paper.  I find this extremely liberating.  Especially when I give myself permission to create as I go rather than tackling the blank sheet as a finished product in the making.  Capturing ideas, editing, inserting additional thoughts, striking unwanted statements as a better option emerges... This allows me to see an article or slogan evolve.

All these years later, I now clearly know why I always provided the required outline after I'd written a paper.  I needed to see what would develop rather than treat it as a finished project at the outset.

We all have different ways of learning, processing information and seeing the world.  Embracing our most comfortable style allows our creativity to flow.

Do you find a blank sheet of paper liberating or intimidating?

Brainstorming

I had an opportunity to participate last evening with a dozen accomplished women in a strategy session to begin planning an event we are hosting in the spring.  It was refreshing and energizing to observe and engage in the group dynamics. Everyone in attendance knew some of the other participants, but no one had met all attendees. A dozen different suggestions and opinions were offered for each topic. Discussions and disagreements were handled professionally.    In a room full of leaders, it was great to see the volley of ideas among truly engaged participants.  Everyone contributed, shared the floor and acknowledged creative options.  The time-bounded agenda was honored and the progress exceeded expectations.
It was obvious that everyone had a common objective to seize the best ideas in order to create a stellar event.

This was brainstorming at its best - egos checked and ideas freely flowing.