How do you regain creativity after running in to a roadblock?

There are many roadblocks in life, the death of a parent, the loss of a job, the coming of an illness. I have always shown a creative side of me. I drew and sketched from an early age, I daydreamed constantly (which sometimes got me in trouble), and I asked questions like ‘why is the sky blue’ or ‘how many stars are in the sky?’ For me, it was easy, but as we get older, life’s roadblocks get in the way of our creativeness it was easy to show as children. We started asking other questions like ‘what will people think’, ‘can it be done’, ‘am I creative at all?’

How do we regain this childlike creativity? Stay curious throughout life, challenge yourself, try something new every day. My life as a reporter gave me the skills to ask questions, observe the world around me, all the while developing the critical skills that gave me the inner strength of believing in myself.

Although critical thinking and creative thinking may seem diametrically opposed to each other, if we take another look there are overlaps in our ability, attitude, and process. Called self-reflection, this overlap is a conscious, purposeful, and focused ability to look at the world with a quizzical outlook. When we ask, “What if?” instead of “It cant’ be done”, we achieve a harmonious attitude to our lives that can carry us far from the roadblocks that may come along.