Creativity Overflow …!

(Snippits from our oh so popular Digital Glue Podcast!)

Creativity is my jam … My secret sauce (if you will!).

And is simply the use of the imagination, especially in the production of artistic work.

A phenomenon whereby something new and somehow valuable is formed.

We are all born with the ability to be creative. But the difference lies in whether you choose to embrace your creativity — or not.

Think of creativity like a muscle — the more you exercise the muscle, the stronger it will become. And the more you use your innate creativity, the easier it is to access that part of yourself. As well as use it in all areas of your life.

Creativity is truly at the core of being human — whether you feel you are a creative individual at heart or not. Everyone is! It’s what links your heart and soul with your mind. It’s a “catch-all” idea formulator that encompasses so many things. And sometimes, it’s hard to nail down. But you know it when you see it. And when you feel it. One thing it is NOT is a superpower you are just born with. It’s not exclusive. Creativity is magical, but it is also not magic. And anyone can tap into their creative energy to make something special with hard work, dedication to learning, and a bit of luck.

Entrepreneurs NEED creativity to succeed in the business world. There is a lot of competition — and those who can stay at the very least — one step ahead will succeed wildly with knowledge in their toolbelt. Knowledge is power. When you unlock your creative potential — grounded with a structure for productivity — it allows you to see your business, and if service related, those of your clients, in a fresh, new light. It can remind you why you started your business in the first place. (Which, honestly, we all need from time to time!)

We, as entrepreneurs, strive to create MORE opportunities and provide MORE employment opportunities, especially with the world gone virtually these days. And one of the MOST IMPORTANT elements in this new way of living and working is creativity. It’s a characteristic of the entrepreneurial process known as thinking “outside of the box” — even though I always highly suggest just getting rid of that damn limiting box altogether. And it’s imperative in what we do — even if one doesn’t offer creative services.

One extremely relevant example is what we have experienced collectively during this global pandemic. Think of the amount of creativity business owners have had to unlock within themselves to stay afloat during these long pandemic months alone. Our minds revolve around new ideas and innovations around the clock. All the while continuously examining existing workflows and devising ways to carry out our solutions more efficiently and effectively. Our minds work towards optimizing business … Our own and our clients and customers’.

In short, our level of creativity is much different NOW as it leads to success by thinking the unthinkable by melding our creative and business minds. And through this type of mind blend, our imagination leads us to reach never before explored areas by pushing aside the practical “norms” and thinking of more interesting and innovative things that impact our business lives and those of our clients – and, of course, our personal ones too! Every. Single. Glorious. Day. (We should all take a moment to be thankful for that!)

But make no mistake about it, creativity is for more than just the artists, the creators and the makers. Not even just for entrepreneurs, designers, bloggers and podcasters.

Creativity can and must become a part of your work life, even in a not-so-typically creative job, such as one that may be found in the corporate world. Especially in the ever-changing climate of our working world today, in creating innovative solutions for clients, in methods to evolve and adapt our businesses, and especially in telling our story through rebranding and reinventing ourselves. All of these concepts SCREAM for us to dig deep into our well of creativity. During these reinvention stages, you may even solve a problem you never thought possible just by switching gears in your approach. You may even develop a new process for a task that has been nothing but a time-sucker in the past. So, really … If you can simply embrace the possibility of thinking outside the box, the sky is the limit!

Okay, let’s get real for a moment …

If you’re anything like me … The answer is always “yes” to every single opportunity that lands in my lap where I am called to be creative. No matter the situation, I am always over the moon and enthusiastic about it. Being creative and having the opportunity to indulge in those thoughts is normal and not something I can hide in my back pocket. I just can’t help myself when these opportunities emerge. I want to dig deep into the work, which isn’t working at all. And it’s even better without interruptions … kind of like a scientist with a new discovery. It wreaks havoc on my sleep schedule, the nights where I can barely shut my eyes because the ideas are coming fast and furious. But there is always something to create, invent, and always something to uncover — which keeps our creative minds fully engaged in those moments – and even beyond them in our sleep.

Those naturally thought to be creative are considered right-brain dominant and tend to have their daily creative thoughts carry over into those well-deserved sleeping hours.

For some reason, our creativity obtains clarity that empowers our minds in those hours. It’s almost like someone pushed the pedal to the medal in our brain. And BOOM! Suddenly everything makes sense.

That design you’ve been mulling over all day is now excellent, your website is doing exciting and uniquely fun things, and that new paint colour you couldn’t decide on now makes sense. Your creative writing scribbles from earlier are just plain genius! That special time when you can still dream yet fully awake. Like Warren Berger once said:

Creativity has this amazing POWER to give you renewed enthusiasm and energy -- even in the most difficult circumstances.

But what about those who keep telling yourselves you’re not so naturally inclined?

The idea of putting effort into thinking with a creative edge is challenging and different from what some may be used to. It requires us to show pieces of ourselves we never – or rarely – share with anyone. And that makes us nervous, shy, and vulnerable. And guess what else? It takes courage.

Daring to be vulnerable in our work is something that can be uncomfortable for many people. Especially those who may have chosen a career path that almost promised them they wouldn’t have to put that part of themselves out there. And that’s ok! Discovering new parts of ourselves as we go through our careers is one of the wonders of being a human in the working world!

And as the ever-wise Brene Brown says:

“Vulnerability is never easy, and it feels terrible, but there’s no evidence that it’s anything but courage.”

If you’ve read any of my past blog posts or follow me on social, you probably already know she’s one of my life’s inspirations … In one of her interviews, Brené talks about how, as a culture, we’re raised to believe that vulnerability is a weakness, so acting bravely is considered strong. As a society, this attitude creates bravado — a sort of “postering and a fake bravery.” She shares something that has stuck with me all these years: as creatives, we need to, and get to, decide whose opinions matter and whose don’t. She then pulled out a short list of the people whose opinions matter to her, and the list is short. And written exclusively by her and her alone.

Brené also dove deep into conversation about building a support structure … Whether that’s a therapist, coach, tribe or community.

Your support team is a vast resource! Even your greatest heroes relied on their communities to find and maintain success.

A community can — and should — include those in your profession, those who pique your curiosity and inspire you, and even a mentor — if you are lucky enough to find one. Think of your “community” as people whom you can look up to, learn from and talk to inspire creativity in the work you are ever so in love with doing!

One of my very favourite books, which was highly recommended to me AND I highly recommend to all of YOU, is Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.

In Big Magic, Elizabeth talks about the fear we hide behind because we are too damn afraid to show ourselves and the creativity that lies dormant within us. And that the things that we want to do, show, and share can set our purposes free into the world as they are meant to be. And she highlights that by saying this …

A creative life is an amplified life. It’s a bigger life. A happier life. An expanded life. And a hell of a lot more interesting life. Living in this manner -- continually and stubbornly bringing forth the jewels that are hidden within you -- is a fine art, in and of itself.

As a creative thinker, you will more than likely …

Adhere to rules and principles only when they add value.
Be keen to experiment with new ventures and not fear losing.
Take inspiration from every possible area in life – both directly and indirectly.
Follow the rules, as there is always room for improvement.
Be keen on bringing opposites together to create new ideas.
Be excited to learn new things — whether in your industry or not.
Be open to feedback; this creates new opportunities to refine old ideas and processes.
Be one’s own critic, all the while implementing a practical skillset.
Go above and beyond one’s comfort zone — again, and again, and again — as your confidence grows!
And KNOW that there is no such thing as stupid questions.

Sooo … GONE are the days when being an entrepreneur only meant analytically thinking and making decisions based solely on financials and hard facts. GONE are the days with the idea of becoming an entrepreneur invoked ideas of high risk and mitigating that risk with less thinking outside the box. Things were then focused a lot on making risk as minimal as possible, doing EVERYTHING manually and thinking less creatively and more factually. And by thinking this way – this would keep one’s business safer. But … Today’s business leaders not only prefer to hire MORE creative individuals for their teams but are also working harder at becoming creative themselves.

Speaking from personal experience, it’s super amazing to have hands-on clients with loads of creativity who are open and eager to use it. Our work styles mesh much better, and we accomplish more greatness during our collaborative adventure. In fact, I am 100% certain that THIS IS THE BEST TIME IN HUMAN HISTORY to be an entrepreneur. You can learn absolutely anything right now, thanks to technology. Plus, there are so many pro-level leaders out there who can – and are willing – to provide you with the knowledge you desire to learn what you need for this type of virtual lifestyle – which, due to recent events, is new to most.

Knowledge can happily be attained at a minimal cost and from the warmth and comfort of your couch.

I have always been in the creative industry. And it’s super exciting to see how a generation concerned with exploiting knowledge and information is ever-changing and evolving.

So, let me ask you a few Q’s to ponder upon …

Why do you feel creativity matters?
What role does it play in your business right now?
How do you think it will shape your business in the future?

And what would happen if you sit back and let the opportunities pass you by when it comes to being more creative in your way of thinking and allowing that creativity to innovate your business?

Even if you think you are not creative, you can learn the skills and how to harness the creativity that lives inside of you.

Write it all down.
Let it all out.
Be sure to complete everything, even if it seems insignificant.

Divergent thinking generates creative ideas and gives each individual thought the attention it deserves; it will allow divergent thinking.

And most of all, it will take you to new places and bring to light new ideas, which will then take you on incredible journeys and help your business grow along the way!

To wrap things up … Here are some of our favourite tips on becoming a more creative thinker that can help “untangle” your thoughts on this topic.

First up is reading.

Part of being creative is knowing things about the world to help us understand how things work. With each new perspective you integrate into your own, the more you’ll be able to connect ideas that you might not have been able to do before. Reading is one of the best ways to expand your knowledge base and broaden your perspective. This can come from books, blogs, vlogs or even podcasts related to your business — and sometimes, even though entirely unrelated to what you do day-to-day — all of those fresh ideas will only strengthen and enhance your creative mind.

Next up is collaboration.

(My team and I are steadfast believers on this one!) Conversations about problems and brainstorming with other people that acquire different ideas and viewpoints will help an idea in your head shift around. One that has maybe even been stuck there for a while now – Taking up precious space! So, do your best to work with people who understand the sort of problems or issues you’re trying to work through, as their different ideas and perspectives will allow you to let your creativity shine as you try to solve said problem. In the process, you’ll help them with one too!

Next one up … Networking and communication.

STOP hiding behind your screen and TALK to new people while experiencing something new! Take a pottery class if you never have before, or join a virtual book club with others talking and introducing you to new ideas, materials and processes. Trust me … That kind of creativity is nothing but contagious!

Another idea … Explore and visit places that get your creative juices flowing.

Places that spur your curiosity with sights, sounds, and smells that will engage – and heighten- your brain’s creative side. The joy it brings you will only shine through in your new ideas! So, please encourage yourself to look at life in new ways; you’ll never be bored.

Here’s another one. And one that you may not hear too often … Embrace your failures.

I genuinely dislike the word “failure” and tend to think of this as areas of room for improvement. It sounds less harsh and rings with positivity. However, failure is a necessary component of the creative process to embrace learning experiences. And embracing them is a commitment to learning from your mistakes. Every failure is an opportunity to learn, pivot, and inject brand-spanking new thoughts into an idea … Until you can get it just right. Because, as one of my favourite clients reminds me … “perfect” isn’t a thing. And “perfect” isn’t done!

And sometimes, it just boils down to recognizing when your creative juices flow – and when they don’t! So, if you happen to be a happy-go-lucky morning person … The quiet of the house before anyone else wakes is the perfect opportunity for you to have time to listen to your thoughts and jot ideas down. Then if time allows, structure your day to allow that.

However, if nighttime is your jam and you love to stay up late — in the dark — and let the day’s ideas run wild, then make it happen that way. Whatever works for you is the way to go.

There are no right answers when it comes to creativity. And that’s the beauty of it!

Hearing this all sounds like a tall order — to change our ways of thinking and our preferred, safe ways of completing the tasks our work requires. But to live a life of creativity and be open and interested, those concepts alone will ensure that we are moving forward in our lives and businesses.

Today’s working climate demands openness — and even if we have arrived at a place where it seems as though there are no unique ideas left, we can use our tools to go out and find some.

The world is our creative oyster!

So, open yourself up … Let yourself breathe… And just BE!

WANT MORE DIGITAL GLUE (FROM OUR PODCAST)?

Let the digital “untangling” BEGIN … Just pop in your earbuds and hop onto one of your favourite channels by clicking any of the links below!

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Crystal Kordalchuk

Crystal is an artist, a writer, an organizer, a dreamer, a doer, and down-right proud of it NERD!.

Struck with a love for #AllThings creative at a very young age, Crystal dreamed of a life fueled by her passion for creating and bringing the stories and images in her mind into reality.

As she worked toward her dreams, she earned a diploma as a Computer Applications Specialist then another in Graphic Design and from there began to develop her extensive background in multimedia and the arts. She began her worked in the magazine industry as a layout designer and had a succession of design jobs thereafter. It was her role as a graphic/web designer that gave her the first real glimpse of her future. Soon she began a side job as a freelance designer while keeping one foot in the corporate world. A spark was lit! She turned her freelance gig into a full-time business combining design work with her other passion: creating organization from virtual chaos.

Crystal is one of the most organized individuals on the planet. She is by all means a Zen master of her crafts. She excels at helping others become “untangled” and provides her clients with tools to run their businesses smoothly while she takes care of the details behind the scenes. Thus Virtually Untangled was born. A successful business where her work as a top notch creative in graphic and web — with a twist of virtual assistant — married into one amazing place where clients can come with their virtual messes and become magically untangled. Crystal can always make sense of even the most unorganized chaos and offers a virtual detox of order and peace, so her clients can get busy doing the work that they love the most.

Creativity Overflow …!

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