Creative Thought Space |
Dr Diana Carroll | London, UK | www.dianacarroll.com
Arts & Culture Writer
What do you think being creative means?
To me, creativity is about thinking differently and about embracing spontaneity and synchronicity. There’s a wonderful quote that says “creativity is intelligence having fun” (usually attributed to Albert Einstein) and I think that really says it all!
How do you include creativity in your life?
I’m a writer, speaker, and educator, so for me it’s usually about expressing ideas in ways that are new, engaging, and sometimes unexpected. It’s about being able to present ideas and information in ways that touch people, that create word pictures, and that spark imagination in others.
What are your thoughts on how your life has influenced your creative imagination, and how your creative imagination has influenced your life?
I think learning to trust your own ideas and be in touch with your imagination and creativity is so important. And that’s where the “intelligence” comes in – it’s not just pure, unbridled creativity; it’s creativity harnessed to solve a problem, bring clarity to an issue, explain a situation, or help find joy in the everyday.
What, if any, exercises do you do to get into a creative mode?
Like many things, creativity becomes easier the more you use it. You can’t play golf once a year and be good at it and creativity is the same. You need to use your creativity all the time, have fun with it, explore it, so that it becomes your natural way of thinking and your default approach to problem solving.
How important do you think creativity is in life?
It’s so important! I used to be in public relations and always remember the great PR guru Edina Monsoon (Ab Fab) famously saying that PR could “turn the dull into delicious”. That’s exactly what creativity does - it turns the dull into delicious every day! Embrace it, be passionate about it, and fully enjoy life!
To me, creativity is about thinking differently and about embracing spontaneity and synchronicity. There’s a wonderful quote that says “creativity is intelligence having fun” (usually attributed to Albert Einstein) and I think that really says it all!
How do you include creativity in your life?
I’m a writer, speaker, and educator, so for me it’s usually about expressing ideas in ways that are new, engaging, and sometimes unexpected. It’s about being able to present ideas and information in ways that touch people, that create word pictures, and that spark imagination in others.
What are your thoughts on how your life has influenced your creative imagination, and how your creative imagination has influenced your life?
I think learning to trust your own ideas and be in touch with your imagination and creativity is so important. And that’s where the “intelligence” comes in – it’s not just pure, unbridled creativity; it’s creativity harnessed to solve a problem, bring clarity to an issue, explain a situation, or help find joy in the everyday.
What, if any, exercises do you do to get into a creative mode?
Like many things, creativity becomes easier the more you use it. You can’t play golf once a year and be good at it and creativity is the same. You need to use your creativity all the time, have fun with it, explore it, so that it becomes your natural way of thinking and your default approach to problem solving.
How important do you think creativity is in life?
It’s so important! I used to be in public relations and always remember the great PR guru Edina Monsoon (Ab Fab) famously saying that PR could “turn the dull into delicious”. That’s exactly what creativity does - it turns the dull into delicious every day! Embrace it, be passionate about it, and fully enjoy life!
