Creativity Pathway #130:
Play With Your "Pops"!
Erika Jackson
|
                      |
Go ahead! Play with your Corn Pops. My daughter played with her bag of cereal on
the way to school and it was an incredible demonstration of
creativity. "Look Mom, an earring! Look Mom, a surf board! ...a golden tooth, a
star twinkling in the sky, a sunshine on a miniature planet..."
It was 15 minutes of gloriously creative (sometimes silly and sometimes just
plain genius) improvisation. You may have also seen something similar on the
improv-comedy show, "Who's Line is it Anyway?" On the show, the actors are given
a random prop which they must creatively turn into as many items as they can
think of within a given time frame.
Plato didn't believe that play was just for children. The great philosopher once
said, "You can learn more about a person in an hour of play than in a lifetime
of conversation."
Researchers have reported that there is a positive link between brain size and
playfulness for mammals in general; animals with smaller brains tend to play
less. In an associated study, neuropsychologists studied the affect of play on
the levels of a protein called "c-FOS," a substance linked to the stimulation
and growth of nerve cells. It was found that play allows connections between
areas of the brain that might not normally connect, therefore enhancing
creativity.
There is a direct correlation between pleasure and productivity, as pleasure is
a powerful motivator. The experience of pleasure increases our ability to both
learn and retain knowledge for a longer period of time. Children and adults who
are skilled at playing with both objects and ideas have more power, influence,
and capacity to create meaning in their lives. Play builds critical skills such
as problem solving, persistence, and collaboration – useful tools at any age.
Coaching Inquiries: When is the last time you joyfully played? How might looking
at your problem with a playful approach invite a new perspective? How could you
regularly integrate play into your work?
To reply to this Pathway, use our
Feedback Form. To learn more about our
Creativity Coaching Programs and to
arrange for a complementary Creativity coaching session, use our
Contact Form or
Email Erika.
May you be filled with goodness, peace, and joy.
Erika Jackson
(Erika@LifeTrekCoaching.com)
LifeTrek Coaching International
Columbus, OH •
U.S.A.
Telephone: 614-565-9953 •
Fax: 208-977-7793
Mobile: www.LifeTrekMobile.com
Subscribe/Unsubscribe: Subscriber Services
» Top
|
|
