Eliminate - omit; take away; get rid of. Sometimes a problem is a problem simply because there is a clutter of extra stuff. So... what could you get rid of to make something better?

Elaborate - add details; make something new by adding on to something already created.

Describe - give a picture in words or help others better understand words by drawing an illustration. Some problems are made easier by simply describing them. Expressing a problem in words or through a drawing often leads to insights that make things plainer and help you figure out a solution.

Combine - join or put things together to create something completely new. Erasers at first were not on pencils!

Rearrange - move things around; place parts in a different order. Sometimes we already have everything we need to solve a problem, but the parts of the solution aren't arranged properly. Rearranging often makes things work better.

Classify - group, sort, or categorize objects, ideas, or people. Grouping things can help solve problems. 

Substitute - put one thing in place of another. This helps you see other options that may actually be better than what you started with!

Reduce - decrease; lessen; make smaller; miniaturize. Think small. Oftentimes, something smaller is easier to handle!

Exaggerate - make outrageous, stretch the idea; make bigger; to magnify.  This gives a new look that calls attention!

Compare - contrast one thing with another, who what's different and alike. This helps us see the key parts of a thing or idea that we might have missed and helps us come up with new solutions.

Associate - pair up; relate one thing to another; form a mental connection between things. This gets ideas flowing and sparks new ideas that help us get past a creative block.

Hypothesize - assume, suppose; make a good guess based on your knowledge. Sometimes when a problem is hard to solve, you can make it easier by standing back from the problem and making a good guess. The guess is a starting point as you work to solve the problem. Your guess may be wrong, but it helps you begin to think.

Symbolize - represent; stand for, what a thing represents or suggests. Symbolism is a way of solving problems. Symbols convey a wealth of information and ideas without using any words! Symbols encourage us to think about many aspects of ideas.

Separate - divide; take apart; break into component parts. This helps you get a new perspective on a problem.

Reverse - make opposite; turn backwards; reflect as if in a mirror. Reversing makes things look different and often solve problems. Some call this working backwards.

Visualization - imagining in the mind's eye what a thing could be or could accomplish.  To imagine.

Divergent Thinking - brainstorming. Thinking up many ideas and not judging any of them for value. Sometimes ideas that might seem stupid at first turn out to be pretty great!

Convergent Thinking - thinking about all the possibilities and all the facts and then coming up with a solution.

Put to Other Uses - thinking of many ways one object or idea can be used in other settings.

Turn Things Around

Imagine What Others Need or Would Like

Shake things up!

Integrity!

Get involved...

Infuse creativity into all of life!

Uses unusual things in unusual ways!

Redefine...

Exaggggggggerate!

Practice.  Practicing doesn't only make you better at what you are doing, but it also opens your mind up to new ideas!

Creativity grows with a positive attitude --
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CREATIVE THINKING SKILL:  EMBRACE MIRACLES
Miraculous people and miraculous events open our eyes to possibilities, enhancing the joy and freedom of embracing life!

​more coming ---