EMPOWER YOURSELF

THROUGH CREATIVE STRATEGIES

OLGA ZBARSKAYA, PHD

It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from. The ability to triumph begins with you. Always.

Oprah Winfrey

Brain

Brain process, analyzes, combines,and evaluates sensory information.

Brain creates thoughts and connects them into streams.

Brain’s network is active. Signals from various areas of neurons

get combined to create neuronal organization.

Brain (cont.) There are ten billion neurons

in our brain that form connections with other neurons through the synapses

An activated neuron releases chemical neurotransmitters

Brain (cont.) The chemicals enter the synapses to reach receptors, which triggers other neurons. This creates a domino effect

to produce communication between the brain and the rest of the body.

Patterns Our brain connects the dots of our

world into meaningful patterns. We perceive the world based on the

pattern interpretation. A neural network of the brain is

looking for patterns and providing feedback.

Change your Patterns through Creativity

Brain operates based on familiar patterns, but it can rewire itself.

Brain can get adapted to thousand environments and produce new sophisticated behavior because of plasticity.

Brain is capable to change its expectations to accommodate the type of inputs.

Creativity Creativity is a meaningful

modification based on new patterns of meaning.

When we're creative, we feel we are living more fully.

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In the last twenty years, creativity has become an essential skill for problem-solving in life

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Creativity enhances the quality of solutions to life problems.

Creativity predicts life achievements better than intelligence.

Creative people can adapt to different situation and reach

their goals.

Creativity

There is no box

Decision-making Every individual has a creative

potential. Everyone is different and unique. Everyone brings a unique set of

behavioral patterns. Creativity is a novel behavior

based on various interactions between existing patterns.

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Appropriate training and a supportive environment can improve creative potential

Improve your Creativity

•Think new thoughts.• Be open to experience.•Take risks.•Imagine.•Display interest.•Create clear goals.•Ignore distractions.•Be responsible.

Improve Creativity (cont.) Provide reasons. Manage time. Set goals. Brainstorm solutions. Increasing self-confidence. Evaluate results.

Creativity Flow• Enjoyable• Meaningful• Cheerful• Enthusiastic• No Distraction• Creative Energy• Curiosity

Creative Strengths •Making unusual connections.•Putting the pieces of the puzzle together.•Forming opinion.•Putting ideas to work in practice.•Classifying Information.•Comparing and Contrasting.•Evaluating.•Adapting new attention patterns.

Creativity

•Independence•Motivation•Tolerance•Confidence•Taking chances •Humor•Self-determination

Five Steps of Creativity Preparation Incubation Insight Evaluation Elaboration

EnvironmentBesides personality and genius, social environment is important because it can either nurture or crush the individual.

Gender Oppression and Discrimination in some countries

Women are forbidden from driving,

right to divorce, access to education, right to travel, custody rights, and citizenship.

Women are not defined by their actions in society

Women do as their husbands decide Passive victims of violence and abuse Marriage is the only way to social

functioning and economic support

Overcome Your Past and Feelings of Hopelessness:

To get what you've never had, you must do what you've never done.

You can change your life

through creative thinking

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=VW7OOQSzpEE6pM&tbnid=BzS3x2D79gYnDM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://amjames.tumblr.com/post/352918777/if-you-want-something-youve-never-had-you-must&ei=YWENU9WDEbW3sATE_oHQAQ&bvm=bv.61965928,d.dmQ&psig=AFQjCNFfXWtkbebGKfVBbym6YsTLKd9qTg&ust=1393472110295372

Be Grateful Step 1: See a half-full glass Step 2: If your glass is still half-empty – just bethankful that you have a glass and there's something in it.

Overcome stress Creativity reduces causes of stress

that trigger aggressive behaviors and nerve breaks.

Channeling anger into passion and powerful acts of creativity promote confidence and success.

Violence and aggression can be predicted and re-channeled into positive activities.

Use creativity for positive change

Be mindful of incoming thoughts. Find your purpose. Stay loyal to your decisions and

flexible to your approaches. Use symbolically borrowed

identities. Capture innovative ideas. Analyze images and dreams. Mix unlikely ideas.

See opportunities in difficulties

Nurture Yourself Surround yourself with positive

individuals. No self-criticism and negative self-

talk. Meet your basic needs. Allow yourself to grow emotionally,

spiritually, and intellectually. Relax and have fun

Do not think that the entire world is against of you. Use positive affirmation, balance your inner self, eliminate negativity, and create a pleasant environment.

Replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations

Take control of your thoughts Find guidance Live in the present Be grateful Focus on pleasant events and individuals Accept change Remember: each day is a new day

Ask yourself:

What Is Stopping Me From Getting What I Want?

What my Current Situation Does For me

What is my first step? What is the bigger picture? What are the consequences?

Turn Your Defeat into Victory and Your Weaknesses into Strengths:

Disorganized - CreativeInflexible -OrganizedStubborn - DedicatedShy - ReflectiveIrresponsible - AdventurousWeak - HumbleArrogant - Self-ConfidentImpatient - Passionate

Keep Moving Forward Set clear goals. Don’t ask: “Who will let me?” Ask:

Who can stop me?” Develop new habits. Recognize that you

are in control. Get biases- free. Favor reasons over emotions.

Achieve a Greater Level of Satisfaction and Success

Stop holding yourself back

Meet your alternative self Manage your energy, not

your time Start to visualize

happiness Feel good

Overcome weaknesses:

Admit them. Be specific. Set goals. Seek guidance. Assess the situation. Forget the past. One step at the time. Celebrate small victories.

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Mechanisms that Promote Creativity

Interest Curiosity Imagination Openness to experience Fluid attention Willingness to take risks Encouraging environment

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Promoting Creativity Enjoy immediate experiences Create meaning Play with ideas Create symbols Establish order

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Increasing Creativity (cont.)

Promote imagination. Daydream. Relax. Pay attention to the environment. Become immersed in activity.

You don’t know what you can do until you try.

Research: October 2011: two-way 3 x 5 repeated-

measures ANOVA to compare the interaction effects for the different trainings related to

the aspects of creativity (fluency, originality, elaboration, resistance to premature

closure, and abstractness of titles) measured by the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. Outcomes: creativity could be promoted Through training.

Project: 2006-2007: “Club of interesting people”

For Brooklyn Community Access Television Network (BCAT). Interviewing creative

individuals from around the world. Outcomes: all

terviewees shared attraction to novelty,

independence, and persistence. devotion, flexibility, hunger

to observe, attentiveness, humor, and

willingness to take chances.

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I Think Creatively!