Did you know that January is International Creativity Month? ICM founder, Randall Munson said . . .

“Unleashing creativity is vital for personal and business success in this age of accelerating change.”

What can you do to give your creativity a boost or fresh start?

There are some surprisingly simple ways to activate your creative thinking. We’re not just talking about being creative to necessarily produce physical works of art. Think about using your creativity to solve problems (organizing included), feel happier, and be healthier. In Shana Lebowitz’s article, 36 Ways to Boost Creativity, she mentions ideas such as listening to music, writing by hand, daydreaming, getting social, trying something new, looking at something blue or green, sitting in a coffee shop, getting someone else’s opinion, and laughing.

In The Creativity Cure: How to Build Happiness With Your Own Two Hands, Carrie and Alton Barron believe that “creative action is integral to easing depression and anxiety and to fueling wellbeing. The need to create–to produce something using our minds and hands–is fundamental.”

My next creative venture is a 4-week Comedy Improv class that begins this week at the Croton Academy of Arts. I’ve taken this fabulous course before and was amazed at what got unleashed. It combines so many of the ideas suggested in Lebowitz’s article including laughter, doing something new, gesturing with two hands, and free associating.

I’d love to hear from you. Come join the conversation. What’s your go-to creativity booster?

Are you ready for next? What will you need? At the end of last year, I started preparing for next. An exciting volunteer opportunity presented itself and I knew that if it were to happen mid-year, I’d need to be ready. Part of getting ready had to do with comedy and knobs. Are you curious? I’ll explain and also share some preparing for next strategies.

The opportunity I mentioned, has come to fruition. The exciting news is starting July first, I’ll be joining the ICD board as President-Elect. This amazing association is the premier resource on chronic disorganization.

ICD provides education, research, and strategies to benefit people challenged by chronic disorganization. Adding this volunteer position to my current commitments required that I get ready both physically and emotionally.

4 Tips to Prepare for Next

1. Bring on the Comedy – Doing something we’ve never done requires some bravery and creativity. As I’ve never been president of an association before, I wanted to exercise my bravery muscles to prepare myself. I did this by signing up for a Comedy Improv class. I’ve never done Improv. This new experience has been incredibly liberating. I’ve discovered that it’s all about letting go, trusting others, and allowing the filter to be silent. There’s been immense joy in facing the fear, turning up the bravery dial, unleashing creativity, and delighting in pure fun.

2. Bring on the Knobs – The knobs I’m referring to are for my office space. For a gift several years back, my husband promised to design and build a beautifully organized office area in my colors. For a variety of reasons, we hadn’t moved forward on the project. However, I recognized now was the time to get it done. Preparing my physical space so that I could be fully ready for next, became a top priority. Selecting the knobs indicates readiness. The knobs symbolize those finishing touches that will allow me to open the doors to next.

3. Bring on the Blog – Writing a weekly blog post is one of my regular commitments, which takes time. To get ready for the additional responsibilities as President-Elect, I thought that it would be useful to plan out and work on a years worth of posts. This included creating a blog calendar, selecting monthly topics, preparing all of the “Ask the Expert” interviews, and finalizing the details for the Giveaways and collaborative posts. Doing the advance planning and writing has helped me clarify the bigger picture, and pave the way for next.

4. Bring on the “It” – Today is my Dad’s birthday. He passed away a little over a year ago and I miss him so much. He was an amazing person, a wonderful role model, and one of my biggest encouragers. I always went to him for advice. When I was deciding if I should accept this leadership role for ICD, I spoke with many people. My Dad wasn’t there this time to weigh in. When my husband and I talked, he said that he knew what my Dad would have said if he were here. I knew too. He would have said to me, “Go for it!” He knew the importance of stretching, growing, and stepping outside of your comfort zone. His words of confidence and exuberance accompany me in the pursuit of next.

Whether you decide to try something new to practice stretching, organize your environment to allow the physical space to support your needs, do some planning and project completion, or determine your call to action, I wish you all the best as you prepare and move forward. Come join the conversation and share your thoughts. How will you prepare for next?