Does the word "creativity" make you think of paint, clay, and kids playing dress up?  We all start out creative, but school and adult life might make us think that creativity is something to be left to artists and geeks. Then we get to the workplace and are expected to be innovative and productive. Hmm, don't we need to be creative for that? 

Life is creative. All of it. We are born from its impulse. We grow up, thrive, and participate in the human experience because creativity is our nature. 

If you have lost your creative spark, here are 12 words to think about: 

1. Imagine
2. Plant
3. Air
4. Mix
5. Illuminate 
6. Collect 
7. Shift 
8. Stretch 
9. Reflect 
10. Propel 
11. Focus 
12. Release 

Start with your imagination. Collect your ideas and then shape them, mix, illuminate, reflect and focus on what you want to bring into the world. When you are ready, release your creation! 

Print out this post, cut out the words, and use as "creativity...

Our principal asked us to pick a word at the start of the school year. The word would be our North Star to guide our goals, inform our lessons, and inspire us to do great work. School initiatives sometimes fall away as the year progresses, but a good administrator won't let that happen.

She didn't let that happen. We revisited our words at the start of the new year. What would your word be?

It feels poetic to pick just one word. No long lists, no big visions, no novels. I thought about it for days. Nothing felt right. If you know my work, you know that there are three words I think about a lot: calm, creative, and compassionate. It is my desire to see all students, teachers and classrooms feel that way in every school around the world.  But these words can't be separated. 

Why?  It is easy to be calm if we feel safe. When we feel safe, we are free to find creative solutions, work harder, and take big risks. Safety means we are not threatened...

It’s the official start of the most chaotic time of the year. Take the pressure off and read a poem, quote or chapter of a book. Bibliotherapy is one of the best ways to escape the stressful buzz of cyber Monday and nurture your spirit.

What books most inspire you?  Take one off the shelf anytime you feel the stress monster interrupting your bliss.

I’m reading the book, Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results by James Clear. It reminds me exactly of what I know to be true, that big changes happen one step at a time. And if you are a writer, Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott tells us the same thing about the writing process. Build a book, the way a bird builds a nest, one branch at a time.

Most importantly, these books ask us to take action to shape the way we view ourselves. If we think we are stressed and unable to handle the holidays, our brain will agree and make it so.  But what if you view yourself as a calm, creative, and compassionate...