OK , so I promise this is not a blog-writing cop-out. I just simply happened upon this article today and was jumping up in my cushioned ergonomic chair saying "YES! YES!"
My whole life people have always been telling me "You're so creative." But it's also a compliment I subconsciously tend to brush off -- like I don't deserve it. I've always been confused about my creativity because my genes are comprised of a dual-MBA electrical engineer father that worked at Sprint for 25 years and a non-college educated, stay-at-home mother. I'm the youngest of 5. My oldest brother is a Gastro Doctor. My oldest sister holds an MBA in Urban Studies. My other brother is successful in the computer business. And my other sister worked her way up to a VP Executive at an internal marketing firm. Then there's me. I went to art school. (I still to this day am marveled by the fact that my parents didn't say "You want to do WHAT?")
Thanks to this article, I now know it's really less about genes and more about my education and nurture. It's a way of approaching things. So looks like I need to go back and thank my teachers and parents for allowing me to explore; to draw—and think—"outside the lines."
I'm also a big believer that kids need to learn from an early age to use their imagination, explore and learn to problem solve. Although my Dad was an engineer, he was incredibly creative in his problem solving.
Here's the article. Enjoy!