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Plea for a Daily Creative Act | Cristina Riesen | TEDxZurich


once upon a time there was a little girl

once upon a time there was a little girl who lived in a communist country for a

who lived in a communist country for a

who lived in a communist country for a modest family like hers living under a

modest family like hers living under a

modest family like hers living under a totalitarian regime meant getting very

totalitarian regime meant getting very

totalitarian regime meant getting very creative with very little resources the

creative with very little resources the

creative with very little resources the electricity would go out every evening

electricity would go out every evening

electricity would go out every evening and they will have to queue for hours in

and they will have to queue for hours in

and they will have to queue for hours in the freezing cold for a small piece of

the freezing cold for a small piece of

the freezing cold for a small piece of bread despite everything the little girl

bread despite everything the little girl

bread despite everything the little girl was as happy as she could be surrounded

was as happy as she could be surrounded

was as happy as she could be surrounded by her family and her friends she

by her family and her friends she

by her family and her friends she created her own world where none of the

created her own world where none of the

created her own world where none of the tragic events unfolding around her

tragic events unfolding around her

tragic events unfolding around her existed she would enter the fabulous

existed she would enter the fabulous

existed she would enter the fabulous kingdom of creativity every evening

kingdom of creativity every evening

kingdom of creativity every evening because no electricity meant candlelight

because no electricity meant candlelight

because no electricity meant candlelight and you know candle lights are magic

and you know candle lights are magic

and you know candle lights are magic they sparkled her imagination and

they sparkled her imagination and

they sparkled her imagination and allowed her to draw the most amazing

allowed her to draw the most amazing

allowed her to draw the most amazing stories using her hands and the shadows

stories using her hands and the shadows

stories using her hands and the shadows on the wall until one day before turning

on the wall until one day before turning

on the wall until one day before turning six the little girl started school

six the little girl started school

six the little girl started school feeling that she should share the fruits

feeling that she should share the fruits

feeling that she should share the fruits of her artistic passion with the world

of her artistic passion with the world

of her artistic passion with the world she decided to bring her creative

she decided to bring her creative

she decided to bring her creative drawings into the classroom she was

drawings into the classroom she was

drawings into the classroom she was laughed at by her classmates and the

laughed at by her classmates and the

laughed at by her classmates and the teacher said that this could not be the

teacher said that this could not be the

teacher said that this could not be the work of a child this nonsense has to

work of a child this nonsense has to

work of a child this nonsense has to stop immediately said the teacher

stop immediately said the teacher

stop immediately said the teacher slapping her face in front of her

slapping her face in front of her

slapping her face in front of her colleagues or otherwise she would report

colleagues or otherwise she would report

colleagues or otherwise she would report her and her family to the authorities

her and her family to the authorities

her and her family to the authorities and they would all end up in prison

and they would all end up in prison

and they would all end up in prison you see drawings like hers were a real

you see drawings like hers were a real

you see drawings like hers were a real threat to the Communist Party’s ideology

threat to the Communist Party’s ideology

threat to the Communist Party’s ideology because they represented what communism

because they represented what communism

because they represented what communism despised the most namely the freedom of

despised the most namely the freedom of

despised the most namely the freedom of speech and

speech and

speech and depression deeply hurt by the teachers

depression deeply hurt by the teachers

depression deeply hurt by the teachers reaction and very much afraid that she

reaction and very much afraid that she

reaction and very much afraid that she would put her family in great danger

would put her family in great danger

would put her family in great danger the little girl decided that day to kill

the little girl decided that day to kill

the little girl decided that day to kill creativity and as of then she would self

creativity and as of then she would self

creativity and as of then she would self censor the shape of her art and the size

censor the shape of her art and the size

censor the shape of her art and the size of her dreams the wonderful castles and

of her dreams the wonderful castles and

of her dreams the wonderful castles and the magical creatures would turn into

the magical creatures would turn into

the magical creatures would turn into grey dark communists industrial

grey dark communists industrial

grey dark communists industrial buildings and for the years to come she

buildings and for the years to come she

buildings and for the years to come she would do everything to just fit in

would do everything to just fit in

would do everything to just fit in secretly hoping to escape this prison

secretly hoping to escape this prison

secretly hoping to escape this prison like environment one day years later the

like environment one day years later the

like environment one day years later the opportunity to embark on an

opportunity to embark on an

opportunity to embark on an extraordinary journey presented itself

extraordinary journey presented itself

extraordinary journey presented itself the grown-up girl decided to take a big

the grown-up girl decided to take a big

the grown-up girl decided to take a big step and move to a faraway land with

step and move to a faraway land with

step and move to a faraway land with beautiful mountains and crystal clear

beautiful mountains and crystal clear

beautiful mountains and crystal clear Lakes her heart was filled with joy

Lakes her heart was filled with joy

Lakes her heart was filled with joy leaving the past behind

leaving the past behind

leaving the past behind she felt that everything was possible

she felt that everything was possible

she felt that everything was possible again however upon her arrival the

again however upon her arrival the

again however upon her arrival the beautiful landscapes started slowly

beautiful landscapes started slowly

beautiful landscapes started slowly fading away unveiling a cold world

fading away unveiling a cold world

fading away unveiling a cold world inhabited by very critical people it

inhabited by very critical people it

inhabited by very critical people it soon became clear that her experience

soon became clear that her experience

soon became clear that her experience and her diplomas were worthless in his

and her diplomas were worthless in his

and her diplomas were worthless in his new world

new world

new world she was mercilessly judged a second-hand

she was mercilessly judged a second-hand

she was mercilessly judged a second-hand citizen who did not belong there

citizen who did not belong there

citizen who did not belong there rejected and alone she felt very sad the

rejected and alone she felt very sad the

rejected and alone she felt very sad the same sadness she felt when she was 6 and

same sadness she felt when she was 6 and

same sadness she felt when she was 6 and she decided to kill creativity was this

she decided to kill creativity was this

she decided to kill creativity was this how freedom was supposed to taste was

how freedom was supposed to taste was

how freedom was supposed to taste was this the ultimate proof that she is not

this the ultimate proof that she is not

this the ultimate proof that she is not going to fit anywhere tortured by

going to fit anywhere tortured by

going to fit anywhere tortured by herself mistrust and poisoned by a sense

herself mistrust and poisoned by a sense

herself mistrust and poisoned by a sense of bitter resignation she stopped the

of bitter resignation she stopped the

of bitter resignation she stopped the contact with the outside world rarely

contact with the outside world rarely

contact with the outside world rarely leaving her apartment and barely talking

leaving her apartment and barely talking

leaving her apartment and barely talking to anybody

to anybody

to anybody her existential

her existential

her existential xiety became so present she wished

xiety became so present she wished

xiety became so present she wished herself dead and then it happened that

herself dead and then it happened that

herself dead and then it happened that terrible feeling of despair little a

terrible feeling of despair little a

terrible feeling of despair little a colossal fight response inside her she

colossal fight response inside her she

colossal fight response inside her she came to the sudden recognition that her

came to the sudden recognition that her

came to the sudden recognition that her life could not end up like this it was

life could not end up like this it was

life could not end up like this it was an epiphany like moment that made her

an epiphany like moment that made her

an epiphany like moment that made her realize that it is time to start

realize that it is time to start

realize that it is time to start believing that magic can happen with or

believing that magic can happen with or

believing that magic can happen with or without candle lights it was time to

without candle lights it was time to

without candle lights it was time to acknowledge that life is not about

acknowledge that life is not about

acknowledge that life is not about fitting in and ever since that day she

fitting in and ever since that day she

fitting in and ever since that day she let her creativity run wild and went on

let her creativity run wild and went on

let her creativity run wild and went on to create wonderful things and live the

to create wonderful things and live the

to create wonderful things and live the life she always wanted to this girl grew

life she always wanted to this girl grew

life she always wanted to this girl grew up to be the woman standing in front of

up to be the woman standing in front of

up to be the woman standing in front of you today and I’m standing here because

you today and I’m standing here because

you today and I’m standing here because I would like to share an important

I would like to share an important

I would like to share an important message and the moral of my story

message and the moral of my story

message and the moral of my story creativity is the world’s most

creativity is the world’s most

creativity is the world’s most underrated resource we need to stop

underrated resource we need to stop

underrated resource we need to stop killing it as you’ve seen in my story

killing it as you’ve seen in my story

killing it as you’ve seen in my story creativity says me twice as a child it

creativity says me twice as a child it

creativity says me twice as a child it kept me safe from the gruesomeness of

kept me safe from the gruesomeness of

kept me safe from the gruesomeness of communism as a young immigrant it gave

communism as a young immigrant it gave

communism as a young immigrant it gave me the confidence to start making bold

me the confidence to start making bold

me the confidence to start making bold decisions like becoming the working

decisions like becoming the working

decisions like becoming the working mother in Switzerland or being an

mother in Switzerland or being an

mother in Switzerland or being an entrepreneur judgment days similar to

entrepreneur judgment days similar to

entrepreneur judgment days similar to the ones I have experienced are

the ones I have experienced are

the ones I have experienced are happening every day all over the world

happening every day all over the world

happening every day all over the world billions of novel ideas and

billions of novel ideas and

billions of novel ideas and extraordinary dreams are crushed

extraordinary dreams are crushed

extraordinary dreams are crushed preventing people of all ages colors and

preventing people of all ages colors and

preventing people of all ages colors and nationalities to fulfill their potential

nationalities to fulfill their potential

nationalities to fulfill their potential so the question is how can we stop this

so the question is how can we stop this

so the question is how can we stop this how can we invite more creativity into

how can we invite more creativity into

how can we invite more creativity into our lives

our lives

our lives a few years ago I came across a

a few years ago I came across a

a few years ago I came across a fascinating research on human behavior

fascinating research on human behavior

fascinating research on human behavior done by Stanford professor BJ Fogg he

done by Stanford professor BJ Fogg he

done by Stanford professor BJ Fogg he argues that only three things can change

argues that only three things can change

argues that only three things can change human

human

human a view on the long run option a have an

a view on the long run option a have an

a view on the long run option a have an epiphany option B change your

epiphany option B change your

epiphany option B change your environment or option C take baby steps

environment or option C take baby steps

environment or option C take baby steps I wish I knew this 20 years ago it turns

I wish I knew this 20 years ago it turns

I wish I knew this 20 years ago it turns out that making very small changes and

out that making very small changes and

out that making very small changes and repeating them daily eventually lead to

repeating them daily eventually lead to

repeating them daily eventually lead to lasting incredible results so if you’d

lasting incredible results so if you’d

lasting incredible results so if you’d like to join me

like to join me

like to join me bring more creativity into the world

bring more creativity into the world

bring more creativity into the world here is a tiny habit recipe commit to

here is a tiny habit recipe commit to

here is a tiny habit recipe commit to perform a daily creative act for 5

perform a daily creative act for 5

perform a daily creative act for 5 minutes

minutes

minutes ideally right after an existing habit

ideally right after an existing habit

ideally right after an existing habit and congratulate yourselves with a well

and congratulate yourselves with a well

and congratulate yourselves with a well done set out loud afterwards

done set out loud afterwards

done set out loud afterwards starting tomorrow when you’re brushing

starting tomorrow when you’re brushing

starting tomorrow when you’re brushing your teeth in the morning imagine you’re

your teeth in the morning imagine you’re

your teeth in the morning imagine you’re a superhero what would your superhero do

a superhero what would your superhero do

a superhero what would your superhero do what would he or she say which

what would he or she say which

what would he or she say which adventures would they embark on if they

adventures would they embark on if they

adventures would they embark on if they would have all the time and resources in

would have all the time and resources in

would have all the time and resources in the world or maybe are not into

the world or maybe are not into

the world or maybe are not into reflective toothbrushing how about

reflective toothbrushing how about

reflective toothbrushing how about spending the time in the morning when

spending the time in the morning when

spending the time in the morning when waiting for the bus or commuting by

waiting for the bus or commuting by

waiting for the bus or commuting by train look outside the window at

train look outside the window at

train look outside the window at something you see every day it can be a

something you see every day it can be a

something you see every day it can be a building a tree a street sign it doesn’t

building a tree a street sign it doesn’t

building a tree a street sign it doesn’t matter

matter

matter imagine it through a different light you

imagine it through a different light you

imagine it through a different light you will be surprised where creativity can

will be surprised where creativity can

will be surprised where creativity can take you if there is no judgment and

take you if there is no judgment and

take you if there is no judgment and there are no limits if you make

there are no limits if you make

there are no limits if you make creativity a habit by staying true to

creativity a habit by staying true to

creativity a habit by staying true to your creative daily act you will stop

your creative daily act you will stop

your creative daily act you will stop trying to find yourselves in the

trying to find yourselves in the

trying to find yourselves in the presence of everyday life you will start

presence of everyday life you will start

presence of everyday life you will start experiencing playfulness wonder beauty

experiencing playfulness wonder beauty

experiencing playfulness wonder beauty and love in ways unseen before you will

and love in ways unseen before you will

and love in ways unseen before you will gently retrain your brain to look at the

gently retrain your brain to look at the

gently retrain your brain to look at the world with childlike wonder again you

world with childlike wonder again you

world with childlike wonder again you will start finding creative solutions to

will start finding creative solutions to

will start finding creative solutions to your life’s most pressing challenges and

your life’s most pressing challenges and

your life’s most pressing challenges and the best thing of all all that creative

the best thing of all all that creative

the best thing of all all that creative energy you will be generating will be

energy you will be generating will be

energy you will be generating will be continuously released into the world

continuously released into the world

continuously released into the world making it

making it

making it better place thank you all very much

better place thank you all very much

better place thank you all very much [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] [Music]

”

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