Creative expression allows humans and their feelings to flirt with immortality.
The capacity to transform complex emotions into concrete sonic, aesthetic, and literary works separates people from all other living things. Who said that we aren’t all special?
For all intents and purposes, creativity is exclusively a human trait. The range of creative capacities that exist is broader than the horizon, with many people claiming that they do not possess any creativity at all. Is it possible that creativity requires a key that only gifted people get to access? I think not!
You will never find a small child who rejects all forms of play and pretending. You will never receive a call from your Pediatrician informing you that, after extensive testing, they were able to determine that your child does not possess an imagination. All kids play, and all kids pretend.
If you can imagine, you can create.
If everyone develops an imagination at a young age, how can anyone say that they lack creativity later in life? Is creativity something that can be lost? Creativity is neither created nor destroyed. It exists innately within us, and is either channeled or constricted.
Several social factors contribute to creativity; an encouraging environment where one feels free and safe to express themselves will undoubtedly cause creativity to flourish, while a close minded social environment may hold creative potential hostage.
Case in point, you are creative. It is an inborn gift given to all people without prejudice. Find a way to express yourself that’s fulfilling for you.
The queen has arrived. The torch has been lit. The Games have begun.
The stories are already plentiful, with Michael Phelps falling to Ryan Lochte in the Men’s 400 IM, and reigning world champion gymnast, Jordyn Wieber failing to qualify for a chance to compete in the all-around women’s final because of a senseless rule.
No doubt, the drama will continue. Gold medals will fall around the necks of some, while many fall short of the podium. So, what do the Olympics mean for the rest of us besides conversational common ground with nearly anyone in the world? Quite simply, the Olympics show that we all can do better. All of us are capable of achieving some form of greatness in our lives. Big or small, greatness is greatness. The Olympics show us what people can accomplish when they push their passions towards the limit of their potential. Olympic competition may be reserved for a few, but the olympic spirit is open to anyone ready to drown their fears in sweat before reaching their wildest dreams.
I’m not saying to scrap realism altogether and think that the difference between Usain Bolt and the rest of us is merely a few hundred more visits to the track. Running is Usain Bolt’s elite talent, but make no mistake, we all have an elite talent. The trick is to recognize it, and then cultivate it with confidence.
The Olympics aren’t about wishing, they’re about working. Don’t waste time wishing you were a gold medalist, work on being a golden version of yourself. You don’t need to fly to be able to climb.
Two days ago, the world’s collective stomach turned when a video capturing a group of teenage boys launching a vicious verbal attack on a 68 year old bus monitor went viral. The video defines repulsive, but, it may have ultimately helped more than it harmed. It has resulted in worldwide contributions towards a “vacation fund” (soon to be renamed “retirement fund”) for the victim, Karen Klein which is climbing steadily towards 300 thousand dollars, and has brought the issue of senior citizen bullying to the forefront of public discourse.
Right now, the question lingers, why in the world would these boys act so ruthlessly towards a senior citizen? More importantly, what is being done to address the complex problem of senior bullying?
“Experts say as many as 1 in 5 seniors are victims of bullying”
Senior bullying has several faces, making it a tough opponent to tackle. Scenarios involving the exploitation of seniors at the hands of younger people may stir up more controversy, but a large portion of senior bullying takes places between seniors. Studies show that people who were bullied at a young age are likely to bully others, even into old age. Typical bullying tactics employed by senior citizens includes verbal abuse, manipulation, ostracization, and occasionally, physical abuse. Apparently “old” habits really do die hard.
If you suspect that a senior is being bullied in any context, do not sit back, take action.
Music is the universal language, but is it also a universal healer?
There has always been a mystical connection between music and the mind. Now, more concrete connections are being made between music, brain development, and rehabilitation. According to Michael Thaut, Ph.D, and Gerald McIntosh, M.D., “First, the brain areas activated by music are not unique to music; the networks that process music also process other functions. Second, music learning changes the brain.” Music is a complex language that incorporates several of the brain’s primary cognitive functions including; attention, memory, auditory perception, language processing, and motor control. Thaut and McIntosh point out, “the same area near the front of the brain is activated whether a person is processing a problem in the syntax of a sentence or in a musical piece, such as a wrong note in a melody.” This frontal region of the brain is known as “Broca’s” area, and links music, speech, and movement. Still, the questions remain, how can music change the brain, and does music have the power to heal? Read on.
Charissa, Sherilyn, and Boredinidentify the musician’s brain as,”an ideal model for the study of experience-driven neuroplasticity.” In their paper, “Music and Neuroplasticity,” Charissa, Sherilyn, and Boredin establish that, “certain regions of adult musicians’ brains are structurally larger and have more gray matter volume when compared to non-musicians.” Specifically, musicians who begin training before the age of seven reportedly have a larger anterior corpus callosum in comparison with non-musicians. The anterior corpus callosum connects the left and the right hemispheres of the brain, and enhance the interaction between motor, sensory, and cognitive activities. Charissa, Sherilyn, and Boredin provide MRI scans of 70 children between the ages of 6 and 7 , which indicated “no difference in brain structure” between the children prior to being exposed to musical training. The study concludes, “the enlargement of brain structures observed in musicians is most likely due to training and not any predisposition.” In other words, music (and the repeated practice/performance of music) appears to be able to shape the brain’s development.
So, does this necessarily translate into healing? Thaut and McIntosh report that, “the brain changes in structure and function as a result of learning, training, and environmental influence. Exposure and experience will create new and more efficient connections between neurons in the brain in a sort of ‘rewiring’ process.” Thaut and McIntosh began using “rhythmic auditory cues” with mobility impaired patients recovering from stroke, or Alzheimer’s disease. “We hypothesized that by using musical rhythms as timing signals we might improve a person’s motor control during non-musical movement.” Their results were astonishing. “By following the rhythmic cues, patients recovering from stroke were able to walk faster and with better control over the affected side of their bodies. Some of the more complex measures of movement control, such as neuromuscular activation, limb coordination, angle extensions, and trajectories of the joints and centers of body mass also became significantly more consistent, smoother, and flexible.” Dr. Gottfried Schlaug, Director of the Music, Neuroimaging, and Stroke Recovery Laboratories at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Harvard Medical School, reiterates that, “higher order cognitive skills” which rely on the same, frontal regions of the brain as music, can be “positively influenced” as a result of prolonged exposure to music, and/or musical training.
Billy Joel once said, “I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.” Music is hardwired into the hearts and ears of people everywhere, and now, science is showing that it can rewire you, too.
transform complex emotions into concrete sonic, aesthetic, and literary works separates people from all other living things. Who said that we aren’t all special?
Meaningful Media 