Stress VS Creativity
Now when I use the term "creativity", I mean the kind of states of mind and body where thoughts and ideas flow freely; where there is a STREAM of data information that comes clearly from a very different place than one might normally inhabit and which translates smoothly and perfectly into colours, visions, sounds, patterns, movements, actions and resolutions.
These are very beautiful states, very precious; this flow of "creativity" is nourishing, enlivening and one can do so many things for a long time without feeling in the slightest bit tired; when it is done, one is happy, very much at peace and delighted, too.
It isn't all that easy to enter these states of flow; and there are different levels of intensity, different depths and different intensities, and there's a pathway INTO the really amazing deep states where the good stuff resides.
If this is interrupted (by a phone call, someone wanting something, the cat throwing up et al) one experiences a very similar sense of jarring unpleasantness, just like being shocked out of a trance or hypnotic induction by a rude interruption; this is very unpleasant and disorientating.
Further, to find one's pathway BACK to that place where one was interrupted is tricky, even if one generally knows quite well just how to step down and step away from the "ordinary" states of being.
Stress, fear and chaos in the environment simply PRECLUDES access to these creative levels, and as I mentioned above, this is a mathematically precise correlation between the amount of stress is present, and what states can be reached because of it.
For people who actually need these flow states for their work or their sanity this is good news.
What it means is first of all that creativity isn't "fickle" or "unexplicable" or "strikes randomly".
There is a direct state-PLACE of creativity, and actually within that, there are levels of creativity which correspond to just what kind of creative endeavour can be undertaken - for example, the place from which one can still successfully write a radio jingle is closer to "normal awareness" than a place for a good Country and Western song, and that is halfway to the place where one would start writing a symphony.
Creativity FAILS when there's too much stress.
Stress creates a fog of disturbance that traps consciousness inside of itself and the routes into the various creative flow states are simply lost; and where this becomes really troublesome is when the BACKGROUND stress is so high that creativity seems to have forsaken the person altogether.
Then we are in "writer's block" country.
The inability to access the creative flow states (which are healing and energising in and of themselves, and a countermeasure to stress wear outs!) now itself causes further worry and stress, and now the attempts at reaching the creative flow states is ever further disrupted.
Trying to force some form of behaviour against stress confusion results also in very "unsatisfactory results" - bad art, art that lacks that sparkle and conviction which comes ONLY from the integral flow states.
Disappointment, fear that "the muse has forsaken me", a previously beloved activity becoming a hard slog with miserable results ALL futher increases stress - and all the time, creativity states become more and more unreachable.
And the moral of the tail?
If you ever had creative flow experiences and now you don't have them anymore, that's because people get consecutively more stressed in our societies, the older they become.
If you are an artist and you worried about your creative expression, or dissatisfied with it, get to work on your stress levels.
They go down, YOU get to go to creative city again.
It's quite simple, really, drug free and important to know for anyone who loves to touch the "creative flow".
For help with stress, please visit The Sidereus Foundation. To have more fun with creativity, check out the The Project Sanctuary Player's Portal
MORE RESOURCES:
Hull adds creative element to Dallas Stars' company line Dallas Morning News, TX - The job, to Hull, is one of creativity and ideas, and not so much contracts and the salary cap. That's the reason Stars owner Tom Hicks made it a two-man ... |
Group hopes to transform vacant building into NoDo creative center Omaha World-Herald, NE - BY CHRISTINE LAUE An artist-led group wants to transform a mostly vacant north downtown building into a creative center with studios, classrooms, ... Retail space seen as vital to linking NoDo, Old Market arts areas |
FileMaker Developers Win $1000 for Your Creativity prMac (press release), TX - [prMac.com] Richmond, VA - FMWebschool today announces an exciting competition that will put your creative genius to the test. ... |
 The Frisky | Are Creative Types Just Good For Flings? The Frisky, Georgia - Are “creative types” good for anything other than flings? “I am always attracted to creative men,” one woman writes the Guardian. ... |
Canada Amnesty International Secretary General: Cultural Show ... The Epoch Times, NY - It obviously reflects considerable hard work and talent and creativity," said Neve who is the Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada. ... Filmmaker Gets Ideas, Inspiration ‘A true delight’ Says Public Official |
 BigNews.biz (press release) | Creativity and Flexibility in Custom Branded Items: BigNews.biz (press release), MA - This high level of flexibility and creativity is found across the board in the product offerings of Factory Direct Promos ... |
Learning from small town creativity and commerce Princeton Union Eagle, MN - In both cases, they’ve responded with creativity and cooperation to draw in millions of dollars, and survive, as other places declined. ... |
 Telegraph.co.uk | Lesley Garner's Life Lessons: How to be creative. Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - Sometimes people write to me because they want to be more creative, but they feel timid and blocked. If you are stuck – and what artist, or indeed, ... |
 New York Times Blogs | Former Bankers Turn to a Creative Plan B New York Times Blogs, NY - and director of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto, sees the gravitational pull away from Wall Street and toward more creative ... |
 BBC Sport | Darlington boss wants creativity BBC Sport, UK - Darlington manager Dave Penney has warned his side they must be more creative going forward following Saturday's 2-1 win against Bournemouth. ... |
Is Your Team Suffering from FWTS?
Who do you know who is feeling stuck, under-performing, or dealing with frustration and upset?These folks might be suffering from FLAT WORLD THINKING SYNDROME! (FWTS)"Flat World Thinking Syndrome" is the number one issue standing between predictable performance and breakthrough performance. Allow me to illustrate.
3 Simple Steps To Solving Problems
You can move beyond your stuck states by contemplating all the possible consequences of your own particular situation.What is it that you want to work in your life?What inner obstacles prevent you from achieving the successful outcome you desire?Once you have confronted your own fears, pulled the emotional skeleton's out of your mental closet, then you will be ready to take stock of your current situation, look at it objectively, and try out new strategies.
7 Techniques to Supercharge your Creativity and Solve your Problems
Do you ever encounter problems, challenges or obstacles in your business? If you answered 'no,' then you can stop reading and continue to rake in the fortune you must be making. For the rest of us, the answer of course is 'yes.
Achieving Limitless Creativity
There are many out there who wish to help individuals achieve limitless creativity. Such a noble endeavor to help fellow man; some creativity coaches are indeed working to set out simple principles which can help any individual get to that space.
How To Master Your Game
Learn how to master your area of endeavor the right way. Start out by finding the people and books that will make you exceptional.
The Power Of Your Intuition
We all have enormous reserves of mental capacity that we habitually fail to use. There is no problem that we cannot solve, no obstacle we cannot overcome, and no goal we cannot achieve when we learn to use the incredible power of our mind to its full capacity.
Get your Creative Juices Flowing
Copyright 2005 Cherry Communications/Be Heard SolutionsThe creative arts enhance our lives in countless ways. They make us think.
12 Ways To Boost Your Creativity At Work
As workplaces continue to rightsize and downsize, we all find ourselves doing more with less. How do we stay ahead of the workload while staying sane? The key is to put your creativity to work for you so you can do more with less and shine like never before.
Characteristics: Creative Types VS Clods!
Here are some odds & ends I have observed in creative-expert-genius types:Direction of Motivation: creatives move toward what they want in all areas of their life while the clods move away from what they don't want.Time Orientation: creatives look forward to completion.
The Source of Growth and Creativity
Bare attention (to objects, people and circumstances) is what brings order in this world and in your personal world. If you know how to move your attention without the involvement of mind, positive creation happens as a result.
The Elements of Creativity: What-ifs?
What if there is no toilet paper and I am halfway through doing the "do"?What if one of my team members decides to leave the project halfway and he happens to be the most knowledgeable guy there?What if I turn colour blind, how should I adapt to the environment?What-if, what-if and more what-ifs?The technique of asking What-ifs provokes an individual to think and to produce something new. At times, in order to find original solutions to old problems, one must take the leap of faith and ask 'crazy' and imaginative questions to get us out of the rut of stale, conformist routine.
Five Basic Steps to Benefit from Your Creativity
The ability to exercise your creativity is even more important for you than you probably think. Why? First, your creativity tremendously contributes to your self-actualization, which is essential for you to feel satisfied with your life and be happy.
Analysis of The Monkeys Paw by W. W. Jacobs: A Study in Lateral Thinking
I first read The Monkey's Paw as a youngster in Junior High School. I was touched by how an elderly couple received the gift that everyone would want, three wishes, and how the gift turned into a curse.
We Tend To Make Up Our Own Truths: What Stories Are You Making Up?
Someone once said that man keeps looking for truth that fits his reality. Oddly, more often than looking for truth, we tend to make up our own truths.
How To Increase Creativity... Set Deadlines!
Deadlines are something all of us face from time to time. We face deadlines whenever we set even a small goal and commit to accomplish it.
Art, Artists and Vocation
"If you really want to upset your parents?go into the arts!"-Kurt VonnegutHow many times have people been told that "You can't make it as an artist."How many times when you've told someone that you are studying theater, dance, the visual arts, do people look at you and cringe; feel sorry for you, and feel that you and your family have wasted a great deal of money, and that you have wasted years of your life.
Self-Care for Creative Artists: 5 Ways to Start Today
Self-care is the path to creative expression. By paying closer attention to your self-care, you can have easier access to your creativity, to your muse and to your inner strength and resilience.
Top Ten Reasons To Start Creativity Coaching
DEVELOP YOUR ARTISTIC CONFIDENCE I'd really like to write but I don't have enough time. Creativity coaching can give you back control over your calendar.
How To Let The Subconscious Mind Do The Creative Work
From time immemorial mankind has wished for an Aladin's lamp, which would make wisheds come true.The closest thing to this magic lamp is the subconscious mind.
How To Entertain A Thought
After studying scores of great thinkers like Leonardo Da Vinci, I think I've stumbled upon what really set them apart from the rest of the folks living (and thinking) at the same time.It's remarkably simple.
