mini-c's possibilities and everyday creativity

 Hello world, Kemi Writes here!

What if I told you that you are being creative when engaging in your everyday activities? What if I told you that you were being creative even when learning something new like a new hobby or a reading a new book?  "Seen as a process, and even a way of life, our everyday creativity offers whole new ways of thinking, of experiencing the world, and experiencing ourselves" (Richards, pg. 4).

In your day to day lives, your mini-c is expressing itself. The term, mini-c creativity was created to bring light to the creativity that exists in moments of learning. Mini-c creativity is essentially your own meaningful, creative insights that impact your personal development and understanding of yourself and others. When we did the "messed up pants" and the "Ron" mini- c activities in class on Monday, I noticed something that made me reflect on how open I was to my mini-c. 

During those activities, I noticed that I struggled with writing possibilities down. I think I had a good amount of ideas pop up in my mind, but I didn't write them down and I was more focused on making the first couple of ideas I wrote down sound more realistic. This happened the most with the "messed up pants" activity, but it was still slightly present in the "Ron" activity as well. I realized that I had placed restraints on my mini-c and it may be because I am not fully comfortable with my mind and its potential. I realized I was a bit apprehensive on letting my mind run wild and free. I also noticed how I felt safer letting my mind run wild and free and letting my mini-c do its thing, in the "paperclip" group activity we did. I think that was the case because each member of the group co-created a safe space and were in acceptance of each mini-c idea that was said in the circle. I didn't necessarily create that safe space for my mini-c, and this reminds me of a general feeling I was having earlier on Monday, but also for most of this week. I realized that when I was younger, I had created an outer shell to protect me from judgement and rejection, and this happened because of childhood experiences, where I was not lovingly received when I was being my authentic self and being creative. That outer shell soon became an inner shell, that hid me from myself and others. So, yes I was protected, but I was also hidden, and I realized that, I started to judge and reject myself. 

Reflecting on each of these activities has brought this to my awareness, and it makes me feel better to know that I am still being creative even when I don't notice it. My only desire now is to become more aware of my mini-c and open my arms to accepting the creative insights it brings to light. 

"Any human act that gives rise to something new is referred to as a creative act, regardless of whether what is created is a physical object or some mental or emotional construct that lives within the person who created it and is known only to him" (Kaufman and Beghetto, pg.4). 

Creativity is in our human nature, and mini-c creativity helps me to remember just how creative I am in my everyday life, even if it is not shared with the world or a physical object. Although I may have created a shell to protect myself, that shell has hid me from myself, and it also has restrained my mini-c and the possibilities it wants me to see. The quotes I shared help me remember that we are always in creativity someway, somehow, and that our creativity evolves just as we do. I choose to start embracing my mini-c in my day to day activities, and nurture her because she's with me everyday.

Will you?

XOXO,

Kemi Writes💘💭