Creative Living

License to be YOUYOUWWith

ADDHD

“The creative process is both predictable and unpredictable. It is both composition and improvisation There is a balance of the intuitive andimprovisation. There is a balance of the intuitive and the rational. There is an ever-increasing process of learning, and adjusting your actions based on your learning. Each creator has his or her own personal rhythms. The process is individually developed and personally tailored to take into account suchpersonally tailored to take into account such variables as temperament, personality, idiosyncrasies, strengths, weaknesses, tastes, aspirations, and interests.” (Fritz, creating, pg. 8 p 2)

Obj tiObjective

Qualify the relevance of creativity, particularly for those with AD/HDDescribe and define creative livingInspire hope that anyone can be creativeEquip with the guidelines toward creativity

A dAgenda

Relevance of CreativityCreativityCreative Living

RELEVANCE OF CREATIVITYRELEVANCE OF CREATIVITY

R l f C ti itRelevance of CreativitySuccess factor for adults with learningSuccess factor for adults with learning disabilities and/or AD/HDProblem solvingProblem solving Introduce newness and/or improvementEnriches culture and lifeEnriches culture and lifeExpression of emotion/energy

CHAD -Charter High School for Architecture and Design

Dave Brubeck performs to Ansel Adams photos

Relevance of CreativityRelevance of Creativity

It moves focus from self onto something newIt is a generative – life-giving processIt relieves tensionIncrease daily wonder and excitementyRevitalizes thinking about lifeWorks your right brainWorks your right brainExpands sense of self (through self-forgetfulness)forgetfulness)

Ri ht d L ft B iRight and Left Brain

Creativity works two hemispheres of the brain:

Left hemisphere Right hemisphereSequential SimultaneousLiteralness Big pictureLiteralness Big pictureAnalysis SynthesisLogic Emotional expression

WHAT IS CREATIVITYWHAT IS CREATIVITY

ProcessProcess

“a process by which a symbolic domain in the culture is changed. gNew songs, new ideas, new machines are what creativity is yabout.” (Csikszentmihalyi)

PProcessPreparation

IncubationElaboration

CREATIVITY

InsightEvaluation

S tSystem

According to Csikszentmihalyi, creativity is found in a system consisting of:“a culture that contains symbolic rules, a person who brings novelty into the symbolic d idomain, and a field of experts who recognized and

lid t th i ti ”validate the innovation.”

S tSystemMacintosh

Apple I

W f S iWay of Seeing

“the ability to see things in a new light (or from a different perspective)… Creativity is the k k f l ki f i t dknack of looking for answers in unexpected places.” (Edwards)

FForce

Tension between reality and vision (Senge)

vision

Creative tension

reality

F d i h f th fForce used in honor of the four…Vision …way to give tribute, honor, and opportunity for grieving

Reality… four Oakland officers killed in one incident, shock, grief

CREATIVE LIVINGCREATIVE LIVINGInfusing creativity into daily life and planning

S f i dSource of wisdom

Researched qualities of the creativeKnown blocksAdvice from scholars and practitionersExperience of creative adults with ADHDp

Q litiQualitiesIntelligence Verbally fluentQuickly able to assess problems and

id

IndependentTolerate ambiguity

scan ideasOpen to experienceI t l b l

Assertive/confidentHigh energy

Internal balanceAble to internalize

d

Courage of beliefsWilling to take risks

and express conflicting thoughtsThink metaphorically

gVisualize problemsFlexible with decisionsThink metaphoricallyComplexity

(MacKinnon1976, Baraon & Harrington 1981, Feist 1998, Tardif & Sternberg 1988 in Sawyer 2006) (Csikszentmihalyi 1996)

Ad iAdvice

Exercise the right side of the brainHarness the ADHD tendencies:Team up with oppositesEarn Your License

Bl k t C ti itBlocks to CreativityJudgmentJudgmentToo many demands – cannot activate the energy for creativityenergy for creativityDistractions – inability to hold onto the creative energy or focuscreative energy or focusLaziness – lack of discipline to manage the energyenergyNot knowing what to do with the energyL k f l it b t lfLack of clarity about self

LiLicense

“freedom to deviate deliberately from normally applicable rules or practices (especially in b h i h)”behavior or speech)”

L iLearning

Be curious about things, people, situations, yourselfLearn about self: strengths, passions, interests, rhythmLearn something newLearn how to drawLearn how to tell storiesLearn more about the domain in which youLearn more about the domain in which you wish to create

I t tiIntention

Decide what you wantBe deliberateSet goalsHave a planpDesign in accordance with your style

C tiConnection

Connect with what you love and what inspires youConnect with othersConnect with the problem you want to solveConnect with your goal - invest

E l tiExploration

Explore possibilities with your mind Try things out, test the waters

N ti SNegative Space

Look at the oppositeConsider the other side of a traitIf you are always open, make a decision to decideIf you keep tight control, try being openConsider the antagonist’s side of the storyConsider the antagonist s side of the story

S h d lSchedule

Make time for all aspects of the creative process. (Incubation requires a change in

)scenery)Make time for relaxation and workGet enough sleep, exerciseBuild a schedule that works with your cycle and rhythm

E l tiEvaluation

Consider what you want to invest your time, energy, and devotion to: does it make use of

h ? Will j it? I itwho you are? Will you enjoy it? Is it meaningful to you? Does it fit with your vision?vision?Consider what works and doesn’t work in your plans and actions Don’t judgeyour plans and actions. Don’t judge.Choose ideas selectively. Let intuition and

t b i fl t th lgut be one influence – not the only one.

You have earned your licenseYou have earned your license

Now go live creatively and be YOU!

If you have any questions or wish to receive a list of resources that will receive a list of resources that will help you become more creative,

t t O S h bcontact me. Ose Schwabose@potentiavita.com or @p781-480-3214