The Intricate Dance of Chaos and Creativity

Chaos and Creativity

Chaos is the source of creativity. Chaos can be described as a state of confusion, divergent and convergent ideas running at the same time. Creativity is a complex process that can be broadly defined as the ability to bring something new into existence (Laycraft, 2009). Flow is described as the period in the creative process when one is wholly absorbed in the activity and self-consciousness ceases to exist. There is immediate feedback to one’s actions, no worry of failure and the sense of time becomes distorted (Csikszentmihalyi, 1997). Embracing chaos results to flow and creativity hence improving an individual’s well-being.

Society's Influence and Individual Well-being

The society dictates that people behave and believe in specific ways and things, going contrary to this leads to shunning and rejection. Many individuals spend most of their life’s focusing on their shortcomings to fit. Consequently, people end up feeling like strangers in their workplaces and their lives without understanding why. Rather than subscribe to the societal norms, individuals should concentrate on improving their talents and strengths and in doing so, improve their state of mind and lives (Harness, 2005).

Discovering Our True Selves

We have created superficial self’s limited to our usual, repetitive routines. We are mostly unaware of our potentials and limits which significantly inhibits our capacity to find solutions for problems we are not used to (Harness, 2005). We need to find our true selves by intentionally exposing ourselves to the thinking/ brainstorming process. In here we are confronted with chaos, and from its creativity and flow are produced resulting in the realization of what we can indeed achieve.

The Power of Creativity

During an intense working session, we may either achieve flow or reach a point of exhaustion, feel blocked and overwhelmed. At this point, we should give ourselves a break, away from the subject at hand, relax and rely on our unconscious. Self-organization occurs in our unconscious, and we get spontaneous insights, and new ideas are relayed in our memories (Laycraft, 2009). Creativity leads to a fuller and more satisfying life, without it, humanity would not grow (Csikszentmihalyi, 1997). It is therefore physically, mentally and emotionally advantageous for all people to embrace the chaos and adopt it in their lives to achieve their maximum capacity and abilities.

References

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1997). Flow and the psychology of discovery and invention. HarperPerennial, New York, 39.

Harkness, H. (2005). Capitalizing on career chaos: Bringing creativity and purpose to your work and life. Davies-Black Publishing.

Laycraft, K. (2009). Chaos, complexity, and creativity. In Proceedings for the 12th Annual Bridges Conference, Mathematics, Music, Art, Architecture, Culture

(pp. 355-362).