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Creativity coaches on creativity Source: Eric Maisel In this two-month series of daily posts, creativity coaches from around the world share their best tips for increasing your creativity, manifesting your potential, and living a creative life. Today’s contribution is from Oana Deac, a creativity coach who is also a yoga teacher. There is a phrase in yogic practice of “taking yoga off the mat”: that is, that the principles and practices of yoga are valuable not only while you are engaged with your formal practice but are valuable throughout life. The following is a great example of “yoga off the mat” for creatives. Oana writes: While we all know the benefits Yoga can have on our body, mind and spirit, in this post I would like to talk more specifically about how Yoga can support our creativity. Let me , and share three yogic practices that which I have discovered to be helpful in my creative process. 1. Prana, also known as Life Fforce, is the energy that keeps … [Read more...] about 3 Yogic Practices That Support a Creative Life

Creativity coaches on creativity Source: Eric Maisel Can you write a novel, paint a painting, or invent a new tech solution if you aren’t open to creative ideas at those times when you aren’t sitting down to write that novel, paint that painting, or invent that solution? Is creativity something that you turn on and off like a spigot? Or is it an orientation toward life? Are you likely to be blessed with creative ideas if you aren’t open to those ideas all the time? Here’s how professional singer and creativity coach Elena Greco explains the difference between “the creative act” and “living a creative life.” Elena writes: Do you want to be more creative? Have you been wanting forever to write a book, or long to paint, or would love to get back to playing an instrument, but can't see how to make the time to fit it in with your challenging career ? Or have you taken a survival job to support you as a creative artist, but now can’t seem to find the time to be creative? … [Read more...] about Creativity as a Way of Life

The concept of magical thinking has a long history in psychology. Although you would typically associate beliefs in magic with the kind of primitive ideas about the world shown by children, there is considerable evidence that adults can hold to irrational beliefs just as strongly as do elementary-aged youngsters. The content of those beliefs may change, but the essence of this less than scientific way to view the world can linger. To illustrate the nature of magical thoughts in adults, consider the child’s idea about something as seemingly clear regarding the moon’s appearance in the night sky. As observed in the mid-20th century by the Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget, a 6- or 7-year-old child may be convinced that “the moon is following me.” When it comes to toys, children can also ascribe lifelike qualities to their dolls, stuffed animals, and plastic dragons as you can easily observe while watching them play. However, as children move into adolescence , their beliefs in … [Read more...] about 5 Ways to Test Your Magical Beliefs About Relationships

Source: Lighthunter/Shutterstock We've all had the awful experience of feeling awkward in social situations. Most of us have had such experiences over and over again. What's that about? Do you know what happens in social interactions that can make you feel awkward and uncomfortable? Think about that, and then read on to see what research psychologist Joshua Clegg discovered in his research. Happily, he also uncovered a few things people can do to escape the awkwardness—without actually walking away. Social awkwardness seems especially likely to occur among strangers, so in Clegg's research, most participants did not know each other. (Also, most were college students.) When they showed up for the study, they were led into a room where some of the other participants may have already arrived, and instructed to take one of the seats around the table. On the table were cups, a pitcher of water, and a plate of cookies. After the last participant arrived, the door was closed and … [Read more...] about 10 Awkward Moments, and 6 Ways to Escape Them

In 1956, as an 18-year old, I entered UC Berkeley as a Freshman in Civil Engineering. Coming from a chronically poor, dysfunctional family, and being good in Math and Science, Engineering was a natural choice. Indeed, it was my only choice. It promised a good job after only four years of college. Besides Berkeley was dirt cheap in those days. Even a poor kid such as myself could afford it. When I started, I paid only $56 a semester for 18 units of Engineering at one of the best universities in the world and $200 when I left with a PhD in 1967. I literally didn’t have the resources to go anywhere else for graduate work. And, Berkeley was so good so why apply anywhere else? Berkeley was inexpensive then because it received over 60% of its operating budget from the State of California. As part of my wife Donna and I recently setting up a scholarship to help needy Engineering students, we learned that the contribution of the State is now down to 16%. Students are sadly forced to make … [Read more...] about A Life-Long Love/Hate Affair with Engineering