EAT + SLEEP + CREATE

by
Ivonne Chand O’Neal, PhD

​Be creative…NOW?
 
Uncertainty can feel like moving through a thick fog— your senses are heightened because you can only see as far as your hand held in front of your face. Moving forward - or in any direction - requires tremendous effort and a great deal of faith that you won’t crash into something or fall off a cliff. This is how I’m feeling in the face of Covid-19. Honestly, the last thing on my mind right now is being creative... yet, being creative is literally all I have been doing. I have had to adapt my routine to include distance learning for two smart kids, figure out how to don a “hazmat suit” to go grocery shopping, invent some sort of daily exercise routine to maintain my physical and mental health, calculate the number of days before I need to go on another toilet paper run, prepare lists of what goods to buy from what store on what days and at what time to avoid crowds, and create a new normal that will persuade my family of four to stay engaged and inspired. I’m tired and I’m stressed; yet at the same time, I feel incredibly nimble and am making important decisions quickly, using my brain in a new way to power through this period of time. Research tells us that all of these skills are hallmarks of creativity. People have the ability to develop new ways of solving new problems that arise during trying times. Be proud of the new ideas that you have developed. Recognize the new applications of your creative skills, and honor the resilience and innovation you have shown during these challenging times.
 
How have you been creative in a way that has surprised you during the Covid-19 crisis?