Category: Creativity

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Perspective, prayer and police officers

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Yesterday morning we set out on an adventure.

Little did we know how adventurous our day would be.

We decided to go on an excursion to ikea so it was the perfect opportunity for Mr two and Nanny to go on the train. I drove the car with Baby V and they delighted Max’s train obsession.

This is where humanity showed us her true colours.

Nearly at the end destination on the train Nanny stood up to depart with Max and she blacked out. People gathered, help arrived and on our way to the hospital we rushed.

One could say our day was far from what we expected.

Stitches, blood, lots of tests and admission into hospital, we had a crazy day.

Today, I sit here in hospital with my mum, (who is doing much better ) aware of the power of humanity and prayer.

To the people who helped my little man on the train when her Nanny was hurt, Thankyou.

To the people who have prayed whilst we walked through a scary 24 hours, Thankyou.

It showed me the power of humanity and the power of prayer.

We are living in crazy times. The news is full of such terrible stories and I know so many people with health concerns at the moment.

Even though the times are strange, I am determined that the power of humanity and the power of prayer make a difference.

Don’t be afraid of either.

People are brilliant

Prayer is powerful.

And then enter the police officers to our little tale.

In the midst of the craziness of the moments, my little man Max bought his best.

He is obsessed with ambulances, police officers and fire engines.

Hospital waiting rooms are full of ambulances so he constantly remarked. Ambsilence, ambsilence. Oh wow… Ambsilence.

As we drove into the emergency department two big fire engines passed us, just like a divine distraction from his hurting precious Nan.

When we got inside Mum had another episode in the emergency department and Max handled it like a pro.

He was saying hello to the police officers and then he grabbed my phone turned on his favourite song ‘Everything is awesome’ from the Lego movie.

He danced his little heart out right in the middle of the emergency department singing at the top of his voice ‘Everything is awesome’ delighting the hurting audience, waiting frustratingly to be seen by a doctor.

The tense department was lightened by the power of a two year old celebrating life at the fullest.

I smiled and thanked God for perspective from the mouth of babes.

No matter the trials and the troubles, we have the capacity to see the bigger picture and to celebrate every moment we have with our loved ones.

Perspective.

No matter what is happening in the present, there is always a bigger story at play.

Today I choose life. Every morning when I wake up I can choose joy, happiness, negativity, pain… To feel the freedom that comes from being able to continue to make mistakes and choices – today I choose to feel life, not to deny my humanity but embrace it.

Kevyn Aucoin

No matter what is happening, we have the power to choose our disposition.

No matter how hard circumstances are, there is someone whose story is harder.

Perspectives, prayer and police officers.

I’m exhausted after yesterday’s shenanigans but I woke up this morning determined to own every moment that is graciously given.

Speak soon.

Amanda

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New season = new routine

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We are full swing in newborn land;

Two hourly feeds, two year old tantrums, washing that’s four people deep, two car seats, nappies piling out of our bins… the shack is in shock and wants its peaceful zen back.

Juggling coping strategies is my new normal. My Mr has gone back to work this week and I’m finding ways to keep my plates spinning.

One of the best strategies I implemented last week was a routine that is not dependent on my husband to function. (He works shift work and I found myself feeling destabilised every time his work roster changed)

I made a weekly planner on the fridge which includes exercise for mum, outings for Mr Maximus and meal plans for team V.

I arranged two friends to come on Monday morning and Wednesday morning respectively, to walk the beach together and get the family out of the house.

I arranged my Mum to meet us at the local pool on Tuesday to swim with Max, so I could focus on Libby.

Every day I have had a plan, that involved people and it has kept me sane.

The funny thing is, I HATE ROUTINE. I hate being told what to do, I hate meal planners, I hate same, same. I long for spontaneous moments of sheer brilliance.

We all need routine.

We all need spontaneous brilliance.

We all need a plan.

People ask me how I manage to write, speak regularly, run two blogs, mentor people with two little people and a husband to love?

The truth is sometimes I don’t!

Other times, I sacrifice to just get it done.

Sometimes I just do it when I don’t feel like it.

And then somedays I fall in a heap and am unable to do anything but just get by.

Although you read all the high points here on this blog and social media, routine is imperative for me to do anything productive.

I order my groceries online.

I have my bills on regular payments.

I delete my emails as soon as they have been read and keep my inbox as low as possible.

I unsubscribe from spam mail all the time.

Our freezer is full of meals prepared in advance.

We have a tiny apartment so I hardly spend any time cleaning.

We live simply with an apartment with no garden, so no mowing the lawns for us on weekends.

I regularly throw away any clutter to the op shop which keeps our house and life simple.

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I am able to keep pushing forward into new and fresh opportunities because I often reflect on the season that I am in and I alter my routine accordingly.

For example I am really determined to finish the book I am currently working on, so for the month of October I am not going to watch any TV.

Sacrifice
Routine
Relying on the village
Rest
Simplicity
Decluttering

These are all some of the strategies I employ to keep moving forward and keep our family moving.

I am fully aware of my new season and am determined to implement a new routine that matches that season.

Working out what I can do and what I can’t.

How about you?

Does your routine match your season?

Do you need a new normal?

speak soon

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Books that changed Elaine Fraser

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Meet my dear friend Elaine Fraser from Beautiful Books

Recently my friend Em from Teacupstoo, did a series in August called books that changed me so we decided we would start an online book club of sorts for this summer, asking friends to write their list of books that really impacted them.

Anything that encourages us all to lay down our technology and pick up paper is a brilliant pursuit in my opinion.

Elaine’s List of Favourite Books of all time.

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1) L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables:

The Anne books gave me so much pleasure and helped me learn that even if you are a person who seems to get in trouble a lot, you can turn out to be a more understanding person as you get older. Visiting Prince Edward Island and walking along the paths Montgomery did, was one of the highlights of my life. I must admit, a few tears were shed.

2) Jodi Picoult, My Sister’s Keeper:

I love Picoult’s writing and have heard her speak a couple of times. I love the way she presents various pints of view about a moral dilemma and wraps it up in an absorbing story.

3) Christy, by Catherine Marshall:

A beautiful story. As a teacher in a difficult, remote school I could relate to the story. Also, the idea of God giving us a ‘bundle’ in the form of a person to look after has stayed with me for a very long time.

4) Little Women, Louisa May Alcott:

Old-fashioned values and character never go out of style. I have read and re-read this book over my lifetime. Jo is one of those heroines I tried to be when I grew up!

5) Tim Winton, Cloudstreet:

I love Winton’s use of language and the way he creates a sense of place, time and soul. I saw the stage adaption and fell in love with it even more.

6) Hamlet and Macbeth, William Shakespeare:

I love a good tragedy. Both of these were on my high school reading list, and I subsequently taught them. So much wisdom and amazing language use.

7) Harper Lee To Kill A Mockingbird:

My favourite book of all. I read it when I was sixteen and Atticus Finch became the sort of man I admired for his sort of justice and gentle ways. I also love the movie.

8) Markus Zusak, The Book Thief:

This book, by an Australian, is not only a wonderful story, it inspires me to be a better writer. Zusak’s ability to be profound and create beautiful images astounds me.

9) Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre:

As a brooding teenager, I visited Haworth and walked the Yorkshire moors. I loved the darkness of Jane Eyre and the complicated interplay of the characters. I’ve read this book many times and am drawn back into the brooding.

10) Animal Farm, George Orwell:

I also read this book as a teenager and was impacted by the history and political background to the text. I was studying Russian history at the time and it all seemed to work together. This book was part of my political education and an insight into the workings of power.

11) John Steinbeck, The Grapes Of Wrath:

I visited Monterey County and the Cannery Row a couple of years ago and loved seeing the landscape that inspired Steinbeck. This book was also part of my political education. I studied the Depression in History and this book rounded out my perspective of it.

12) Brave New World, Aldous Huxley:

For some reason I loved dystopian fiction as a teenager—similar the teens who love The Hunger Games today. I didn’t understand it fully until I was an adult. I must have been pretty innocent! However, the book stayed with me and, along with 1984, contributed to my suspicion of government control!

13) Lord of the Flies, William Golding:

As a young Christian this impacted me as it showed me the power of unleashed sin. What happens when we don’t have any boundaries? When we are allowed to run free? I found it scary and it served as a warning to me.

14) Sons and Lovers, D.H. Lawrence:

My Dad’s family comes from Northern England mining background. This book gave me an insight into that life. When I finally got to visit the places my family came from, I already had a picture in my mind of the life my dad and his forbears lived. It also explained a lot of family politics and the relationship between my dad and his mother.

15) Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy:

Another brooding book, but this one annoyed me. I felt Tess was stupid and allowed love to ruin her life—not always the accepted interpretation—but I really got angry with her. This book inspired me to be tough when it came to boys in my life. I was determined not to let a boy ruin my life. It’s funny how things influence you isn’t it?

Why don’t you tag a friend with this post on facebook and ask them to write their list of all time favourite books. If you would like your list featured here on this blog, email your list and a photo of yourself to amanda@amandaviviers.com

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A creativity crisis!

Header Jeff and Julie

Last year a quiet little paper was published in a US based research journal, which traced the IQ and creative thinking scores of US children over fifteen years.

The researcher found that while IQ had increased (IQ as measured by intelligence tests), the alarming finding was that creative thinking was declining(Kim, 2011). He suggested that the drop in creative thinking followed the introduction of NAPLAN style standardised testing in the US that valued learnt, memory based literacy and numeracy outcomes.

What’s the problem you might ask?

IQ is the big indicator of success and potential, leading to entry into positions in medicine, law – a life of financial security etc etc etc. while creative thinking leads to… being creative –good for a nice hobby on the side, but shouldn’t be valued in serious educational and academic circles. As one of the participants (studying medicine) in Julie’s doctoral study said, “why would you want to do anything creative, isn’t it a waste of time?”.

Along with the eminent, visionary, articulate Ken Robinson we believe that creative thinking is critical for our changing postmodern world.

Creative thinking involves a couple of elements; the first is lateral and innovative thinking and includes the ability to explore beyond the logical and simple solution. Julie had a client whose prestigious role in a major multinational computer company required high powered logical thought however, this way of thinking and problem solving prevented her from thinking about her problem from different perspectives.

Solving her relational issues required a more complex, lateral, less logical, albeit “messier” way of thinking. She was invited to brainstorm, think more imaginatively and avoid “premature closure”. Resistance to premature closure describes intellectual curiosity and openmindedness.

The best way to demonstrate lack of premature closure is to do it with pictures.

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Figure 1: Create an imaginative picture from the image above.

 

image 2Figure 2: “Zig Zag” Person A

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Figure 3: “Gummy bear on skis with cloud” Person B

Adapted from real participant response to Abbreviated Torrance Test of Creative Thinking for Adults

The type of thinking shown in image three represents an approach to solving problems that demonstrates the ability to perceive differently, imaginatively, humorously and originally when faced with the same “problem” of completing the picture – interestingly the same participant (med student) in Julie’s study commented that “this was the hardest thing I have had to do” ie conceive an original idea.

So creative thinkers are great innovators and creative problem solvers – in a major meta-analysis into this area creative thinkers are able to define problems differently and uniquely as well as quickly retrieve information –using fluid or divergent thinking -from a vast memory bank of previous impressions, memories, experiences in order to creatively solve problems. (Ma, 2009)

So our question is, “who do you want to help you solve your complex problems, person A or B and who do we want to lead us in our highly complex world?

Society needs people skilled in logical/ linear (convergent) thinking as well as creative/ fluid (divergent) thinking but if our education system and society is only valuing one type of thinking over the other – then it will reduce our ability to solve the complex rapid problems facing our individual lives and society.

In order to stir up our creative thinking – lets embrace curiosity, imagination and resist premature closure – avoid going for the quick fix, simple, sound bite solution and sit with and listen to the more complex and maybe even messier responses to problems…

Of course those who are great at thinking creatively can get caught up in overdriven (maybe even catastrophic) thinking but that’s for another blog.

Thanks for reading with us

Jeff and Julie Crabtree

KIM, K. H. 2011. The Creativity Crisis: The Decrease in Creative Thinking Scores on the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. Creativity Research Journal, 23, 285-295.
MA, H.-H. 2009. The effect size of variables associated With creativity: a meta-analysis. Creativity Research Journal, 21, 30-42.

 

ContentImage-793-4980-IMG_7235Jeff and Julie Crabtree are the authors of Living with a Creative Mind, a survival guide for creative people and those who live and work with them. Their work is to help creative people be more productive without sacrificing their health, relationships and longevity.

They are also the directors of The Zebra Collective an online mentoring service that is designed for how creative people think and work. They produce short weekly bursts of highly digestible creative, psychological and management insight in visual form. They are also collecting and curating some of the most interesting behind the scenes stories from expert creative professionals worldwide. www.zebracollective.com www.livingwithacreativemind.com

 

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Sleep like a baby

libby 4
libby 3Our little lady turned one month old this week and we have been learning the art of sleeplessness.

Child number two brings with it a great lot of experience, but no matter the lessons learnt on our initial prototype, we (as is any parent of a newborn) are always looking for ways to get more sleep.

Honestly though, no matter the tricks of the trade, babies have tiny stomachs that need to be filled and feeding every few hours is imperative, so all the people that say their newborn slept 8 hours, many would say this is not healthy for the baby or the breastfeeding Mum. So if your little one wakes often, it is very normal and you are not a bad parent.

In the first week of Liberty’s life we had the most profound experience.  It sounds bizarre but we learnt sleep lessons from a photo session we had with Shining Light Photography.

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We arrived at Natalie’s home, to find an environment ready for our one week old to be photographed in.

Each photo was carefully taken, with love and care treating our new little human with the utmost respect.

My little girl goes from zero to one hundred in the crying department and there are two times that she screams;

When she has wind and also when she is naked.

That is why I found this photo shoot amazing. Our little Liberty spent most of the photo shoot naked, but cried maybe once in the three hour session.

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libby oneNatalie the owner of this business does portrait photography but specialises in newborn shoots and these are the lessons I learnt in sleeping like a baby from this creative experience.

1) Shut out the light;

We went into her front room and it was really dark. You would think you would need bright lights, camera, action. This was not the atmosphere for this shoot, dark, moody lighting, as dark as possible to keep our one week old asleep. 

The lesson I learn’t is there are many lights that make their way into our bedrooms, much more than daylight behind a blind. Often we go to bed with our phones and the light penetrating the darkness, conditions our bodies to stay awake, rather than fall blissfully into sleep. Does your mobile charge next to your bed? Is there computers, modems, televisions, in your sleep space that shine little technology shaped light into your sleep cocoon? If so and you are having trouble sleeping, maybe work on the little bits of light that come in and create as much darkness as possible.

2) Warmth;

The environment that my little girl had her photo taken in, was really warm. Heaters and reverse cycle air conditioning, kept her toasty.

How is the temperature of your room? Are you cold? Are you hot? Are your blankets sufficient? I think whether its our children or our own rooms, the temperatures for sleep are really important. A warm room, is inviting and brings a huge sense of sleepiness to a household, especially in winter. The other thought I had from this lesson in sleep, was if you are struggling to fall asleep, the old wives tale; a hot shower or a hot drink of milk. I have been drinking a tea called Sleepytime tea. Especially because I am waking every two hours to feed our little lady, by the time I have fed her, re-wrapped her, burped her, laid in bed waiting for sleep to take over, then the cycle is happening again. So this tea has been helping fall asleep quicker. Warmth is a great tool to help with our sleep cycles.

3) Noise;

Our little lady was surrounded by the most beautiful sounds as she laid on the soft furnishings for her photo shoot. Coming out of the womb only a week earlier, sounds are really important in helping newborns sleep.

For the first year of our little man Maximus’ life, we had music playing twenty four/ seven. Worshipful, peaceful, lullabies that helped our whole house relax. When I am feeling overwhelmed and stressed at 3am trying to get Libby back to sleep, soft music encourages and helps me to relax and let go of my need for perfection. There is something powerful about music. Especially meditative, worshipful tracks. If you struggle to fall asleep, have you tried music to help you relax and centre yourself in this time of transition from wakefulness to sleep?

4) Physical Touch;

The girls who were moving and shaping our little baby to take her photos, keep a hand on her back the whole time, to help her feel centred and nurtured.

Whether it is a two year old who is struggling to sleep, your husband or a tired mumma, the power of physical touch is amazing in helping our bodies to relax. Giving our children simple and safe massage, on their shoulders, on their hands…Whether its our partners and giving them a massage or whether you are single and you get regular massages from a professional. The power of physical touch to help us sleep is immense. I have found with my little libby, if she is unsettled in the middle of the night, I put my hand on her stomach and rock her gently, reassuring her back to sleep.

5) Smell;

Throughout our whole session, the most amazing vanilla candle was burnt, creating an atmosphere that was so inviting. 

Lately I have been burning candle melts most days in our house, to bring a sense of warmth, peace and atmosphere to my sleep deprived home. I found an electric lamp that safely burns candle aromatherapy melts, without an open flame which can be really unsafe with little toddlers around. Whether it is vanilla or lavender, mint or coconut, calming aromatherapy smells can really help you relax into a state of sleep fulness.

These five simple sensory tools, made for the most delightful experience for our family. As you can see from the photos, we are blown away with the results.

I highly recommend Natalie and her staff for a newborn shoot or any other family portraits if you live in Perth or its surrounds. Jump on her website and say you saw her work on my blog.

For all those sleep deprived mumma’s and papa’s out there, I hope these little tips, help you and your family to find the sleep we all so desperately need.

Speak again soon

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