Human Nature Project Booklet - Creativity

cREATIVITY

THE PROJECT

creativity The boundless creativity of human beings is one of the biggest contibuting factors to our 200,000 years of survival on planet earth, against formiddable odds.

As individual members of the human species, each of us posseses a phenomenal capacity to be creative, to problem solve and to find new and better ways of doing things.

When we are looking for ways to live stronger lives, our creativity is our ally. Taking action to support our natural creative instinct to flourish is an important step towards building a healthier, stronger life.

creativity, resourcefulness & POSITIVE EMOTION ENGAGEMENT &

According to Barbara Fredrickson’s Broaden and Build Theory of Positive Emotion - which is supported by positive psychology research, positive emotions are not just pleasant to experience in the moment that we feel them; they are a vital means of us expanding our creative capacity. This supports us to build more physical, mental and social resources which can strengthen our lives and advance our growth and development.

Deliberately maximising our access to positive emotional experiences is therefore an essential step towards strength and creativity.

ADJUSTING YOUR DOSE OF POSITIVE EMOTION Meaningful goals, protein, less saturated fat, probiotics, gratitude practice, exercise, sleep, music, meditation, cold showers, cold water swimming, sunlight.

Touch, hugs, massage, pets, singing, yoga, socialising, films, stories, fiction, cold showers, cold water swimming, saunas.

Prioritising self-care, stress reduction strategies, time in nature, cold showers, cold water swimming, gratitude practice, adequate sleep, vitamin D, nutritious, anti-inflammatory diet.

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOOD

Dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins are the major neuromodulators of positive emotion and there are numerous practical ways we can access more of them. Practicing gratitude on a daily basis, cold water swimming or showers and a nutritious anti-inflammatory diet and are particularly effective at releasing multiple neuromodulators.

https://www.wearelightbox.co.uk/resources

Laughter, stand-up comedy, dancing, helping others, exercise, group exercise, cold showers, cold water swimming, music, chilli, chocolate, sex.

POSITIVE EMOTION, NEGATIVITY BIAS & SOAKING UP THE GOOD

When we encounter a positive emotional experience, slowing down to stay with it for longer than we normally would by savouring it with our senses may assist myelination. Myelination is the process by which a fatty substance called myelin thickens around our brain cells’ axons. This insulates them and makes them more effective at firing. Our axons becoming more effective at transmitting positive emotional experiences can counteract our natural tendency to notice and become preoccupied with negative emotions (a phenomenon known as negativity bias).

BONUS EXERCISE: CREATING INTENT Our ability to be on our own side, otherwise known as self-compassion, can determine how difficult we find it to allow ourselves to access and enjoy positive emotional states.

Being on our own side is much the same as the way a good parent would raise their child: neither being too hard, nor too soft and managing to strike a balance between love and boundaries.

When we are on our own side, we are more likely to want to make the effort to foster our creativity and strengthen our lives. For various reasons though, it is often easier for us to show compassion towards other people than it is to show compassion towards ourselves.

A simple 3-minute execise for fostering self-compassion and creating the intent to invest in our own strength and happiness, can be found here.

https://www.wearelightbox.co.uk/resources

ACTION PLANNING: Things that get written down are more likely to get done, so use this blank page to brainstorm, plan and schedule any next steps that you would like to take after you’ve attended the session and read this booklet.

Think about: 1) When, where & how you’ll take these steps?

2) The stratgies and resources that might help?

3) What might get in the way?

4) How you could work around any obstacles that might come up?

“resilience is the ability to To be more generative during times of stability, and to adapt, reorganise and grow in rsponse to disruption.”

- Dr Laurie Leith