Why we're starting a 'Mini-C' Creativity Revolution
Why we're starting a 'Mini-C' Creativity Revolution
You don't have to hit the lotto each time you create.
Head in the Clouds is a publication + educational resource from Daydreamers. At Daydreamers, weâve turned Creative Health into a way of being - for everyone. We built the Daydreamers Universe to rebel against the stressors of modern life, and harness our human superpower - creativity - for well-being, power + fulfillment.
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After writing a free newsletter about the science of Creative Health for 2 years, weâve transitioned our content into the private Daydreamers Ecosystem. This is an excerpt of the type of content we share on the Daydreamers platform.
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Hey there,
DD HQ here. Do you ever think: Iâm ânotâ creative?
Maybe youâve always been intimidated by creativity. Or maybe you consider yourself a capital-A Artist. Either way, collectively, weâve been both enamoured with and intimidated by the potential of our creative brain.
In a world thatâs driven by innovative achievements and continuous output, itâs understandable. Even more, weâre at a history-bending time when our human creativity is at its most fragile: Weâve been conditioned to create like we have to win the lotto, the potential to go viral lurking behind every post; while also knowing it can all be taken away at any momentâŚby robots.
Weâve been contemplating these ideas - hard - at Daydreamers HQ and within the walls of our Early Access community of âmini câ creators. In short, the answer to our creativity problem is simple: weâve been thinking about it all wrong.
Weâll explain the science and history behind why in a moment, but think of it this way - weâve all been striving to win the Creativity Trophy at the top of the mountain, instead of building a strong foundation to get there (if we want). Weâve been taught to aim for the once-in-a-blue-moon Creativity, instead of creative thought, expression and inspiration in everyday moments.
So, itâs never felt more timely to declare: Daydreamers is starting a mini-c revolution. Hereâs why.
Expanding your POV: Creativity isnât just about getting famous
Did you know there are 4 different kinds of creativity?
Probably not. Thatâs because for centuries, weâve only been obsessed with one - the one that makes us famous.
Before we myth-bust the heck out of that concept, letâs rewind history a bit. Nearly fifty years ago, scientists became really curious about creativity from a scientific POV. It - interestingly - coincided with our race to put humans on the moon, âwinâ wars and become a world superpower. These researchers (and their governments) had to know: how do we find, assess and cultivate the most creative among us?
It wasnât until Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi came onto the scene (our favorite creative brain here at Daydreamers) that we all realized creativity isnât just something for a select few; itâs hardwired into our human DNA. And with consistent exercise, something all of us have access to.
The problem, he nailed down, wasnât regarding individual talent; it was how we were judging creative outputs. This realization led to one of the most liberating scientific definition of all time, from our POV: The 4 Câs.
Creative name, we know đ . It seems simple on the surface of it, but no one had differentiated between the type of creativity it requires to get a person on the moon - and the type of creativity behind imagining a new walking route. Both are important for drastically different reasons.
In short, we can think of the 4 Câs like this:
Big C: World-changing creativity; found in bookstores + Nobel Prize inventions
Pro C: Professional creativity; found on Adobe Photoshop + a cobblerâs workshop
Little C: Hobbyist creativity; found in talent shows + on Tiktok
Mini C: The stuff weâre obsessed with at Daydreamers; any time you ask âwhat ifâŚ?â
Each type of creativity is valuable for different reasons. Big C Creativity may lead to transformational innovation in the world - while the individual creator may experience anguish and isolation.
Mini-c on the other hand, may not leave your own notebook, but scientifically, is the root of inspiration, flourishing, emotional regulation and resilience. Itâs the foundation of feeling most alive.
Even more - and the most fascinating, overlooked part to us at DD HQ is this: âThe many daily sparks of mini-c creativity are the breeding ground for more public and eminent forms of creativity.â
We canât change the world without exercising our creative brain consistently, first. And that is exactly why weâre building Daydreamers - mini-c creativity is where transformation happens on all fronts; in our own minds and on the world stage.
But, we know that this personal and cultural shift is easier said than done (thatâs why weâre building an entire company around it!). From our POV - the struggle often comes with rewiring our brain to appreciate the creative act, not just the output.
It isnât just a nice thing to do; hereâs why mini-c creativity matters.
Why this matters: Mini-C Is The Foundation of Creativity
Creativity doesnât just happen when we strive for the big, recognizable moments; itâs built in the small, everyday acts. The ones that serve as a foundation for our openness, flexibility and growth.
Mini-C creativity, according to the scientific literature, is defined as the stuff we often overlook. Itâs making new recipes or doodling during a meeting. The researchers say, ââŚunlike the other Câs, it focuses on cognitive acts more than tangible, observable creative products.â
But, just because weâre not producing anything, per say, doesnât mean itâs meaningless; mini-c creativity is actually at the basis for some of the most powerful well-being, cognitive and performance-driven changes weâve seen in the scientific realm.
Weâve talked about much of the well-being impact mini-c creativity can have in our past newsletters, but this one is our favorite. In 2020, researchers wanted to understand which well-being âinterventionâ had the biggest impact on resilience, happiness and mental health. And, more than mindfulness or optimism, it was mini-c creative flow.
Weâve seen this happen time and time again in our own Universe at Daydreamers. Our members - regardless of talent or creative comfort level - have transformed their emotions, perspectives and lives writ large by exercising their creativity consistently. Theyâve reduced their feelings of burnout by over 60% and tripled their energy, joy and fulfillment since joining DD.
We started Daydreamers because we knew that creativity was so much more expansive than Art. We were burned out, robotic, and unfulfilled - and even more, exhausted by the idea that everything in life needed to be an achievement. Couldnât our creative brains rejuvenate us personally and collectively, rather than become another monetized side-hustle?
We learned - and are still learning - that the core of creativity happens when have the pure audacity to engage in creative acts no one else may see. Itâs letting that small sliver of a question - âWhat if things could be differentâŚ?â - into the forefront of our mind, one that often gets stuck in the minutiae of daily life.
And, when we finally (finally!) listen to it, consistently, we can not only change the world, but more importantly, how we see it.
Weâre ready to start the mini-c creative revolution - are you ready to join us? đ¸
Katina + Dupi
and the entire team @ DD HQ
Experiment with the notion:
That âmini-c creativityâ is a vitamin for your creative brain.
THE WHY: Unlike weâve been taught, Big-C creations donât just drop out of the sky. Theyâre built based on the consistent, daily creative sparks that send our brain on a âpositive upward spiral.â And, even if you never care to climb the creative mountain, itâs improves your mental, emotional + cognitive health.
THE HOW: Aim for consistency over perfection. At Daydreamers, we frame mini-c creativity as an exercise. Just like you care for your physical health, you can prioritize your creative health, too. The best part? According to research, your creative âhighâ lasts for over 24 hours. Beat that running!
How the DD crew is doing it:
âI wouldnât have gotten to those realizations without drawing or creating something firstâŚIâm in a season of change that making me feel like the vision of myself is far different than I thought before. Like Iâm currently being molded like clay and playing with new creative endeavors. Being flexible to new things is helping me explore and expand who I am. Very exciting but slightly uncertain feeling :)â
DD Early Access Member, Alexa
Where our heads are at:
WEâVE BEEN READING: Your Brain on Art. We have a running book-list in the DD community, but this is the one weâre most excited about at HQ. Think of it like our reason for being, in book form đ§
AN IDEA WEâVE BEEN NOODLING ON: âAmateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.â â Written by Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. Inspired + shared by DD Member, Bill.
Up ahead: How weâre redefining creativity
01. Feeling inspired: The science of cultivating inspiration
02. Judging expression: Using cognitive offloading as a creative tool
03. Finding meaning: Assessing if creativity âcountsâ when itâs not shared
Did this newsletter expand your brain? Itâs our mission to give every single adult access to their natural creativity, and turn it into an active part of daily life. If this free resource changed your POV, share it with friends, too đđ˝