Don’t think mundane – Think Creative!

What does it mean to you?

Well, everyone has a perception about everything. And each of us see the same things in different ways – which makes its fascinating. When someone speaks to us in an audience, each person present understands the speaker from their own perspective. In motivational talks, that’s just fine. Each can interpret it for themselves.

The problem arises when one is speaking to a team as a leader. I have experienced it first-hand. My team of a hundred strong would understand me, from the podium, in a hundred different ways. I had figured this out so made sure I made them see in the same direction like myself and not in a hundred different ones. But the challenge can be challenging!

Today, as I progressed further with my book, I got thinking. Its was fascinating that there was just me trying to understand the twenty other people, rather than the number being reversed. Then as I spoke to a friend about my planned travel next month, I used some words to which she reacted in a weird way – I had to tell her what I exactly meant. She herself heaved a sigh of relief because she said that in the earlier meaning that she understood, she was convinced that my being out of a job and now furiously trying to fill up pages had kind of driven me surely on some undefined path of insanity. We had a hearty laugh after this was clarified, so all’s well that ends well, I guess.

This is where my thinking started from. As I told my son today, he had his signature repartee to add: “Mom, since when?” He was alluding to me starting to think! Since it was on a video call, I showed him my small pinkie little finger, like we did when we were tiny and in Kindergarten and said: “Kattiff” (= I am not talking to you; its an Indian thing and we are all pretty proud of it for its very demonstrative. And we are a demonstrative lot!)

Then right through the day I looked for things and ways and people who didn’t think mundane but creatively. Of course, I topped my list because I baked differently so my swiss roll had a beautiful pattern I picked up from an honest you tube video, though the other innovations were mine. And I also used a mundane thing as a pickle container to hold my new plant with élan, literally let it sit on its head! Then I had my school friends, think up of some words which could mean several things for several people; thought that was nice. I also had towards the end of the afternoon a very amazing organisation plan a creative fifteen-day program for kids, right in the morning before the sun became harsh. Then I had my hubby dearest manage to corner my cook about whether he was adding salt to the rice, he was cooking or not; the way it was asked, the poor guy got hoist with his own petard and blurted out, something he had earlier denied when I had asked. I also saw the kids in my complex play creatively to combat the non-availability of space to play boisterous games like soccer. I chanced upon an advert by a very successful cooperative in my country which captured the current elections fervour with panache (they always do so with their adverts!)

So over all it was a creatively thought day and by the way, my book is progressing well too. My thinking is getting creatively enriched and augmented as I continue my journey with the greats in the education field in Hyderbad.