Curiosity, creativity and passion. What is life without them?
Mental creativity is sparked by physical exercise. The college student who goes for a run before she writes her term paper, the artist who hikes before he paints or the CEO who spins before a board meeting find that their thoughts flow during, and immediately after, activity.
There is science to support this as well. A few years ago the Huffington Post noted the work of Wendy Suzuki, a neuroscience professor, who claimed that through exercise she discovered “improvements in strength, stamina and overall cardiovascular fitness … mood, memory and attention.” (www.creativitypost.com)
“In her research, she found that exercise stimulates the hippocampus (the part of the brain necessary for long-term memory) to create new brain cells. This ‘hippocampal neurogenesis’ enhances our ability to recall memories and our ability to imagine future scenarios, which is a key element of creativity.”
Later the Post reports: “To activate the ‘creative cerebellum,’ take a walk, play tennis, run around the block, putter in the garden, hang the laundry …. Doing so deliberately diverts your attention, quiets the left prefrontal cortex, and activates the movement-oriented cerebellum.”
It seems, however, that it takes a bit more than a few random minutes of action. One study shows that those who exercise regularly experience better results than those who are sedentary.
Cognitive psychologist Professor Lorenza Colzato of Leiden University wrote: “We found that people who are doing exercise on a regular basis outperform those who don’t. We think that physical exercise trains your brain to become more flexible in finding creative solutions.”
When we speak of creativity, just what do we mean? In addition to such words as imagination, innovation, artistry and inspiration, are words like vision, individuality, initiative and resourcefulness. Creativity is not just a matter of thinking outside the box, it is a matter of putting those thoughts into practice.
Steve Jobs said that creativity is simply connecting the dots. William Plomer embellished this by saying “Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected.”
In her recently published book, “Rising Strong,” Brene Brown speaks of curiosity, creativity and courage as elements that integrate.
Perhaps Alan Alda would agree: “Be brave enough to live life creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has ever been.”
To build and maintain a lifelong habit of exercising regularly takes creativity. What do you do when the kids are home from school, when your game is rained out or when the snow cover is too thin? You think creatively of an alternative way in which to exercise, to build strength, burn off some stress, stimulate your heart rate or practice your balance or flexibility.
In turn, when you have done so, you will find that you are thinking more clearly, are motivated and go forward with your day in a more positive frame of mind.
Being creative does indeed mean being courageous. “A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future. You must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar and the unknown.” Denis Waitley
To become stale, stagnant, uninspired, dull and listless is not only discouraging and sad, it is unproductive to the point of failure. Curiosity opens our thinking to explore while exercise stimulates energy as well as thinking to create more. It is the pebble in the pond and the proverbial ripple effect.
“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.” Would you argue with John F. Kennedy about this?