創意與EQ

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Creativity and EQ  by Joshua Freedman

人們在談到創意時，常以為就是指藝術表現。雖然這是創意重要的呈現之一，卻不是全部。對多數人而言，創意來自解決我們每日面對的一大堆問題。

當我們有衝突，但似乎沒有人在聆聽我們時，那就是需要創意的時候！當我們想要幫助孩子學習挑戰性的東西時，尤其是這種時候，就是最需要創意的時候！

好笑的是，當我們最需要創意時，我們卻常是處在最難產生有創意的情緒狀態下！因為恐懼和壓力會刺激位於大腦底部的情緒系統，大腦皮質內負責創造力和解決問題的功能的部分會被關閉。愛，是恐懼的解藥，也是創造力的泉源。

創造力並非只是創新，很多也是舊的重組。創造力需要突破型式，因為其精髓是打破成規。結果，創造力有時會伴隨強烈的情緒，這雖然可以給予創造力一股力量，但對創造力也是一大挑戰。

可以增強創意的活動

• 選一天為顛倒日，一開始就把晚餐當早餐吃。
• 用影印機或電腦來放大小的東西，縮小大的東西，作成一幅拼貼畫。 
• 探索如何把兩個以上的點子組合在一起。 
• 問孩子或任何人開放性的問題，避免問封閉性的問題。開放性的問題是沒有單一或正確的答案的，比如說，你問：「今天有什麼有趣的事嗎？」而非「你今天過的有趣嗎？」 
•  玩腦力遊戲，比如說，如果….那麼…. 的遊戲。這需要你願意去自由思考，所以你要練習對任何點子，都不要排斥。要克制自己，不要說「這個想法太可笑了」，或說「那是一個很笨的問題。」

• 上網玩個遊戲，在使用連結時，不要依照所提供的資訊來連結，而是用連結的第一個字母來搜尋，看你會找到什麼隨機而有趣的網站。 
• 使用你喜歡的字辭，來創造你自己的磁鐵詩。在做招牌的店舖，你就可買到可自粘的磁鐵紙來做。
• 辦一個茶會或活動，每個客人要從書本、電影或其他媒體中，選一個角色來扮演。

People often talk about creativity in terms of artistic expression, and while this is an important manifestation of creativity, it is not the whole picture. For most people, most creativity comes from solving the zillions of problems we all encounter every day.

When we have conflict or no one seems to be hearing what we're saying, it is time for some creativity.

When we want to help a child learn something challenging, then, perhaps most of all, it is time for some creativity.

Ironically, when we most need creativity, we tend to be in an emotional state where creativity is least accessible.

Fear and distress activate the limbic system at the base of our brains. This shuts off the cerebral cortex, where creativity and problem-solving live. Love is the antidote to fear and the wellspring of creativity.

Creativity is not so much making something new as it is recombining the old. Creativity requires informality because its essence is "breaking rules." The result is that creativity is sometimes tied to strong emotions, which both give it power and make it challenging.

Activities to Foster Creativity

•  Have a backwards day, beginning by having dinner for breakfast.
• Use a copier or computer to enlarge small objects and shrink big ones. Make a collage.
• Explore how two or more ideas can be put together.
• Ask your child, or anyone else, open-ended questions rather than closed ones. An open-ended question does not have a single or "right" answer; for instance, "What was interesting in your day?" instead of "Did you have a good day?"  
• Play mental games like "what if...." These require a willingness to think freely, so you need to practice not closing the door on ideas. Resist ever saying, "Don't be silly!" or "That's a stupid question."
• Get on the Internet and play a game where you follow links not based on what information is presented, but on the first letter of the link. See what random and amusing sites you find.
• Make your own "magnetic poetry" using favorite words. You can buy a self-adhesive magnetic sheet from many sign-making shops.
• Have a tea party or an event where each guest plays the part of a character from a book, movie, the media, or other realm.