How Creativity Can Improve Life Essay

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Everyday Creativity

The concept of everyday creativity is about finding joy in the things we do and obtaining happiness in even the most routine aspects of life—such as finding food to eat, getting dressed, getting to work, or even adapting to an unexpected emergency. Everyday creativity is about the art of spontaneity, the art of adaptability, the art of being okay with things the way they are because at all times one has the means to succeed, to feel good, to be brave, the obtain joy even in the most miserable of times. This idea is rooted in the belief that there is grace in all things, all around one, and that by tapping into this grace, one enhances one’s own life exponentially. This paper will show how the American Psychological Association (2007), through the articles by Zausner (2007) and Richards (2007), proves that creativity is the best approach to take to life in order to truly be happy, healthy and successful.

Richards (2007) explains what is meant by the idea of everyday creativity and why it has to be considered as “everyday”—i.e., something that occurs within each moment of one’s life: everyday creativity “is about everyone, throughout our lives; it is fundamental to our survival. It is how we find a lost child, get enough to eat, and make our way in a new place and culture. It is not so much what we do as how we do it, whether this is at work or at leisure” (Richards, 2007, p. 25). In other words, to be creative is to allow the flexibility into our lives, to explore options, to expand horizons and think outside the box. The freedom to go off the beaten path empowers one to assume responsibility rather than to take the easy way out and pass accountability along to someone else. For instance, when it comes to schooling, one could easily say that it is the responsibility of the teacher to see to it that one’s child is educated properly. However, if one is being creative in an everyday sense, one would realize that the opportunity to take responsibility is actually there for you and that all you have to do is begin to guide the child in developing ideas by demonstrating activities that you know the child will be interested.

This was essentially the idea behind Vygotsky’s concept of the zone of proximal development (Gray & Feldman, 2004). Whether one is changing the oil in one’s car or going to the park, making one’s child a part of that experience enhances it and allows both participants to grow in new and undefined ways. This is the essence of creativity. Ailwood (2003) notes that “play serves as a significant nodal point in the discursive relations of early childhood education” (p. 286). Just as we are created uniquely, every learner is also unique—each one learns in different ways. Some learners are visual. Some are experiential. For some, hearing is all that is required—for others, they must perform.

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Some benefit when their own personal background is brought into the lesson. Others can learn on their own and have a high tolerance for self-directed learning. Some learn from observing. Learning itself is a creative endeavor and falls into the category of everyday creative. Those who get to spend time learning are among the happiest—because they are engaged in self-actualization, as Richards explains: “self-actualizing people seemed happier, more fulfilled and at peace, not grasping, worried, striving, and were motivated in other higher ways” (Richards, 2007, p. 27).

The concept of self-actualization comes from the Maslow (1943) who developed a theory of human motivation and a hierarchy of needs, which identified a kind of step ladder of development that people go through. First, they have to have their ground floor needs met: these are things like food and shelter. Then they can move on to having their social needs met—things like friendship and love. Then they can focus on building their own confidence and esteem because the supports are in place that allow them to do this. Finally, they can become self-actualizing, driven by their own motivation to succeed because of a moral principle inside themselves that they cultivate and want to adhere to as they continue to grow.

In fact, just the act of having children is a creative act. It might seem like a burden to some and an immense joy to others—but the creative action is part of the process of giving new life to the world. Life is conceived and then shaped and molded by our approaches to parenting, education, and so on. Everything that we do shapes the child’s development in some way—and if one wants a happy child, one has to focus the creative energy and creative spirit on positive things that can bring happiness: shelter, food, warmth, love, security, esteem, confidence—all of these are things that a parent can give a child to help that child attain happiness, and in the process the parent attains joy because the parent’s life work, the parent’s whole creative focus has been on raising the child. That is an aspect of everyday creativity that often goes unobserved by many but that without which society would simply not exist. It is an example of everyday creativity that should really be celebrated among all others as the most important form of creative expression because it is dealing with actual life, whereas artists are only dealing with representations of life.

But of course representations of life are also important and play a role in allowing creativity to flourish and bring joy and peace to one’s life. The arts especially are helpful because they allow one to interact with ideas and feelings, which is where creativity finds inspiration.….....

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