Get inspired. Comment. Participate. This website offers endearing personal stories submitted by people worldwide who rejoice in their creativity. Share your creative story: use the Creativity Questionnaire in the right sidebar as a guide.
“How does creativity fit into your life?” I asked. “Tell me your creative story.” I posted questionnaires, sent out scores of e-mails and linked to creativity sites. Heartfelt responses came pouring in from around the world.
From “Anonymous” to “Zacarro;” from medical specialist to record company executive; from jazz singer to horsewoman, we discover how very diverse people - of various ages and from different parts of the world - stoke their unique creative fires.
You will be inspired by these individuals – including the submissions of husband and wife – whose thought-provoking personal stories are included on this website.
These most extraordinary people reveal the very secrets of their individual creativity.
Many make concrete suggestions as to how to be more creative. Some write about their frustrations as well as their successes. Many speak of the importance of supportive people in their lives. Some detail the heartbreaking road along which they have travelled. They all share a part of their private lives with warmth and honesty.
Each one has touched my heart. I believe yours will be touched, as well.
Be ready to become inspired, motivated and moved. Just click on any of the names listed below. Enjoy reading these stories, be ever creative, and, most of all, relish and celebrate the creative process. And, if you are stoking your heart’s creative fire, I invite you to share your creativity and insights - and light creative fire for others: send your creative story. You can use the Creativity Questionnaire in the right sidebar as a guide.
All the best, Nellie
INDEX
To read a particular profile, click on any name. This list and links will be constantly updated. Amanda - Australia
1) What does creativity mean to you? Thinking out of the box, thinking big, thinking differently, lateral thinking
2) What is your creative passion? How do you approach it? Writing, Developing material, Training Delievery, Learning New
3) Describe the feeling you have when heavily into a creative activity you love. Great, Excited, Passionate, Growth.
4) What does the creative porcess do you, or for, you? Motivate.
5) How have you fulfilled your own creative urges? Writing, Getting New Information, Learning New.
6) What do you do to satisfy your soul? Achievement.
7) How are you creative in your life? By thinking new and keep changing.
8) Who has inspired you in your life to achieve your potential? How? My father...I want to prove that I have a great potential to be something in life.
What does creativity mean to you? Creativity means happiness, expression, joy. When I haven't been creative for a while, all of those wonderful emotions get locked up inside me.
The second I become creative (pick up a camera, or design a website) I can feel the joy and happiness creep out of me.
What is your creative passion? How do you approach it?
I have several creative passions.
The first is photography, and I love to grab my camera and walk around my surroundings looking for interesting and unique ways of photographing the ordinary.
Surprisingly I find web programming creative. To me it's like a puzzle... I want the website to do a, b, c.... and right now I have a blank canvas. The joy and creative aspect is getting that blank canvas to do what I want.
Describe the feeling you have when heavily into a creative activity you love. I generally zone out deep in focus. When I used to paint and draw I would lose track of time. 5 hours could go by, and I would think it was 5 minutes.
With photography a feeling of release and happiness comes over me. It feels right to walk around with a camera in my hand.
What does the creative process do to, or for, you? Creativity, or the creative process, keeps me happy. It keeps my mind active and helps me look at the world in different ways.
How have you fulfilled your own creative urges? I have found ways to be creative in every day life. My job is creative in many ways. I find both aspects of my job, designing and programming websites to be creative in different ways. I also read a lot, and find it wonderful to be caught up in someone else's creative spirit. I try to go out with my camera as often as possible.
What do you do to satisfy your soul? I moved to a place that is IN nature.... where trees outnumber people and I can hear the sounds of nature. Nature keeps my soul happy.
How are you creative in your life? I'm creative with my work and with my hobbies.
Who has inspired you in your life to achieve your potential? How? My family. If they were not accepting of my creativity and tried to push me into other life directions, I would probably not be in the fields I am today. _____
Marlene has two Masters Degrees: an M.S.W. and M. Sc. She has had considerable experience in several professions, including social work and property management. Currently, she considers herself lucky to be able to incorporate her love of nature, writing and photography to pursue careers as Nature Walk columnist for theMuskoka Sun newspaper, author of two recently published books about nature, keynote speaker - and facilitator of photography and nature appreciation week-end retreats in Muskoka.E-mail Marlene at naturewalk@rogers.com. Visit her website at www.marlenewalker.com ________________________ What does creativity mean to you? It’s my inner essence – it takes me deep into myself. Sometimes it flows out of me and I don’t even know where it comes from.
Creativity in others is their expression of something unique to them in any form.
What is your creative passion? How do you approach it? Nature photography and nature writing………. I both direct it in terms of goals but often it just happens and it is such a surprise! It also excites and stimulates me both intellectually, emotionally and spiritually.
Describe the feeling you have when heavily into a creative activity you love. I lose track of time – time has no meaning – the minutes and hours are of no consequence. It takes me into another dimension.
What does the creative process do to, or for, you? It gives me great satisfaction. Sharing it is what I love to do.
How have you fulfilled your own creative urges? I set goals – publishing books, writing articles, developing a theme to photograph i.e. ‘snow shadows’, maple leaves, organizing retreats
What do you do to satisfy your soul? This question made me catch my breath.
My love of nature satisfies my soul; hearing a bird sing, capturing an image that is something so small that most people don’t see it
How are you creative in your life? Writing, photography, sharing ideas, creative problem-solving, taking on a challenge
Who has inspired you in your life to achieve your potential? How? My parents, my husband, my friends, Freeman Patterson, my creativity group, myself
Share your inspiring story….. I fell in love with bluebirds… it was the beginning of a love of nature that has been part of me for my whole life.
Have you had several sucessful careers changes in your life? I guess I have re-invented myself several times. When I meet someone whom I haven’t seen in a long time, they think that I’m still doing what it was from before.
I take each of my careers and experiences with me…they become integrated into my new life experience. They are not left behind.
Describe your creative thinking. I try to look at things in different ways…..there’s always some new way of looking at a challenge.
Tell about any creative projects that you’ve been involved recently. Natural History and Photography retreats, PowerPoint Presentations
How would you describe Creative X-Spot? Something deep inside of me that pulls at my creative core
Describe a serendipitous experience. I met a woman at Chapters. We had a great connection. She and her husband are attending my retreat. One has to be open to opportunities. We are often confronted by these interfaces but we have to grab the opportunity for things to really happen.
Have you ever had a hunch you've followed to a successful conclusion? The creation of my books developed from following my instinct. I trusted someone’s integrity and opportunities have continually evolved from our initial meeting.
Offering individuals and groups creative tools to dig deep, "mining" their unique resources for fresh opportunities.
• "Igniting Imagination" Internet Talk Radio Show Suggest a program. What might you offer as a guest to our audience? Become a co-host. Listen in. Phone-in. Advertise. For details, click on link above.
Creativity Questionnaire
How is creativity part of your life? Add your story.
Suggestion: Copy and paste the following questions into a word document. Answer any or all - or write your own essay, referring to them as a guide. Copy and paste both questions and answers into the email body and send them to me by clicking here.
1. What does creativity mean to you?
2. What is your creative passion? How do you approach it?
3. Describe the feeling you have when heavily into a creative activity you love?
4. What does the creative process do to, or for, you?
5. How have you fulfilled your own creative urges?
6. What do you do to satisfy your soul?
7. How are you creative in your life?
8. Who has inspired you in your life to achieve your potential? How?
9. Share your inspiring story about why you love what you do, how it is creative and how you do it.
10. If you have successfully changed careers several times, tell us what you have done and why. How did you get the courage to do it?
11. In what way(s) are you creative-thinking in your private or professional life?
12. Describe how you have approached a specific problem in a creative way.
13. Describe any coincidences, serendipitous and synchronistic experiences you have had.
“How does creativity fit into your life?” I asked. “Tell me your creative story.”
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