In my up and coming blogs, I will be exploring further  Robert Epsteins 4 creative competencies...... in this one we will be looking at ..........CHALLENGING - seeking out opportunities to fail - this can help boost your creativity!

In a blog a few weeks ago, I wrote about Epstein's 4 creative competencies and briefly how they could be increased. I was just reminded today, by a dear friend, how I could use an example of a recent failure to demonstrate its value, in boosting my own creativity.

I am not used to failure but I do like seeking out new opportunities to be creative. Now creativity does not have to be about arts or crafts but this story is. When a friend asked if I would like to join her and some other friends on a day to learn how to crochet, I was up for the challenge. I am quite dexterous, so I did think "How hard could that be?"

Without going into too much detail, I found the day quite challenging to say the least. I was probably the worst person in the class and it was not a place I was used to. My efforts were not rewarded at all, the harder I tried the worse my outputs were.

The best thing I produced all day can be seen in this photo and I did not even manage to finish that! Part way through the day, one person reminded me that I "have other gifts", a gentle reminder that crocheting was not one of them. So how did this experience benefit me, in the field of creativity? Here is a list:

• I was reminded I have "other gifts", which I began to think about and recognise
• I learnt I am very competitive and that failing is very hard for me
• I reflected on a recent hobby I had taken up and decided to put some energy into that, as a way of relaxing
• Taking time to spend on my new hobby and exploring how it works has stretched me
• I have given myself permission to not be good at crocheting
• The next time I try something new, I will know that failing is not fatal

So I thought you might like to see what I have been doing .... Needle felting! Et voila!

.....an abstract landscape...

 .... some Christmas baubles...

...... a heart .....

If you would like to learn more about developing your creative competencies and also meet with other trainers to generate lots of ideas - come to the BFLG Group on the 24th of January in Leeds at Leeds Building Society and join in the "Creativity Olympics!"

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