Positive Ageing and Creativity

Develop your creativity as you grow older

The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can change their lives by changing their attitude of mind. William James, 1842-1910.

Positive aging describes an affirmative approach to your life as you grow older. You focus on your strengths and work with a spirit of abundance, where you share your knowledge and resources with others. The alternative is that you concentrate or focus on your weaknesses and failures and limitations in your life.

Researchers continue to demonstrate the effectiveness in people’s lives about taking a positive view to their growing older. Gene Cohen wrote in 2000 about his determination as a young doctor in the early 1970s to build his career in the area of aging and the treatment of older adults. Gerontology was a new field and he was interesting in pioneering work that could be done. On meeting older adults he was stunned by what he found. Older adults were not a morbid, immutable lot. They were not looking for miracle cures from their doctors. After 30 years of working with older people, Cohen noted that research has moved from what aging is to what is possible with aging.

Creativity does not belong only to young people and is not just for geniuses.   Exploring creativity is examining what is possible, no matter your intellect, your age or your experience.

What is creativity?


Creativity is the process of bringing something new into the world. Something new may be more obvious for younger people, in parenting for example, or mathematicians who formulate new equations.   What about older people who become resilient in the face of adversity, such as the loss of a loved one or living through natural or man made catastrophes? What about closer to home? Baby boomers (born between 1945 and 1962) have experienced joy, support and happiness throughout most of their lives and now face growing older with that same positive view. .

So how can you become more creative as you age?


Your opportunity as you age is to discover what new things you can bring into being.  You may focus on four benefits to support your creativity activities:
 
1.        Creativity strengthens your morale in later life – creativity helps you to become more resilient as you grow older and better able to cope with life’s setbacks and losses. Just as you exercise to improve your muscle tone, when you are creatively engaged your emotional engagement is elevated.

2.        Creativity contributes to physical health as you age – create a positive outlook and a sense of well-being have a positive impact on your cognitive functioning, immune system and overall health.

3.        Creativity enriches your relationships –create your engagement with life encourages others to approach you. Your wisdom and willingness to tackle new activities and friendships supports your creativity.

4.        Creativity is your greatest legacy – create yourself as a role model in your family, community and wider society, you can shape opinions and policies about aging. You are the keepers of what is important to be passed to future generations.

What can you do to be creative?


There are many famous people who rose to greatness as they aged – Mother Theresa worked to establish missions in several continents to support the needy. She received the Nobel Peace Prize aged 69. Sigmund Freud published two important works in his early 70s.

Sure, not all will be famous or win awards. But you can make an impact by being creative.   Take an art class, or learn a new language or go to dance classes: you are of an age where you likely to be less concerned with appearances and more interested in experimenting with new ways to learn. Anything that stimulates your brain will stimulate the rest of your body.

As you grow older you strive to make strong, lasting contributions on a personal or community level, to affirm life, take care of unfinished business and celebrate your own contribution. Seek to create and bring new things into being.

Can you become more creative by yourself?

Are you able to become more creative, to extend yourself and try new things? Do you know where to start? What if help were available?

Contact us for a complimentary consultation to think about new ways of being creative.  We work with you to discover what is important to you. It will be the best 30 minutes you spend to get started.

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References

Cohen, G 2000, The creative age: awakening human potential in the second half of life, Avon Books, New York.

Cohen, G 2005, The mature mind: the positive power of the aging brain, Basic Books, New York.

© 2010 Helene Strawbridge, All rights reserved. You are free to use material from the Second Half Success material in whole or in part, as long as you include complete attribution, including live web site link. Please also notify me where the material will appear. The attribution should read: By Helene Strawbridge of Second Half Success. Please visit Helene’s web site at www.secondhalfsuccess.com.au for additional articles and resources. (Make sure the link is live if placed in an newsletter or in a web site.)