(Even if you’re a research scientist…)

We tend to see creativity as the ability to produce art, music, literature, and wonderful
masterpieces of beauty and design. Or we think of our aunt or grandmother who could
crochet an afghan, sew their own wedding dress, or perform with the community ballet.
Yet it’s much more. It’s a catalyst for motivation and accomplishment, and a
critical component of everyday problem-solving. It doesn’t matter if you’re a poet, a
project manager, an artist or an accountant. Or a scientist! Here are 5 reasons you need creativity in your life.

In a study on creativity and mental health, researchers Chandrashekar and Choudhury (2007) defined creativity as an ability to make new combinations, one of the most highly valued of human qualities. Creativity may prove to be the key to success or failure in humans’ quest for knowledge, in their journey beyond the bounds of the sure and seen and in exploration of the unknown. A creative thinker is always trying to create something new. This involves a great amount of unconscious rearrangement of symbols.

1) Creativity is good for your health.

Need a brain boost? Doing something creative—participating in a book club, wood-
working, doodling, dancing—has a positive impact on brain activity and increases
cognitive function. In one study, cognitive impairment decreased significantly among
participants who engaged in artistic endeavors of some kind as they aged.

In other studies, researchers found that the simple act of writing in a journal is
therapeutic, and especially beneficial to those suffering from trauma or chronic pain.

Expressive writing that focuses on the writer’s feelings, as well as details of the
event or circumstance, helps improve pain-control and even boosts the immune
system.

 2) Creativity is good for your relationships.

• Bored? In a rut? Are you repeating the same activities with your partner daily?
• Do you come home, fix dinner, watch the same TV program,
  and go to bed and falling to sleep without as much as a goodnight kiss?
• Does every night out on the town take you to the same restaurant or activity?
  Do you talk about your kids the whole time? Your parents? Your work problems?

Try something different. Visit a new restaurant. Go bowling, miniature golfing, or hiking instead of heading to the movie theater. Take a class or read a book on various parenting styles. Play with your kids; dolls, Legos, board games—the sky’s the limit! If anyone can add to your creativity it’s a child or teen!

3) Creativity is good for business.

Whether you’re a business owner or an employee, creativity in the workplace can
improve job satisfaction and productivity. For most of us, (ethical) creative thinking
means looking for new solutions to recurring problems and finding more efficient
ways of doing things in your job. Even exploring ways to boost morale among
co-workers is an act of creativity!

4) Creativity is good for society.

Turn on the television or radio, and you’ll be bombarded with national and global issues
needing resolution. Whole segments of society are being pitted against one another in
an array of political views and contrary opinions. Complex issues such as immigration,
exploding national debt, race relations, education, and healthcare are just a few of
the growing concerns in the West. But I don’t have to tell you that.

What I need to tell you is something that will help heal you and your community. And
that involves creativity!

Something needs to change, and it will with individuals (like you and me) using creative
ways to discover solutions. The most innovative discoveries and answers to problems
have sprung out dissatisfaction with the status quo. So make Creativity, not War!

5) Creativity is good for personal growth.

Creativity is not an event or destination; it’s a process of self-discovery and an essential
part of being human. You won’t find a canary singing for the sheer joy of it or an ant
looking for innovative ways to build a new tunnel. Animals do what they do out of
instinct; certain activities are programmed into their DNA. But as humans, we can reason and think abstractly, pursue knowledge and understanding, devise new and exciting means of accomplishing things, and imagine big! If we use or noggins!

We need creativity in our lives because it inspires us to reach for more, to do better, and
be better. We also need creativity in our lives because it improves life for all.

The late forward thinker George Bernard Shaw opined, “Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last, you create what you will.." He lived long before us, but he was talking about how to manifest a future that we
like, not one we dread.

Kathy is an award-winning journalist, novelist, humanitarian, and master intuitive and creativity coach. You can also read her work on Amazon or at shoresofoursouls.com. Find more about how she can help you discover or rediscover your own creative powers, email her at kathy@groundonecoaching.com or click here and leave a message.