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| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Creativity John Cleese, 2020-09-08 The legendary comedian, actor, and writer of Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, and A Fish Called Wanda fame shares his key ideas about creativity: that it’s a learnable, improvable skill. “Many people have written about creativity, but although they were very, very clever, they weren't actually creative. I like to think I'm writing about it from the inside.”—John Cleese You might think that creativity is some mysterious, rare gift—one that only a few possess. But you’d be wrong. As John Cleese shows in this short, practical, and often amusing guide, creativity is a skill that anyone can acquire. Drawing on his lifelong experience as a writer, Cleese shares his insights into the nature of creativity and offers advice on how to get your own inventive juices flowing. What do you need to do to get yourself in the right frame of mind? When do you know that you’ve come up with an idea that might be worth pursuing? What should you do if you think you’ve hit a brick wall? We can all be more creative. John Cleese shows us how. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Creativity John Cleese, 2020-09-08 The legendary comedian, actor, and writer of Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, and A Fish Called Wanda fame shares his key ideas about creativity: that it’s a learnable, improvable skill. “Many people have written about creativity, but although they were very, very clever, they weren't actually creative. I like to think I'm writing about it from the inside.”—John Cleese You might think that creativity is some mysterious, rare gift—one that only a few possess. But you’d be wrong. As John Cleese shows in this short, practical, and often amusing guide, creativity is a skill that anyone can acquire. Drawing on his lifelong experience as a writer, Cleese shares his insights into the nature of creativity and offers advice on how to get your own inventive juices flowing. What do you need to do to get yourself in the right frame of mind? When do you know that you’ve come up with an idea that might be worth pursuing? What should you do if you think you’ve hit a brick wall? We can all be more creative. John Cleese shows us how. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Families and how to Survive Them A. C. Robin Skynner, John Cleese, 1984 'It achieves what it set out to do- explaining in ordinary language to ordinary people just how relationships work.' -Sun |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: So, Anyway... John Cleese, 2014-11-04 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “John Cleese’s memoir is just about everything one would expect of its author—smart, thoughtful, provocative and above all funny. . . . A picture, if you will, of the artist as a young man.”—The Washington Post The legendary writer and performer of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers fame takes readers on a grand tour of his ascent in the entertainment world John Cleese’s huge comedic influence has stretched across generations; his sharp irreverent eye and the unique brand of physical comedy he perfected now seem written into comedy’s DNA. In this rollicking memoir, Cleese recalls his humble beginnings in a sleepy English town, his early comedic days at Cambridge University (with future Python partner Graham Chapman), and the founding of the landmark comedy troupe that would propel him to worldwide renown. Cleese was just days away from graduating Cambridge and setting off on a law career when he was visited by two BBC executives, who offered him a job writing comedy for radio. That fateful moment—and a near-simultaneous offer to take his university humor revue to London’s famed West End—propelled him down a different path, cutting his teeth writing for stars like David Frost and Peter Sellers, and eventually joining the five other Pythons to pioneer a new kind of comedy that prized invention, silliness, and absurdity. Along the way, he found his first true love with the actress Connie Booth and transformed himself from a reluctant performer to a world class actor and back again. Twisting and turning through surprising stories and hilarious digressions—with some brief pauses along the way that comprise a fascinating primer on what’s funny and why—this story of a young man’s journey to the pinnacle of comedy is a masterly performance by a master performer. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Professor at Large John Cleese, 2018 Comedian and actor John Cleese in the role of Ivy League professor at Cornell University, where he is currently professor-at-large. This book includes a selection of talks, essays, and lectures and provides a unique view of Cleese's endless pursuit of intellectual discovery across a range of topics-- |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: The Complete Fawlty Towers John Cleese, Connie Booth, 1998 The complete and unexpurgated scripts of 'Fawlty Towers' - the most celebrated television sit-com of all time. (From back cover). |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Poke The Box Seth Godin, 2015-09-15 A one-two punch! Half kick in the ass, half cheerleading encouragement. —Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art If you are happy being just a dreamer, perhaps you don’t need this book. If you’re enjoying the status quo, don’t even consider reading this book. If you are content waiting for success to find you, please put this book down and go find something else to read. Why has Poke the Box become a cult classic? Because it’s a book that dares readers to do something they’re afraid of. It could be what you need, too. Is Seth Godin the Pied Piper for however many of us have been afraid to fail? Will I answer his call? Will you? —Peter Shermeta, reviewing the original edition of Poke the Box |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Life and How to Survive It A. C. Robin Skynner, Robin Skynner, John Cleese, 1996 What makes people tick? What about families, organizations such as schools and businesses, or societies? By understanding them, can we make them tick better? Where does religion fit in? In this entertaining book, England's odd couple--psychiatrist-scholar Robin Skynner and comic John Cleese--answer these provocative questions and others, as they embark on a fascinating, mind-stretching search for what really matters in life. Cartoons throughout. Media publicity. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Book of Ideas Radim Malinic, 2018-09-07 Book of Ideas series Vol.2 - suitable for art and design students, freelancers, art directors, graphic designers and all other creatives looking to grow their career. Book of Ideas - vol.2 continues what designer and creative director Radim Malinic started in the first edition, offering yet more indispensable advice on making it in the creative industries. Chapters cover issues ranging from creativity for good, how to decode our own creative DNA, embracing limitations, using humour and how to entertain the right wrongs . It discusses how to improve design work through more skilful use of language, and in doing so, how to stir the right reactions and present well-rounded creative projects with confidence. Among the ideas and the work illustrating them, Book of Ideas - vol.2 offers holistic guidance on better understanding yourself as a creative and how to approach your life and work in a mindful, smart way to make you a better designer, creator and thinker, at any point in your career. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: 12 Notes Quincy Jones, 2022-04-05 Quincy Jones, one of the world’s most influential musicians, producers, and mentors, shares his profound reflections on creativity, life, and the pursuit of excellence in this moving and practical book. Drawing from his illustrious career and collaborations with legendary artists, Jones offers practical advice and heartfelt lessons on transforming grief into power, setting meaningful goals, and embracing daily affirmations. Through personal anecdotes and professional experiences, he reveals the secrets behind his creative process and the importance of honesty, hard work, and nurturing relationships. This self-development guide is a testament to the belief that creativity is a calling that transcends age and experience. Whether you’re an aspiring artist or a seasoned professional, 12 Notes will inspire you to unlock your creative potential and live a life driven by passion and purpose. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind Guy Claxton, 2016-05-31 In these accelerated times, our decisive and businesslike ways of thinking are unprepared for ambiguity, paradox, and sleeping on it. We assume that the quick-thinking hare brain will beat out the slower Intuition of the tortoise mind. However, now research in cognitive science is changing this understanding of the human mind. It suggests that patience and confusion--rather than rigor and certainty--are the essential precursors of wisdom. With a compelling argument that the mind works best when we trust our unconscious, or undermind, psychologist Guy Claxton makes an appeal that we be less analytical and let our creativity have free rein. He also encourages reevaluation of society's obsession with results-oriented thinking and problem-solving under pressure. Packed with Interesting anecdotes, a dozen puzzles to test your reasoning, and the latest related research, Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind is an Illuminating, uplifting, stimulating read that focuses on a new kind of well-being and cognition. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Diaries 1969-1979: The Python Years Michael Palin, 2008-11-11 A perceptive and funny chronicle, these diaries are a rich portrait of how Monty Python emerged and triumphed. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: The Myths of Creativity David Burkus, 2013-10-07 How to get past the most common myths about creativity to design truly innovative strategies We tend to think of creativity in terms reminiscent of the ancient muses: divinely-inspired, unpredictable, and bestowed upon a lucky few. But when our jobs challenge us to be creative on demand, we must develop novel, useful ideas that will keep our organizations competitive. The Myths of Creativity demystifies the processes that drive innovation. Based on the latest research into how creative individuals and firms succeed, David Burkus highlights the mistaken ideas that hold us back and shows us how anyone can embrace a practical approach, grounded in reality, to finding the best new ideas, projects, processes, and programs. Answers questions such as: What causes us to be creative in one moment and void in the next? What makes someone more or less creative than his or her peers? Where do our flashes of creative insight come from, and how can we generate more of them? Debunks 10 common myths, including: the Eureka Myth; the Lone Creator Myth; the Incentive Myth; and The Brainstorming Myth Written by David Burkus, founder of popular leadership blog LDRLB For anyone who struggles with creativity, or who makes excuses for delaying the work of innovation, The Myths of Creativity will help you overcome your obstacles to finding new ideas. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Creative Acts for Curious People Sarah Stein Greenberg, Stanford d.school, 2021-09-21 WINNER OF THE PORCHLIGHT BUSINESS BOOK AWARD • “A delightful, compelling book that offers a dazzling array of practical, thoughtful exercises designed to spark creativity, help solve problems, foster connection, and make our lives better.”—Gretchen Rubin, New York Times bestselling author and host of the Happier podcast In an era of ambiguous, messy problems—as well as extraordinary opportunities for positive change—it’s vital to have both an inquisitive mind and the ability to act with intention. Creative Acts for Curious People is filled with ways to build those skills with resilience, care, and confidence. At Stanford University’s world-renowned Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, aka “the d.school,” students and faculty, experts and seekers bring together diverse perspectives to tackle ambitious projects; this book contains the experiences designed to help them do it. A provocative and highly visual companion, it’s a definitive resource for people who aim to draw on their curiosity and creativity in the face of uncertainty. Teeming with ideas about discovery, learning, and leading the way through unknown creative territory, Creative Acts for Curious People includes memorable stories and more than eighty innovative exercises. Curated by executive director Sarah Stein Greenberg, after being honed in the classrooms of the d.school, these exercises originated in some of the world’s most inventive and unconventional minds, including those of d.school and IDEO founder David M. Kelley, ReadyMade magazine founder Grace Hawthorne, innovative choreographer Aleta Hayes, Google chief innovation evangelist Frederik G. Pferdt, and many more. To bring fresh approaches to any challenge–world changing or close to home–you can draw on exercises such as Expert Eyes to hone observation skills, How to Talk to Strangers to foster understanding, and Designing Tools for Teams to build creative leadership. The activities are at once lighthearted, surprising, tough, and impactful–and reveal how the hidden dynamics of design can drive more vibrant ways of making, feeling, exploring, experimenting, and collaborating at work and in life. This book will help you develop the behaviors and deepen the mindsets that can turn your curiosity into ideas, and your ideas into action. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Calcium Made Interesting Graham Chapman, 2016-02-25 Graham Chapman is said to have been Monty Python's one true anarchist. Like his mentors Spike Milligan and Peter Cook, the man who portrayed the mistaken messiah in Life of Brian lived his life on and off stage with a sheer delight in madness for its own sake. 'I want to be a loony,' he said, 'it's quite an important thing.' Calcium Made Interesting contains everything from Graham Chapman's unpublished sketches and transcripts of his lecture tours to letters to his bank manager and reflections on his fellow Pythons and as a result offers a unique insight into the real Graham Chapman. Previously unpublished essays and notes help chart the life and times of a comic legend and include such gems as his reflections on how it feels to be crucified and his nostalgic memories of blowing up hotel rooms with his good friend Keith Moon. Funny and surreal, this collection captures the eclectic spirit of a true genius and confirms Graham Chapman's lasting impact on British comedy. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Always Look on the Bright Side of Life Eric Idle, 2018-10-02 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the ingenious comic performer, founding member of Monty Python, and creator of Spamalot comes an absurdly funny memoir of unparalleled wit and heartfelt candor—now featuring a new afterword. “A hilarious, charming book by this incredible, i̶n̶s̶u̶f̶f̶e̶r̶a̶b̶l̶e̶ interesting genius.”—Steve Martin We know him best for his unforgettable roles on Monty Python—from the Flying Circus to The Meaning of Life. Now, Eric Idle reflects on the meaning of his own life in this entertaining memoir that takes us on a remarkable journey from his childhood in an austere boarding school through his successful career in comedy, television, theater, and film. Coming of age as a writer and comedian during the Sixties and Seventies, Eric stumbled into the crossroads of the cultural revolution and found himself rubbing shoulders with the likes of George Harrison, David Bowie, and Robin Williams, all of whom became dear lifelong friends. With anecdotes sprinkled throughout involving other close friends and luminaries such as Mike Nichols, Mick Jagger, Steve Martin, Paul Simon, Lorne Michaels, and many more, as well as John Cleese and the Pythons themselves, Eric captures a time of tremendous creative output with equal parts hilarity and heart. In Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, named for the song he wrote for Life of Brian and which has since become the number one song played at funerals in the UK, he shares the highlights of his life and career with the kind of offbeat humor that has delighted audiences for five decades. 2019 marked the fiftieth anniversary of The Pythons, and Eric commemorated the occasion with this hilarious memoir chock full of behind-the-scenes stories from a high-flying life featuring everyone from Princess Leia to Queen Elizabeth. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Daily Painting Carol Marine, 2014-11-04 A unique system for jump-starting artistic creativity, encouraging experimentation and growth, and increasing sales for artists of all levels, from novices to professionals. Have you landed in a frustrating rut? Are you having trouble selling paintings in galleries, getting bogged down by projects you can’t seem to finish or abandon, or finding excuses to avoid working in the studio? Author Carol Marine knows exactly how you feel—she herself suffered from painter’s block, until she discovered “daily painting.” The idea is simple: do art (usually small) often (how often is up to you), and if you’d like, post and sell it online. Soon you’ll find that your block dissolves and you’re painting work you love—and more of it than you ever thought possible! With her encouraging tone and useful exercises, Marine teaches you to: -Master composition and value -Become confident in any medium including oil painting, acrylic painting, watercolors, and other media -Choose subjects wisely -Stay fresh and loose -Photograph, post, and sell your art online -Become connected to the growing movement of daily painters around the world |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: The Creative Habit Twyla Tharp, 2009-03-24 One of the world’s leading creative artists, choreographers, and creator of the smash-hit Broadway show, Movin’ Out, shares her secrets for developing and honing your creative talents—at once prescriptive and inspirational, a book to stand alongside The Artist’s Way and Bird by Bird. All it takes to make creativity a part of your life is the willingness to make it a habit. It is the product of preparation and effort, and is within reach of everyone. Whether you are a painter, musician, businessperson, or simply an individual yearning to put your creativity to use, The Creative Habit provides you with thirty-two practical exercises based on the lessons Twyla Tharp has learned in her remarkable thirty-five-year career. In Where's Your Pencil? Tharp reminds you to observe the world -- and get it down on paper. In Coins and Chaos, she gives you an easy way to restore order and peace. In Do a Verb, she turns your mind and body into coworkers. In Build a Bridge to the Next Day, she shows you how to clean the clutter from your mind overnight. Tharp leads you through the painful first steps of scratching for ideas, finding the spine of your work, and getting out of ruts and into productive grooves. The wide-open realm of possibilities can be energizing, and Twyla Tharp explains how to take a deep breath and begin... |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Saved by a Song Mary Gauthier, 2021-07-06 A handbook for compassion... a Must-Read Music Book.” —Rolling Stone Country Generous and big-hearted, Gauthier has stories to tell and worthwhile advice to share. —Wally Lamb, author of I Know This Much Is True Gauthier has an uncanny ability to combine songwriting craft with a seeker’s vulnerability and a sage’s wisdom.” —Amy Ray, Indigo Girls From the Grammy nominated folk singer and songwriter, an inspiring exploration of creativity and the redemptive power of song Mary Gauthier was twelve years old when she was given her Aunt Jenny’s old guitar and taught herself to play with a Mel Bay basic guitar workbook. Music offered her a window to a world where others felt the way she did. Songs became lifelines to her, and she longed to write her own, one day. Then, for a decade, while struggling with addiction, Gauthier put her dream away and her call to songwriting faded. It wasn’t until she got sober and went to an open mic with a friend did she realize that she not only still wanted to write songs, she needed to. Today, Gauthier is a decorated musical artist, with numerous awards and recognition for her songwriting, including a Grammy nomination. In Saved by a Song, Mary Gauthier pulls the curtain back on the artistry of songwriting. Part memoir, part philosophy of art, part nuts and bolts of songwriting, her book celebrates the redemptive power of song to inspire and bring seemingly different kinds of people together. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Creative Folk Art and Beyond Flora Waycott, Oana Befort, Marenthe Otten, Terri Fry Kasuba, 2017-11 Get creative with the Scandinavian concept of hygge (hoo-gah) and create your own whimsical, colorful artwork inspired by folk art with Creative Folk Art and Beyond! Continuing the hugely popular Creative… and Beyond series, Creative Folk Art and Beyond features the whimsical and colorful folk-art style of Scandinavia… and beyond! Inspired by the concept of hygge (an idea similar to coziness), Creative Folk Art and Beyond includes creative prompts,easy exercises, and step-by-step projects that embrace all things Scandinavian. No matter your skill level, you can learn how to draw and paint beautiful, colorful art using a variety of accessible, affordable supplies. Starting off with basic tools, materials, techniques, and color basics, Creative Folk Art and Beyond then jumps into tips and exercises that will have you drawing and painting your favorite folk-art designs in no time. This book is a must-have for any Scandophile or folk-art enthusiast! |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Keep Going Austin Kleon, 2019-04-02 The world is crazy. Creative work is hard. And nothing is getting any easier! In his previous books—Steal Like an Artistand Show Your Work!, New York Times bestsellers with over a million copies in print combined—Austin Kleon gave readers the key to unlock their creativity and then showed them how to share it. Now he completes his trilogy with his most inspiring work yet. Keep Going gives the reader life-changing, illustrated advice and encouragement on how to stay creative, focused, and true to yourself in the face of personal burnout or external distractions. Here is how to Build a Bliss Station—a place or fixed period where you can disconnect from the world. How to see that Every Day Is Groundhog Day—yesterday’s over, tomorrow may never come, so just do what you can do today. How to Forget the Noun, Do the Verb—stop worrying about being a “painter” and just paint. Keep working. Keep playing. Keep searching. Keep giving. Keep living. Keep Going. It’s exactly the message all of us need, at exactly the right time. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Together We Will Go J. Michael Straczynski, 2021-07-06 The Breakfast Club meets The Silver Linings Playbook in this powerful, provocative, and heartfelt novel about twelve endearing strangers who come together to make the most of their final days, from New York Times bestselling and award-winning author J. Michael Straczynski. Mark Antonelli, a failed young writer looking down the barrel at thirty, is planning a cross-country road trip. He buys a beat-up old tour bus. He hires a young army vet to drive it. He puts out an ad for others to join him along the way. But this will be a road trip like no other: His passengers are all fellow disheartened souls who have decided that this will be their final journey—upon arrival in San Francisco, they will find a cliff with an amazing view of the ocean at sunset, hit the gas, and drive out of this world. The unlikely companions include a young woman with a chronic pain sensory disorder and another who was relentlessly bullied at school for her size; a bipolar, party-loving neo-hippie; a gentle coder with a literal hole in his heart and blue skin; and a poet dreaming of a better world beyond this one. We get to know them through access to their texts, emails, voicemails, and the daily journal entries they write as the price of admission for this trip. By turns tragic, funny, quirky, charming, and deeply moving, Together We Will Go explores the decisions that brings these characters together, and the relationships that grow between them, with some discovering love and affection for the first time. But as they cross state lines and complications to the initial plan arise, it becomes clear that this is a novel as much about the will to live as the choice to end it. The final, unforgettable moments as they hurtle toward the decisions awaiting them will be remembered for a lifetime. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: A Book That Takes Its Time Irene Smit, Astrid van der Hulst, Editors of Flow magazine, 2017-10-03 Take time to breathe. Take time to create. Take time to reflect, take time to let go. A book that’s unique in the way it mixes reading and doing, A Book That Takes Its Time is like a mindfulness retreat between two covers. Created in partnership with Flow, the groundbreaking international magazine that celebrates creativity, beautiful illustration, a love of paper, and life’s little pleasures, A Book That Takes Its Time mixes articles, inspiring quotes, and what the editors call “goodies”—bound-in cards, mini-journals, stickers, posters, blank papers for collaging, and more—giving it a distinctly handcrafted, collectible feeling. Read about the benefits of not multitasking, then turn to “The Joy of One Thing at a Time Notebook” tucked into the pages. After a short piece on the power of slowing down, fill in the designed notecards for a Beautiful Moments jar. Make a personal timeline. Learn the art of hand-lettering. Dig into your Beginner’s Mind. Embrace the art of quitting. Take the writing cure. And always smile. Move slowly and with intention through A Book That Takes Its Time, and discover that sweet place where life can be both thoughtful and playful. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Everyone You Hate Is Going to Die Daniel Sloss, 2021-10-12 One of this generation's hottest and boldest young comedians presents a transgressive and hilarious analysis of all of our dysfunctional relationships, and attempts to point us in the vague direction of sanity. Daniel Sloss's stand-up comedy engages, enrages, offends, unsettles, educates, comforts, and gets audiences roaring with laughter—all at the same time. In his groundbreaking specials, seen on Netflix and HBO, he has brilliantly tackled everything from male toxicity and friendship to love, romance, and marriage—and claims (with the data to back it up) that his on-stage laser-like dissection of relationships has single-handedly caused more than 300 divorces and 120,000 breakups. Now, in his first book, he picks up where his specials left off, and goes after every conceivable kind of relationship—with one's country (Sloss's is Scotland); with America; with lovers, ex-lovers, ex-lovers who you hate, ex-lovers who hate you; with parents; with best friends (male and female), not-best friends; with children; with siblings; and even with the global pandemic and our own mortality. In Everyone You Hate Is Going to Die, every human connection gets the brutally funny (and unfailingly incisive) Sloss treatment as he illuminates the ways in which all of our relationships are fragile and ridiculous and awful—but also valuable and meaningful and important. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: The Dead Queens Club Hannah Capin, 2019-01-29 If your school’s homecoming king had a little too much in common with Henry VIII, would you survive with your head still attached? You’d think being the new girl in a tiny town would equal one very boring senior year. But if you’re me—Annie Marck, alias Cleves—and you accidentally transform into teenage royalty by entering Lancaster High on the arm of the king himself? Life becomes the exact opposite of boring. Henry has it all: he’s the jock, the genius and the brooding bad boy all in one. Which sort of explains why he’s on his sixth girlfriend in two years. What it doesn’t explain is why two of them—two of us—are dead. My best friend thinks it’s Henry’s fault, which is obviously ridiculous. My nemesis says we shouldn’t talk about it, which is straight-up sketchy. But as the resident nosy new girl, I’m determined to find out what really happened to Lancaster’s dead queens…ideally before history repeats itself. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Kinfolk Travel John Burns, 2021-11-16 Explore the art of mindful travel with Kinfolk, the pioneers in “slow living,” their philosophy of simplicity, authenticity, intentionality and community. With nearly 450,000 copies in print, the Kinfolk series has applied this philosophy to entertaining (The Kinfolk Table), interior design (The Kinfolk Home), and living with nature (The Kinfolk Garden). Now they have turned their attention to “slow travel,” offering readers a road map for planning trips that foster meaningful connections with local people and authentic experiences of local culture. Go museum hopping in Tasmania, or birdwatching in London. Explore the burgeoning fashion community in Dakar. Take a bicycle tour through Idaho, or a train trip from Oslo to Bergen. Drawing on the magazine’s global community of writers and photographers, Kinfolk Travel takes readers to over 20 location across five continents, with travel tips from locals, stunning images, and thoughtful essays. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Big Magic Elizabeth Gilbert, 2015-09-22 The instant #1 NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller A must read for anyone hoping to live a creative life... I dare you not to be inspired to be brave, to be free, and to be curious.” —PopSugar From the worldwide bestselling author of Eat Pray Love and City of Girls: the path to the vibrant, fulfilling life you’ve dreamed of. Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert’s books for years. Now this beloved author digs deep into her own generative process to share her wisdom and unique perspective about creativity. With profound empathy and radiant generosity, she offers potent insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: When Less Becomes More Emily Ley, 2019-11-12 Women today are more fatigued, burned out, and overwhelmed than ever. You may feel like your life is frantic––that you're running on empty. In When Less Becomes More, you'll learn how to live a life of more in a world that often overwhelms to the point of burnout. Smartphones constantly ping and alert and demand your attention. And social media can eat up hours of your days with mindless scrolling and tapping while leaving you feeling empty and lonely. Add to that family commitments, work that is accessible around the clock, and overscheduling, and you have a life that can feel out of control. In When Less Becomes More, Emily Ley, author of the bestselling Grace, Not Perfection and Growing Boldly, takes you on a journey out of that empty place and shows you how to fill your wells with the nourishment that only true connection can provide. She also presents some radical concepts that push against the tethers of modern life, with the promise that more of the good stuff comes when we say yes to less of what keeps us empty: Less Noise, More Calm Less Fake, More Real Less Rush, More Rhythm Less Liking, More Loving Less Distraction, More Connection Less Chasing, More Cherishing Less Stuff, More Treasures Getting to more might require some outside-the-box changes, some unraveling of the patterns you have adopted, and some reworking of the day to day. Build a life based on your core values instead of slipping into a life dictated by society or what's normal. Because you weren't made for normal. You were made for more––for a life of fullness, dreaming, and lasting joy. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: The Positive Trait Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Attributes Becca Puglisi, Angela Ackerman, 2013-10-21 It’s a writer’s job to create compelling characters who can withstand life’s fallout without giving up. But building authentic, memorable heroes is no easy task. To forge realistic characters, we must hobble them with flaws that set them back while giving them positive attributes to help them achieve their goals. So how do writers choose the right blend of strengths for their characters—attributes that will render them admirable and worth rooting for—without making it too easy for them to succeed? Character creation can be hard, but it’s about to get a lot easier. Inside The Positive Trait Thesaurus, you’ll find: * A large selection of attributes to choose from when building a personality profile. Each entry lists possible causes for why a trait might emerge, along with associated attitudes, behaviors, thoughts, and emotions * Real character examples from literature, film, or television to show how an attribute drives actions and decisions, influences goals, and steers relationships * Advice on using positive traits to immediately hook readers while avoiding common personality pitfalls * Insight on human needs and morality, and how each determines the strengths that emerge in heroes and villains alike * Information on the key role positive attributes play within the character arc, and how they’re vital to overcoming fatal flaws and achieving success * Downloadable tools for organizing a character’s attributes and providing a deeper understanding of his past, his needs, and the emotional wounds he must overcome If you find character creation difficult or worry that your cast members all seem the same, The Positive Trait Thesaurus is brimming with ideas to help you develop one-of-a-kind, dynamic characters that readers will love. Extensively indexed, with entries written in a user-friendly list format, this brainstorming resource is perfect for any character creation project. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Ikigai Héctor García, Francesc Miralles, 2017-08-29 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • 2 MILLION+ COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE “Workers looking for more fulfilling positions should start by identifying their ikigai.” ―Business Insider “One of the unintended—yet positive—consequences of the [pandemic] is that it is forcing people to reevaluate their jobs, careers, and lives. Use this time wisely, find your personal ikigai, and live your best life.” ―Forbes Find your ikigai (pronounced ee-key-guy) to live longer and bring more meaning and joy to all your days. “Only staying active will make you want to live a hundred years.” —Japanese proverb According to the Japanese, everyone has an ikigai—a reason for living. And according to the residents of the Japanese village with the world’s longest-living people, finding it is the key to a happier and longer life. Having a strong sense of ikigai—where what you love, what you’re good at, what you can get paid for, and what the world needs all overlap—means that each day is infused with meaning. It’s the reason we get up in the morning. It’s also the reason many Japanese never really retire (in fact there’s no word in Japanese that means retire in the sense it does in English): They remain active and work at what they enjoy, because they’ve found a real purpose in life—the happiness of always being busy. In researching this book, the authors interviewed the residents of the Japanese village with the highest percentage of 100-year-olds—one of the world’s Blue Zones. Ikigai reveals the secrets to their longevity and happiness: how they eat, how they move, how they work, how they foster collaboration and community, and—their best-kept secret—how they find the ikigai that brings satisfaction to their lives. And it provides practical tools to help you discover your own ikigai. Because who doesn’t want to find happiness in every day? |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Creativity Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, 2009-10-13 “Although the benefits of this study to scholars are obvious, this thought-provoking mixture of scholarly and colloquial will enlighten inquisitive general readers, too.” — Library Journal (starred review) The classic study of the creative process from the bestselling author of Flow. Creativity is about capturing those moments that make life worth living. Legendary psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (“The leading researcher into ‘flow states.’” — Newsweek) reveals what leads to these moments—be it the excitement of the artist at the easel or the scientist in the lab—so that this knowledge can be used to enrich people's lives. Drawing on nearly one hundred interviews with exceptional people, from biologists and physicists, to politicians and business leaders, to poets and artists, as well as his thirty years of research on the subject, Csikszentmihalyi uses his famous flow theory to explore the creative process. He discusses such ideas as why creative individuals are often seen as selfish and arrogant, and why the tortured genius is largely a myth. Most important, he explains why creativity needs to be cultivated and is necessary for the future of our country, if not the world. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Teen Writer's Guide Jennifer Jenkins, 2020-03-24 A step-by-step guide to writing the book you've always dreamed of writing: from testing your story ideas, to visualizing your characters' types and voices, to building a world that comes to life, to navigating the publishing industry, and going the distance to reach your writing goals. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: The Cherry Tree Ruskin Bond, 2012-11-15 Rakesh plants a cherry seedling in his garden and watches it grow. As seasons go by, the small tree survives heavy monsoon showers, a hungry goat that eats most of the leaves and a grass cutter who splits it into two with one sweep. At last, on his ninth birthday, Rakesh is rewarded with a miraculous sight—the first pink blossoms of his precious cherry tree! This beautifully illustrated edition brings alive the magical charm of one of Ruskin Bond’s most unforgettable tales. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: F*ck It, I'll Start Tomorrow Action Bronson, 2021-04-20 A no-holds-barred chronicle meets self-help guide from the bestselling author, rapper, artist, and chef Action Bronson From the New York Times bestselling author, chef-turned-rapper, and host of Viceland’s F*ck, That’s Delicious and The Untitled Action Bronson Show, F*ck It, I’ll Start Tomorrow is a brutally honest chronicle about struggles with weight, food addiction, and the journey to self-acceptance. In his signature voice, Action Bronson shares all that he’s learned in the past decade to help you help yourself. This isn’t a road map to attaining a so-called perfect body. Instead, Bronson will share his journey to find confidence, keep the negative vibes at bay, stay sane, chill out, and not look in the mirror hoping to see anyone but yourself. F*ck It, I’ll Start Tomorrow is not about losing weight—it’s about being and feeling excellent regardless of your size or shape. It’s about living f*cking healthy, period. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: One of Us Is Next Karen M. McManus, 2023-05-02 #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • There's a new mystery to solve at Bayview High, and there's a whole new set of rules. The highly anticipated sequel to One of Us Is Lying! Come on, Bayview, you know you've missed this. A ton of copycat gossip apps have popped up since Simon died, but in the year since the Bayview four were cleared of his shocking death, no one's been able to fill the gossip void quite like he could. The problem is no one has the facts. Until now. This time it's not an app, though—it's a game. Truth or Dare. Phoebe's the first target. If you choose not to play, it's a truth. And hers is dark. Then comes Maeve and she should know better—always choose the dare. But by the time Knox is about to be tagged, things have gotten dangerous. The dares have become deadly, and if Maeve learned anything from Bronwyn last year, it's that they can't count on the police for help. Or protection. Simon's gone, but someone's determined to keep his legacy at Bayview High alive. And the rules have changed. Fans of the hit thriller that started it all can watch the secrets of the Bayview Four be revealed in the One of Us is Lying TV series now streaming on NBC's Peacock! |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Effortless Greg McKeown, 2021-04-27 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A Times (UK) Best Book of the Year • From the author of the million-copy-selling Essentialism comes an empowering guide to achieving your goals. It all starts with a simple principle: Not everything has to be so hard. “In a world beset by burnout, Greg McKeown’s work is essential.”—Daniel H. Pink, author of When, Drive, and To Sell Is Human “At a time when fear, uncertainty, and our ever-growing list of responsibilities have come to feel like much too much to handle, Effortless couldn’t be timelier, or more necessary.”—Eve Rodsky, author of Fair Play Do you ever feel like: • You’re teetering right on the edge of burnout? • You want to make a higher contribution, but lack the energy? • You’re running faster but not moving closer to your goals? • Everything is so much harder than it used to be? As high achievers, we’ve been conditioned to believe that the path to success is paved with relentless work. That if we want to overachieve, we have to overexert, overthink, and overdo. That if we aren’t perpetually exhausted, we’re not doing enough. But lately, working hard is more exhausting than ever. And the more depleted we get, the more effort it takes to make progress. Stuck in an endless loop of “Zoom, eat, sleep, repeat,” we’re often working twice as hard to achieve half as much. Getting ahead doesn’t have to be as hard as we make it. No matter what challenges or obstacles we face, there is a better way: instead of pushing ourselves harder, we can find an easier path. Effortless offers actionable advice for making the most essential activities the easiest ones, so you can achieve the results you want, without burning out. Effortless teaches you how to: • Turn tedious tasks into enjoyable rituals • Prevent frustration by solving problems before they arise • Set a sustainable pace instead of powering through • Make one-time choices that eliminate many future decisions • Simplify your processes by removing unnecessary steps • Make relationships easier to maintain and manage • And much more The effortless way isn't the lazy way. It's the smart way. It may even be the only way. Not every hard thing in life can be made easy. But we can make it easier to do more of what matters most. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Scenes from Prehistoric Life Francis Pryor, 2021-08-05 An invigorating journey through Britain's prehistoric landscape, and an insight into the lives of its inhabitants. 'Highly compelling' Spectator, Books of the Year 'An evocative foray into the prehistoric past' BBC Countryfile Magazine 'Vividly relating what life was like in pre-Roman Britain' Choice Magazine 'Makes life in Britain BC often sound rather more appealing than the frenetic and anxious 21st century!' Daily Mail In Scenes from Prehistoric Life, the distinguished archaeologist Francis Pryor paints a vivid picture of British and Irish prehistory, from the Old Stone Age (about one million years ago) to the arrival of the Romans in AD 43, in a sequence of fifteen profiles of ancient landscapes. Whether writing about the early human family who trod the estuarine muds of Happisburgh in Norfolk c.900,000 BC, the craftsmen who built a wooden trackway in the Somerset Levels early in the fourth millennium BC, or the Iron Age denizens of Britain's first towns, Pryor uses excavations and surveys to uncover the daily routines of our ancient ancestors. By revealing how our prehistoric forebears coped with both simple practical problems and more existential challenges, Francis Pryor offers remarkable insights into the long and unrecorded centuries of our early history, and a convincing, well-attested and movingly human portrait of prehistoric life as it was really lived. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Eat, Sleep, Innovate Scott D. Anthony, Paul Cobban, Natalie Painchaud, Andy Parker, 2020-10-20 From the author of The Little Black Book of Innovation, a new guide for using the power of habit to build a culture of innovation Leaders have experimented with open innovation programs, corporate accelerators, venture capital arms, skunkworks, and innovation contests. They've trekked to Silicon Valley, Shenzhen, and Tel Aviv to learn from today's hottest, most successful tech companies. Yet most would admit they've failed to create truly innovative cultures. There's a better way. And it all starts with the power of habit. In Eat, Sleep, Innovate, innovation expert Scott Anthony and his impressive team of coauthors use groundbreaking research in behavioral science to provide a first-of-its-kind playbook for empowering individuals and teams to be their most curious and creative—every single day. Throughout the book, the authors reveal a collection of BEANs—behavior enablers, artifacts, and nudges—they've collected from workplaces across the globe that will unleash the natural innovator inside everyone. In addition to case studies of normal organizations doing extraordinary things, they provide readers with the tools to create their own hacks and habits, which they can then use to build and sustain their own models of a culture of innovation. Fun, lively, and utterly unique, Eat, Sleep, Innovate is the book you need to make innovation a natural and habitual act within your team or organization. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Still Just a Geek Wil Wheaton, 2022-04-12 A New York Times bestseller! Celebrated actor, personality, and all-around nerd, Wil Wheaton updates his memoir of collected blog posts with all new material and annotations as he reexamines one of the most interesting lives in Hollywood and fandom--and now for the first time in audio, narrated by Wil himself! From starring in Stand by Me to playing Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation to playing himself, in his second (third?) iconic role of Evil Wil Wheaton in The Big Bang Theory, to becoming a social media supernova, Wil Wheaton has charted a career course unlike anyone else, and has emerged as one of the most popular and well respected names in science fiction, fantasy and pop culture. Back in 2001, Wil began blogging on wilwheaton.net. Believing himself to have fallen victim to the curse of the child actor, Wil felt relegated to the convention circuit, and didn’t expect many would want to read about his random experiences and personal philosophies. Yet, much to his surprise, people were reading. He still blogs, and now has an enormous following on social media with well over 3 million followers. In Still Just a Geek, Wil revisits his 2004 collection of blog posts, Just a Geek, filled with insightful and often laugh-out-loud annotated comments, additional later writings, and all new material written for this publication. The result is an incredibly raw and honest memoir, in which Wil opens up about his life, about falling in love, about coming to grips with his past work, choices, and family, and finding fulfillment in the new phases of his career. From his times on the Enterprise to his struggles with depression to his starting a family and finding his passion--writing--Wil Wheaton is someone whose life is both a cautionary tale and a story of finding one’s true purpose that should resonate with fans and aspiring artists alike. |
| creativity a short and cheerful guide: Love People, Use Things Joshua Fields Millburn, Ryan Nicodemus, 2021-07-13 **THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER** The Minimalists show you how to disconnect from our conditioned material state and reconnect to our true essence: love people and use things. This is not a book about how to live with less, but about how to live more deeply and more fully. —Jay Shetty, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Like a Monk AS SEEN ON THE NETFLIX DOCUMENTARIES MINIMALISM & LESS IS NOW How might your life be better with less? Imagine a life with less: less stuff, less clutter, less stress and debt and discontent—a life with fewer distractions. Now, imagine a life with more: more time, more meaningful relationships, more growth and contribution and contentment—a life of passion, unencumbered by the trappings of the chaotic world around you. What you’re imagining is an intentional life. And to get there, you’ll have to let go of some clutter that’s in the way. In Love People, Use Things, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus move past simple decluttering to show how minimalism makes room to reevaluate and heal the seven essential relationships in our lives: stuff, truth, self, money, values, creativity, and people. They use their own experiences—and those of the people they have met along the minimalist journey—to provide a template for how to live a fuller, more meaningful life. Because once you have less, you can make room for the right kind of more. |
Creality Print 6.0 is Here! - Creality Print V5 and Beyond - Creality ...
Dec 30, 2024 · With respect to you guys @CREALITY and @Simmons-Creality, having us sign a form for issues when we have clearly stated issues on the forum comes off as you guys not …
Creality_print does not see my printer but cura can see
Dec 21, 2024 · hello, thanks, first time poster, hope i posted in the correction forum section. i tried to search the forum, but could not find an naswer. device: ender-3 v3 se. software: creality …
Creality Print version 6 "Problems"
Jan 22, 2025 · Hello all, I have created this thread with the hope ALL mentions of problems found when using CP version 6 can be written here. At present, there are so many new posts …
Creality Simplifies Creativity with New, User-Friendly Ender-3 V3 SE
Aug 15, 2023 · Accessibility Unleashes Creativity for the Very Beginners Designed for both entry-level and advanced users, this printer is a testament to Creality’s commitment to accessibility …
K2 Plus Combo is now available for order! Exciting news!
Nov 11, 2024 · Multi-Color Printing: Up to 16 colors with 4 CFS for endless creativity! Direct Drive Extruder: Smooth, precise prints with minimal retraction. Large Build Volume: 350 x 350 x …
Extruder problem when printing TPU on K2 - Creality Flagship K2 …
Dec 17, 2024 · I tried printing with TPU for the first time on my new K2 and encountered some problems. About halfway through the first layer, it stopped extruding and started pushing the …
[SOLVED] The currently selected printer does not support multi …
Sep 13, 2024 · Brand new Creality user here. Just got my K1 Max and have been enjoying it. Still learning Creality Print. Didn’t know what the “Add Plate” button did and clicked it. Saw it made …
Cr touch sensor error Ender 3 v3 SE - Creality Community Forum
May 21, 2024 · Seriously, I had to create an account here just to thank you for this AMAZING solution. I’m waiting for Creality support to resolve or send me a CR Touch and so far I haven’t …
Creality x Co Print: Unlock More Colorful 3D Printing Possibilities!
Jan 10, 2025 · Exciting news! Creality has partnered with Co Print to bring vibrant multi-color printing to the Ender-3 V3 Plus. Pairing it with CoPrint’s multi-color extruder accessory opens …
The best part to show off your creativity at Creality ShareFest in ...
Sep 20, 2024 · The best part to show off your creativity at Creality ShareFest in Chicago! Bring your most impressive 3D printing models there and join our model contest for a chance to win …
Creality Print 6.0 is Here! - Creality Print V5 and Beyond - Creality ...
Dec 30, 2024 · With respect to you guys @CREALITY and @Simmons-Creality, having us sign a form for issues when we have clearly stated issues on the forum comes off as you guys not …
Creality_print does not see my printer but cura can see
Dec 21, 2024 · hello, thanks, first time poster, hope i posted in the correction forum section. i tried to search the forum, but could not find an naswer. device: ender-3 v3 se. software: creality …
Creality Print version 6 "Problems"
Jan 22, 2025 · Hello all, I have created this thread with the hope ALL mentions of problems found when using CP version 6 can be written here. At present, there are so many new posts …
Creality Simplifies Creativity with New, User-Friendly Ender-3 V3 SE
Aug 15, 2023 · Accessibility Unleashes Creativity for the Very Beginners Designed for both entry-level and advanced users, this printer is a testament to Creality’s commitment to accessibility …
K2 Plus Combo is now available for order! Exciting news!
Nov 11, 2024 · Multi-Color Printing: Up to 16 colors with 4 CFS for endless creativity! Direct Drive Extruder: Smooth, precise prints with minimal retraction. Large Build Volume: 350 x 350 x …
Extruder problem when printing TPU on K2 - Creality Flagship K2 …
Dec 17, 2024 · I tried printing with TPU for the first time on my new K2 and encountered some problems. About halfway through the first layer, it stopped extruding and started pushing the …
[SOLVED] The currently selected printer does not support multi …
Sep 13, 2024 · Brand new Creality user here. Just got my K1 Max and have been enjoying it. Still learning Creality Print. Didn’t know what the “Add Plate” button did and clicked it. Saw it made …
Cr touch sensor error Ender 3 v3 SE - Creality Community Forum
May 21, 2024 · Seriously, I had to create an account here just to thank you for this AMAZING solution. I’m waiting for Creality support to resolve or send me a CR Touch and so far I haven’t …
Creality x Co Print: Unlock More Colorful 3D Printing Possibilities!
Jan 10, 2025 · Exciting news! Creality has partnered with Co Print to bring vibrant multi-color printing to the Ender-3 V3 Plus. Pairing it with CoPrint’s multi-color extruder accessory opens …
The best part to show off your creativity at Creality ShareFest in ...
Sep 20, 2024 · The best part to show off your creativity at Creality ShareFest in Chicago! Bring your most impressive 3D printing models there and join our model contest for a chance to win …
