rather fitting on the birthday of Benjamin Franklin, a man of enormous creativity and courage!
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Showing posts with label creativity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label creativity. Show all posts
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Mary Lou Cook
She was quoted today in my women who do too much calendar - "Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun."
I love the quote but hadn't heard of her - but through the wonders of google here she is:
Mary Lou Cook
“Santa Fe’s Living Treasure,” Mary Lou Cook, is a force to be reckoned with. Mother of three grown children, teacher, counselor, reverend, writer, lecturer, not to mention calligrapher, bookbinder, basket maker and tree planter, Cook lives through example, showing us life can be a joyous and wondrous adventure. Inspired by Ghandi, ‘you must be the change you wish to see in the world,’ Mary Lou Cook serves as mentor and activist on several fronts, including: nuclear issues, the environment, women’s issues, Peace Corps, politics and peace.
Throughout her life, Cook has been blazing trails: she was the first woman bank director in Santa Fe at United Southwest Bank; co-founder of the New Mexico acupuncture association which was instrumental in bringing acupuncture to the mainstream and protecting it under the laws of the state; co-founder of Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety and Nuclear Watch of New Mexico, which focuses on educating the public; founder of the Santa Fe Living Treasures, a group garnering huge national attention which honors elders who have made a significant difference to the community; City of Santa Fe’s Official Calligrapher in the 1980s, (Santa Fe was the second city to create the position, after Los Angeles); founder of the MLC (Mary Lou Cook) Creativity Center; creator of the popular Black Kindness bracelet, with the word ‘kindness’ printed in seventeen languages to promote peace around the world and Minister and Bishop of the Eternal Life Church, performing ceremonies throughout the year for people from over the world and last, but certainly not least, co-founder of the New Mexico Department of Peace.
For Mary Lou Cook, peace and creativity go hand in hand, “It is so important for us to use our creativity. We are all born with it, but not all of us use it. Creativity is about original thinking, being happy and positive. It is important to understand our main job is to be happy. We always have a choice between peace and fear, why would we choose fear over peace?” Cook’s creativity has inspired her to co-author twelve books including Open Endings, Beyond Fear, When I Listen and Let Your Clown Out of the Closet.
I love the quote but hadn't heard of her - but through the wonders of google here she is:
Mary Lou Cook
“Santa Fe’s Living Treasure,” Mary Lou Cook, is a force to be reckoned with. Mother of three grown children, teacher, counselor, reverend, writer, lecturer, not to mention calligrapher, bookbinder, basket maker and tree planter, Cook lives through example, showing us life can be a joyous and wondrous adventure. Inspired by Ghandi, ‘you must be the change you wish to see in the world,’ Mary Lou Cook serves as mentor and activist on several fronts, including: nuclear issues, the environment, women’s issues, Peace Corps, politics and peace.
Throughout her life, Cook has been blazing trails: she was the first woman bank director in Santa Fe at United Southwest Bank; co-founder of the New Mexico acupuncture association which was instrumental in bringing acupuncture to the mainstream and protecting it under the laws of the state; co-founder of Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety and Nuclear Watch of New Mexico, which focuses on educating the public; founder of the Santa Fe Living Treasures, a group garnering huge national attention which honors elders who have made a significant difference to the community; City of Santa Fe’s Official Calligrapher in the 1980s, (Santa Fe was the second city to create the position, after Los Angeles); founder of the MLC (Mary Lou Cook) Creativity Center; creator of the popular Black Kindness bracelet, with the word ‘kindness’ printed in seventeen languages to promote peace around the world and Minister and Bishop of the Eternal Life Church, performing ceremonies throughout the year for people from over the world and last, but certainly not least, co-founder of the New Mexico Department of Peace.
For Mary Lou Cook, peace and creativity go hand in hand, “It is so important for us to use our creativity. We are all born with it, but not all of us use it. Creativity is about original thinking, being happy and positive. It is important to understand our main job is to be happy. We always have a choice between peace and fear, why would we choose fear over peace?” Cook’s creativity has inspired her to co-author twelve books including Open Endings, Beyond Fear, When I Listen and Let Your Clown Out of the Closet.
Friday, February 15, 2008
The Importance of CREATIVITY
from Artella comes this article:
studies, including one in December 2007, by The University of Texas at Austin, have proven that people who regularly engage in creative acts are healthier and feel better. Why is this so? Here's a report from Artella's Creative Surge General with reminders for all of us!
The Top 5 Ways Creativity Is Good For Your Heart
Creativity is relaxing. When we engage both our mind and body in something that we enjoy, our bodies release powerful hormones that relax us, undoing all kinds of damage caused by stress in day -to-day life.
Creativity is a healthy distraction. There is no better way to forget our troubles, challenges, and pain than to get involved in meaningful creative projects. A creative project is a great way to focus on what IS working in your life, rather than what isn't.
Creativity gets our heart pumping. From the adrenaline that gets going when we're happily engaged, to the often quite physical nature of art, creativity gets our insides moving and shaking. Painting, sculpting, writing (especially via longhand), and running around town looking for "art junk" at flea markets is GREAT exercise. :-)
Creativity gives our self-esteem a boost. Endless studies have been done on the effects of positive self esteem on general health. When we create something that we're proud of, we get a huge psychological boost that has endless rewards. Think of the small child who shows off a drawing and says "Look what I did!" We all need a healthy dose of that kind of pride!
Creativity offers great opportunities for connection with others. You share your art or writing with someone else and it sparks a meaningful conversation . . . you post your work in an online contest and others comment on it . . . you collaborate on a creative project to create something from two heads instead of one . . . you donate your work for a charitable cause that makes a difference to others. These are just a few examples of many the kinds of connections that creativity can provide. They all remind us that we are not alone on this planet, or in our pursuits of creativity. Connection with others makes us healthier and happier, and truly part of the fabric of the world.
studies, including one in December 2007, by The University of Texas at Austin, have proven that people who regularly engage in creative acts are healthier and feel better. Why is this so? Here's a report from Artella's Creative Surge General with reminders for all of us!
The Top 5 Ways Creativity Is Good For Your Heart
Creativity is relaxing. When we engage both our mind and body in something that we enjoy, our bodies release powerful hormones that relax us, undoing all kinds of damage caused by stress in day -to-day life.
Creativity is a healthy distraction. There is no better way to forget our troubles, challenges, and pain than to get involved in meaningful creative projects. A creative project is a great way to focus on what IS working in your life, rather than what isn't.
Creativity gets our heart pumping. From the adrenaline that gets going when we're happily engaged, to the often quite physical nature of art, creativity gets our insides moving and shaking. Painting, sculpting, writing (especially via longhand), and running around town looking for "art junk" at flea markets is GREAT exercise. :-)
Creativity gives our self-esteem a boost. Endless studies have been done on the effects of positive self esteem on general health. When we create something that we're proud of, we get a huge psychological boost that has endless rewards. Think of the small child who shows off a drawing and says "Look what I did!" We all need a healthy dose of that kind of pride!
Creativity offers great opportunities for connection with others. You share your art or writing with someone else and it sparks a meaningful conversation . . . you post your work in an online contest and others comment on it . . . you collaborate on a creative project to create something from two heads instead of one . . . you donate your work for a charitable cause that makes a difference to others. These are just a few examples of many the kinds of connections that creativity can provide. They all remind us that we are not alone on this planet, or in our pursuits of creativity. Connection with others makes us healthier and happier, and truly part of the fabric of the world.
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