You Think It I'll Say It: Creativity by Design...

Dictionary.com defines "creative" as...

1. having the quality or power of creating.
2. resulting from originality of thought, expression, etc.; imaginative: creative writing.
3. originative; productive (usually fol. by of ).

There are those in this world that find comfort and contentment in unimagination. Day in and day out the same routine, never really desiring or expecting anything new "Under the Sun".

To those I say, "My heart goes out to you.", because you have joined a very large, but depressing club called, "Complacency".

FEAR NOT...It is not a club you have to remain a member of.

Whether you are there because you are the highly functioning individual that has had a less than ideal time finding someone else that matched your artistic prowess or you are there because you weren't born with the instinctive ability to take one thing and multiply it into many, I think I can help...

For the latter, this is for you...

1. Pick one thing that you know a person likes or loves and write it down. The mind works a multitude of ways and one of the most powerful is visual so write it down! The key words here are likes or loves. If it doesn't fall into one of those categories, it doesn't make the list, lol!

2. Make a list numbered to 12. This also helps to arouse the mind's receptors. Similar to visualizing the finish line in a race. The significance of 12 is, you guessed it, 12 months in a year.

3. Take your time and come up with 12 different ways to demonstrate, to that loved or for that matter liked one, that they are special and that their happiness is worth thinking out of the box. THIS WILL NOT BE EASY!

For example, if their favorite food is Italian...

1. Cook their favorite Italian dish. Benefit: Shows creativity, preparation, consideration and planning.
2. Order it and have it waiting for dinner. Benefit: No cooking necessary, shows memory skills, thoughtful.
3. Order it and have it delivered to work/school etc. Benefit: They are the envy of friends and coworkers in addition to the above benefits.
4. Order it and hand deliver it to them. Benefit: They are still the envy of friends and coworkers as well as they get to see you IN PERSON.
5. Plan a date to their favorite Italian restaurant. Benefit: Simple and effective.
6. Get them a gift certificate to their favorite Italian restaurant. Benefit: Simple and thoughtful and saves them money.
7. While on the date at the restaurant, have her favorite flower delivered to the table with dessert. Benefit: Romantic, thoughtful and she would be receiving, "princess like" attention. (If she is shy, this may not be a good idea)
8. While on the date at the restaurant, have a personalized greeting card delivered to the table with dessert. Benefits: Same as above, but a little less "Superstar".
9. Cook their favorite Italian dish wearing, shall we say, something more appetizing than the Italian dish, lol! Benefit: Self explanatory, I hope!
10. Cook the Italian dish together. Benefit: Something you can do together, romantic, casual, and fun
11. Sign up for an Italian cooking class to take together. Benefit: Same as above!
12. Once a month sample a different Italian restaurant in the city. Benefit: Creative and each time is a fresh venue.

IMPORTANT-Give this exercise a try and you will have a book of creative ideas that will inject imagination and thoughtfulness into your relationship at every turn. (If you can't think of 12 things for a certain "like" or "love" 10 will do; 8 will do; even 6 will do as long as you tried your, yes you guessed it, BEST!

There is a saying that goes something like, "It's the thought that counts." Hogwash, I say it's the thought and the action that counts. This is not meant to be easy, but then again, for the right person it can be...Wink!