Creative Inspiration – What makes you come alive?

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Natalia

Creativity involves expressing who you are and doing what you love.
I truly believe this. And that is why I used the following Harold Thurman quote to sum up what I hoped participants would take away from my recent Rediscover Your Creativity class.

If you want to take the path towards finding your creativity, then follow your heart and work out what brings you joy.

This may seem quite simple, but in reality it may be quite hard. We’re not used to giving ourselves permission to take a little time out, to stop doing all the ‘shoulds’, and constantly working to check off our ‘to do’ lists. Continue reading →

Workshop: Want to be more creative but don’t know where to start?

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Natalia

Inner Creative Rediscover Your Creativity course October 29 2104 Phoenix Park Neighbourhood House Want to be more creative but doubt that you’ve got it in you? Or wouldn’t have a clue about where to start? Deep down everyone is creative. It’s just a matter of finding out what this means for you. For some, it might be an artistic pursuit, like painting or drawing. But you can also be creative when you’re cooking, gardening or even in the way you present a report at work. It’s about working out what’s right for you and your life right now. So are you interested in:

working out the many ways that you are creative?
learning simple ways to spark your creativity and get more inspired?
finding out how to overcome creative blockers and doubts?
living a more creative life and creating good creativity habits?

You are? Then join me at the Phoenix Park Neighbourhood House for a five week course to Rediscover Your Creativity, starting Wednesday 29 October. Call 03 9530 4397 to book. Hope to see you there.

Get a hobby to be more creative at work

Posted on September 17, 2014 by Natalia

Hobby painting in art journal www.innercreative.com.ai

Inner Creative’s Natalia enjoys painting in her art journal as a hobby

So what do you do when you get home from work? Do you plonk yourself in front of the TV to zone out? Or do you carve out some time to spend on a hobby?

Any regular activity that you do for fun is considered to be a hobby. It can include such a wide range of activities, such as drawing, playing an instrument, learning a language, playing on an indoor cricket team, gardening, knitting, baking up a storm in the kitchen, or tinkering on your bike. According to conventional wisdom, hobbies are good for taking a break from our everyday pressures and releasing stress. They can also provide an opportunity for self-expression and creativity. And if you join a club or class, hobbies can provide a chance to meet new people and be social. Continue reading →

Plan more successful meetings- Ask this key question

Posted on September 9, 2014 by Natalia

What’s the first key question that you ask yourself when you’re about to organise a meeting?

Is it about the time? The venue? Or even the people who should be invited?

These are all important questions, but there is one question that I ask all my clients before we start working out these details. Continue reading →

Tips for Introverts – Run a whiteboard meeting that includes everyone

Posted on September 2, 2014 by Natalia

So you’ve just heard that you got your new project funded, or there’s an issue looming on the horizon. Quick! Get everyone to the whiteboard!

And while the whiteboard is a great way for capturing ideas from a group, using one doesn’t guarantee the best or most creative results from everyone there.
Whiteboard discussions are great for extraverts: people who get their energy from outside themselves. Extraverts can often think on their feet, and in fact, relish participating in a discussion because it can often help to clarify and stimulate their own thinking.

But what about introverts: people who need some quiet to go inside their own thought space? Continue reading →