STYLE | Feature
The art of adaptability Words a nd i l lustration by Bet ha n Ch r istopher
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Before Covid-19 became a household name, innovation in technology and climate change were already drastically altering how we lived. With the arrival of the pandemic, the changes we face have been ramped up further, transforming our day-to-day lives, perspectives and priorities
nlike one year ago, many people are now living with an acute sense of the unknown. We have no idea what is going to happen next month, let alone next week and unsure of how Covid-19 is going to impact our lives long term, any plans we make feel tentative. In fact, the only thing we can really be certain of is that things will continue to change. When the only thing that we know about the future is that it’s going to be unpredictable, the wisest thing to do
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is develop a resource that allows us to adapt quickly, come up with new ideas and find effective solutions. What is this resource? The answer is creativity. Creativity isn’t just about being able to knit a nice sweater, work out a new recipe for sourdough or compose a limerick. Creative thinking helps us to see opportunities when we’re feeling stuck, helps us to think outside the box and innovate new solutions to seemingly impossible problems. Ultimately creativity is the key to
adaptability. It helps us to be flexible and work out how to effectively reposition ourselves, our family and our business during these strange and unpredictable times. Here are six things you can do to start growing your creative thinking skills today. 1. Reframe how you see the arts. Stop seeing art and creative skills as existing purely for entertainment. Recognise that everything you see around you in the human-made world is the result of someone, at some
