
Your Power As A Creator
"The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
TRUTH
You are a creator.
Divine birthright and neuroscience support this truth. As a child of the Creator of this world and universe, you have been given the capacity and opportunity to create. And this truth allows limitless ideas, solutions, and outcomes. It also helps you understand your individual perspectives, abilities, and talents are divine gifts given to you so you may cultivate them and contribute in unique ways to our world.
As a living human being, your brain is structured to aid in the creative process. The prefrontal cortex of your brain handles the cognitive processes of making decisions and problem-solving. It's also charged with self-reflection and regulating emotion, both of which spur the process of creation. Your brain's amygdala (responsible for processing emotions) and hippocampus (stores and retrieves memories) aid you in forming ideas.
These structures of our brain work together to assist us in divergent thinking. Divergent thinking is when we think of various outcomes, solutions, and ideas to a problem. Also known as lateral thinking, divergent thinking expands creativity and it can be taught.
One way to increase your divergent thinking, and thus creativity, is through the acronym SCAMPER. Consider applying these questions when brainstorming, problem-solving, and ideating:
- Substitute – What can I/we change in a given situation?
- Combine – Does combining elements help the situation?
- Adapt – What existing element can I/we repurpose?
- Modify – What can I/we change?
- Put to another use – Should I/we use the project in another way?
- Eliminate – What do I/we need to get rid of?
- Reverse – Do I/we need to look at the situation from another point of view?
BEAUTY
"I'm going to make everything around me beautiful - that will be my life." -Elsie de Wolfe
Like you, I love spending time in beautiful spaces and surrounding myself with beautiful elements that uplift my spirit and bring me joy. We each have the ability to create spaces of beauty for ourselves and others.
My goal with Token Clothing Company™ has been to create an inner-space in every woman and girl that is filled with light and truth and beauty. To create an edified and elevated mind within her, so she can wisely influence, serve, create, and love.
Of all the places and spaces we should beautify, our mind should be our first priority, for this is the place creation begins. How we talk to ourselves has a profound impact on how we interact with others and the outcomes we experience in our life.
Consider this simple practice to become more aware of the beauty (or lack thereof) of your thoughts and then to refashion all negative thoughts to create an inner-space of light, truth, and peace:
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Designate a notebook or sticky notes or scratch paper to jot down your thoughts.
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In a 24-48 times period, without judgement, write down every (or as many possible) "self"-statement that comes to you - those thoughts which refer to you in 1st or 2nd person ("I am" and "You are"). For example, "I'm not feeling well."; "I hate this."; "You're crazy for doing this." Include both positive and negative thoughts. Again, do not judge, only observe and write.
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Following the designated time period, review these thoughts and mark (e.g., highlight, underline, color, etc.) those which edify (positive) vs. those thoughts which do not edify (negative/critical). Look for patterns. What areas of life are you being most self-critical about?
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Then, draw a line through each negative thought. Next to each one, reframe or refashion the critical thought into a powerful, positive " I AM" statement. For example, "I'm no good at this, I can't do it!" becomes "I AM able to learn and accomplish anything. I have what it takes to become great at everything I do."
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Now, take each positive statement you just refashioned and transfer these to a new list. Post this list somewhere you will see and review it every day. Repeat these statements aloud - when you can - and silently - when you cannot - throughout the day. Feel free to create a vision board, an audio recording, or any other medium that will help you transform these thoughts into permanent residents in your mind. *Personally, I have recorded my refashioned thoughts with my voice and added background music that I love and inspires me. This creates greater emotion within me so I believe what I'm saying to myself.
GOODNESS
"Behold how good and beautiful it is for brethren to dwell together in unity". - Philip Bernstein
Perhaps the greatest need for creation in our world is that for unity - with God and within marriages, families, neighborhoods, communities, and nations. The effort to establish unity is mighty and involves more sacrifice and energy than an inspired brushstroke or music stanza or poetry line. And the rewards for this work can heal lives and generations.
Seeking unity requires seeking common ground with others. And despite, even significant differences, as a child of God and part of the human family - we all have common ground.
Unity requires a sincere desire for peace and for each of us to lead as a peacemaker. Easier said than done, I know. Personally, I've always considered myself more of a "fighter" than a "lover" and even prided myself on being willing to stand firm. And refusing to cower to evil intent and action is important, but so is seeking to love and understand others.
In most of our interactions and circumstances with others, we are not battling an enemy. We are simply being asked to soften our heart and adjust our perspective. Here are a few ideas to consider when seeking to create unity:
- Seek to understand. Without judgement, ask for and then listen to others' ideas, perspectives, thoughts, and solutions. Treat each person as you would want to be treated, even if you might completely disagree with their idea or solution. We can still offer respect and grace and recognize each voice matters. And approaching people with sincere willingness to listen (not just hear) is absolutely a requirement in working together and becoming more unified in purpose.
- Share your purpose, ideas, desires with transparency and composure. If information is deceitfully withheld, trust falls and unity is not possible. Be honest and direct. Just observe how you share information. Remember your intent. If unity is truly your desire, even the gravest of challenges can be shared and discussed with compassion and kindness.
- Believe and have faith in the God of unity. Unity is a divine principle that God is eager and willing to help us understand and apply in every relationship we have. In scripture, we learn: " And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Colossians 3:16 NIV). When we are seeking to follow God's commandments, especially when doing so requires sacrifice and difficulty on our part, He is always willing to give us the power to fulfil His commandment and desire. Thus, we can pray and listen to those ideas that come to us as we seek to create unity with others.
EXCELLENCE
Our world is chock-full of problems! And we each have the noble and thrilling opportunity to assist in creating solutions to those specific problems that speak directly to our hearts.
Whether through a product or service that benefits our nation or globe, or a volunteer group that benefits a niche in our community, or a beautiful act of service that lifts just one person, we can practice excellence in our power as a creator to solve issues and problems.
One example of excellent creation is the founding of Pajama Rama. Founded in 2013, this organization was the result of a mom wanting to give back to her local hospital when her daughter received emergent care following a scooter accident.
As Lori (mom) looked at the hospital's donation needs, pajamas for kids were the most requested item. And as she began looking at other community outreach programs, she discovered many children in need did not have a pair of pajamas. So, she created an organization that has collected and donated thousands of pajamas to kids in her city and the surrounding region who would not otherwise receive them without her creative vision and action.
A FINAL LOVE NOTE
The process of creation is mEsSy! And it's supposed to be. Rarely, do we play a piano piece the first time through without errors or paint a landscape without redos, or build a company without failures, or create a family legacy without bruises and bumps.
Be compassionate with yourself and gift yourself grace.
And learn resilience. The obstacles and oppositions will come, so expect them. Lean in and believe you have the power within you to overcome and create an outcome even better than you imagined.
Remember - you are divine and loved. You are beautiful, worthy, and strong.
Lovingly,