We’ve been thinking a lot about creativity the past few weeks, probably because winter is fast approaching. The days are getting shorter, and the urge to stay in bed and hibernate is becoming stronger and stronger. But alas, we have responsibilities and lives to lead, so we must fight the ever-present urge to sleep in and do our best to seize the day. Here are three resources that will help jumpstart your mind and foster creativity.
Maria Popova curates the brilliant Brain Pickings, which is essentially a collection of all things interesting. Her posts cover most disciplines, ranging anywhere from science to art to technology to philosophy. Rummaging through the website feels akin to sitting in a handful of miscellaneous liberal arts seminars. You can’t possibly leave without learning something you didn’t know, and it’s a wonderful place to reference when looking for new ideas.
New to Brain Pickings? Start here: How to Find Purpose and Do What You Love, The Daily Routines of Famous Writers, Five Manifestos for the Creative Life
It’s no secret that our company is made up of relatively young folks, so we won’t deny that part of our love for Tumblr stems from that fact. But regardless of your generational bracket, you’re doing yourself a disservice if you write off Tumblr as a blogging platform for insufferable millennials who love memes, gifs and pictures of cute animals. In actuality, Tumblr is one of the best resources for fostering creativity and inspiration. It essentially functions as a scrapbook of anything and everything that inspires you. So when you wake up with a fuzzy head and tired eyes, you can head over to your Tumblr full of all the things you love, and let the inspiration wash over you. You’ll leave feeling revitalized and reinvigorated– guaranteed.
New to Tumblr? Start here: Nevver, Things Organized Neatly, Beautiful Type, and of course Ethos3!
Surely you’ve heard enough accolades about TED talks by now to be convinced that you should check them out. Well, we’re here to tell you to believe the hype. TED talks are as good as everyone says, and they serve as an essential creative resource for the presenter. If you find yourself stuck in one aspect of your presentation… let’s say you can’t quite get the design right, or your delivery is a little bit off… TED is available 24/7 to get your creative juices flowing. The more TED talks you watch, the more inspiration and creativity you can take from the presentations. Make a note of what you love and apply those aspects to your own presentations.
New to TED? Start here: Jill Bolte Taylor’s Stroke of Insight, Steve Jobs: How to Live Before You Die, Brené Brown on the Power of Vulnerability, Chimamanda Adichie: The Danger of the Single Story
