Audge

A couple weeks ago, I fulfilled a life long dream. Okay....maybe not lifelong....more like....college long....dream. Hahaha, I went to the TED conference they held on BYU campus. It was basically the college level for the original large conferences they have around the world. Make sense? Cool.

So the theme for this conference was discussing the intersections we have in this life. Each of the speakers took different spins and had some incredibly inspiring things to say. But I'm only going to mention one right now, and I'll save the rest for another day. :)

Kelly Lousli (he's the head of the animation program at BYU and has worked for Dreamworks and Disney), talked about creativity.

Now before you start making assumptions and thinking, "Oh gosh, here comes a lecture on the arts and how important they are to society," I'm going to give a few precursors.

First, it was literally fate that he spoke about this because my friend Lauren and I (who went with me) were talking about this exact thing just minutes before the conference started. I just couldn't get over how perfect it was. #timingiseverything

Second, have an open mind. :)

So creativity. It's true isn't it? Most of us automatically think immediately to the Fine Arts. We believe that creativity can only exist in a form that has to do with throwing paint around or dancing on ballerina shoes.

......................WRONG.

I'm here to change your mind on that.

Creativity = Problem solving

That's what it really is. Lousli emphasized this over and over again. Everyone is creative in their own ways. We each have the power to think and develop and create something unique. This can be something as simple as a story, or how you interact with certain people, or the way that you approach the problems in your life. Everyone has an individual way they see things in the world. Creativity is simply the way that you try to solve the situations around you.

Something else that Lousli pointed out was that when you discover your creativity, you empower people. When you're empowered, you find solutions. You move forward. You discover more things. In which you get more empowered, and then solve MORE solutions! It's a cycle! The skills and talents we have as people are all different for a reason. What we have to offer, no one else can. I think that comes back to the idea that you have to realize your potential and your self worth in order to then discover how creative and innovative you really are. THEN you can empower those around you, just as they will for you.

So, my take away from this talk?

Don't be afraid to be creative. Don't be afraid to share your ideas and solutions with others. Don't be afraid to empower someone else. Don't be afraid to BE empowered.

Creativity is not drawing. Creativity is innovation.