Good life secrets

That’s where the fourth secret comes in: get your priorities right; use your resources wisely; stay focused; develop the right relations; don’t be greedy; and don’t be complacent.

Developing problem-solving skills

Work out an interesting solution . . .

. . . and then make the problem fit the solution. For example, you might decide the solution is “42,” or “a week on Tuesday,” or “Chicago,” or “a bag of apples.” How do you then get from the problem to that solution?

Phrases

Laughter is the best medicine.

laughter

Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Related to laughter: Laughter is the best medicine

laugh·ter

  (lăf′tər, läf′-)

n.

1. The act of laughing.

2. The sound produced by laughing.

3. Archaic A cause or subject for laughter.

laugh

  (lăf, läf)

v. laughed, laugh·ing, laughs

v.intr.

1. To express certain emotions, especially mirth or delight, by a series of spontaneous, usually unarticulated sounds often accompanied by corresponding facial and bodily movements.

2. To show or feel amusement or good humor: an experience we would laugh about later on.

3.

a. To feel or express derision or contempt; mock: I had to laugh when I saw who my opponent was.

b. To feel a triumphant or exultant sense of well-being: You won't be laughing when the truth comes out.

4. To produce sounds resembling laughter: parrots laughing and chattering in the trees.

Morning thoughts

I love myself.
I believe in myself.
I appreciate myself.

Developing problem-solving skills

Push yourself to the edge

When we push ourselves to the limits of our ability, we take a risk. We may fail. That’s OK, it has simply shown that we have gone further than our level of competence for the moment and is giving us the opportunity to learn a bit more.

Developing problem-solving skills

Draw a diagram of the problem

Get a sheet of paper and draw a diagram or picture of the issue. It will tap into your creative thinking mode and allow you to see it in a different way. Use colors to illustrate the different aspects of the problem.

Developing problem-solving skills

Break it up

When a problem seems large and overwhelming, take heart in the knowledge that you don’t need to deal with it all at once. You can break it up into bite-sized chunks, separating it into its different
components, and tackle them one at a time.

Morning thoughts

"I was blessed with certain gifts and talents and God gave them to me to be the best person I can be and to have a positive impact on other people."
Bryan Clay

Developing problem-solving skills

Discuss the problem in a different environment

Instead of the usual sitting round a table, you will most likely think differently if you change the environment. Can people sit under the table; sit with their backs to one another; sit in the dark; sit or stand under a tree; sit in the car overlooking the sea; sit on cushions in a circle . . . ?

Developing problem-solving skills

Write down or draw the problem using
different materials

Use something different to write on, such as wallpaper, aluminium foil, a beer coaster, the inner side of a cereal box, a window, or an old shirt.
Use something different to write with: chalk, lipstick, a small paintbrush dipped in ketchup, a large paint brush and a tin of purple paint, a typewriter, erasable marker pens. Or go to the beach and draw
it in the sand.
Taking ourselves out of our usual way of problem-solving may lead to innovative solutions.

Developing problem-solving skills

What’s the size of the problem?

Alternatively, for minor decisions, you could take the time to weigh up all the pros and cons. For large, life-changing decisions, let the answer come from deep within yourself.

Morning thoughts

WHY TODAY MATTERS?
"Today is not just any ordinary day. Today is a day that matters. Today you will have the choice to make a difference in your life and those around you. Today you will have the choice to smile rather than frown, be grateful rather than selfish, lift up rather than put down, accept rather than reject and love rather than hate. Today you will have the choice of seeking hope for the future or remain in the hopelessness of the past. Today you have the choice to laugh or cry. Both will make you feel better. Today you will have the undivided attention of the King of the Universe. At that time you can ask Him anything you want. You can ask for help, plead for a friend or just enjoy His presence. It all depends on you. Whichever you choose, today matters. Make the choice to make it a day worth living. And don't forget, tomorrow is another day."
Copyright © 2015 Tom Krause

Morning thoughts

"One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation." --Arthur Ashe

Morning thoughts

"When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around." --Willie Nelson

Developing problem-solving skills

Give yourself boundaries

When people have too much freedom to mull over an issue it can be difficult to narrow things down, so set parameters to allow for focus.
For example, give yourself a time limit of ten minutes to brainstorm; or think of eight ways to de-clutter; or write down possible solutions on a 6" by 6" piece of paper; or only look at one very small part of the issue.

boundaries

 (bown'dăr-ēz),

In psychiatry and psychology, various guidelines that define the role of the mental health professional and the setting and scope of the therapeutic interaction to provide a sage therapeutic environment clearly differentiated from that of a social environment. This will facilitate optimal therapeutic benefit to the patient and limit any personal gratification to the therapist save that derived from the therapeutic work itself.

Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

boun·da·ries

 (bown'dăr-ēz)

The limits of one's personal space, including physical, psychosocial, and interpersonal domains.

LeAnn Rimes - "How Do I Live"

How do I get through a night without you
If I had to live without you
What kind of life would that be
For a while, I need you in my arms
Need you to hold
You're my world, my heart, my soul
If you ever leave
Baby you would take away everything good in my life

And tell me now
How do I live without you
I want to know
How do I breathe without you
If you ever go
How do I ever, ever survive
How do I
How do I
Oh, how do I live

Without you, there would be no sun in my sky
There would be no love in my life
There would be no world left for me
And I, oh Baby, I don't know what I would do
I'd be lost if I lost you
If you ever leave
Baby, you would take away everything real in my lifeAnd tell me now
How do I live without you
I want to know
How do I breathe without you
If you ever go
How do I ever, ever survive
How do I
How do I
Oh, how do I live
Please tell me baby...

If you ever leave
Baby, you would take away everything
Need you with me
Baby, don't you know that you're everything good in my life

And tell me now
How do I live without you
I want to know
How do I breathe without you
If you ever go
How do I ever, ever survive
How do I
How do I
Oh, how do I live

Morning thoughts

Obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eyes off his goal.

Morning thoughts

"Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." --Christopher Robin

Morning thoughts

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." --Eleanor Roosevelt

Tina Turner - The best

I call you when I need you my heart's on fire
You come to me, come to me wild and wild
When you come to me Give me everything I need

Give me a lifetime of promises and a world of dreams
Speak a language of love like You know what it means
And it can't be wrong
Take my heart and make it strong, baby

You're simply the best, better than all the rest
Better than anyone, anyone I've ever met
I'm stuck on your heart
I hang on every word you say tear us apart
Baby, I would rather be dead


In your heart I see the star of every night and every day
In your eyes I get lost, I get washed away
Just as long as I'm here in your arms I could be in no better place

You're simply the best, better than all the rest
Better than anyone, anyone I've ever met
I'm stuck on your heart
I hang on every word you say tear us apart, no, no
Baby I would rather be dead


Each time you leave me I start losing control
You're walking away with my heart and my soul
I can feel you even when I'm alone
Oh, baby, don't let go

Developing problem-solving skills

The learning process

It’s useful to remember that the process of learning may very well include experiencing attempts that don’t work. They are not necessarily mistakes; they are an integral part of the learning process. In the words of Thomas A. Edison, “I have not failed. I’ve just found ten thousand ways that won’t work.”

Developing problem-solving skills

There may be more than one solution

If people hold the belief that there is a right way to solve a problem or that there is only one solution, then it is likely to hinder creative thinking and problem-solving ability. Many issues have more than one possible solution. As the old saying goes, “There is more than one way to crack a nut.”

Developing problem-solving skills

Devise an impossible solution

Ask yourself, “What is an impossible way to solve this problem?”
Nelson Mandela said “It always seems impossible until it’s done,” and what might have seemed impossible at one point in time may now be very commonplace. Perhaps you could be a leader in doing something in a completely new way.

Developing problem-solving skills

Devise a ridiculous solution

Ask yourself, “What is the most ridiculous way to solve this problem?” Brainstorm on your own or with others and write everything down, no matter how ridiculous or off-topic. When finished, analyze and
adapt any ideas that look like possibilities. A quirky suggestion may end up being the best solution or a catalyst for useful ideas.

Developing problem-solving skills

Brainstorm fast

Brainstorm as fast as you can without assessing the ideas, simply letting them flow. Set yourself a time frame, for example, fifty ideas in five or ten minutes. You can evaluate later.

Morning thoughts

"Persons of high self-esteem are not driven to make themselves superior to others; they do not seek to prove their value by measuring themselves against a comparative standard. Their joy is being who they are, not in being better than someone else." --Nathaniel Branden

Morning thoughts

"You yourself, as much as anyone in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection." --Buddha

Morning thoughts

"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within." --Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Developing problem-solving skills

Failed?

Have you failed somewhere along the way so that you now have a problem? Don’t worry. In the words of Henry Ford, “Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” The most successful people have failed, and usually failed many times. What makes them successful is that failure holds no fear for them, and that they don’t give up when things become challenging.
Failure doesn’t generally happen in one fell swoop; failure is usually the result of small behaviors that are repeated regularly. Look back to the beginnings of the problem. What are the behaviors—and the beliefs that led to the behaviors—that have taken things off track? What are alternative, and more effective, behaviors to adopt?

Morning thoughts

"Always be yourself and have faith in yourself. Do not go out and look for a successful personality and try to duplicate it." --Bruce Lee

Developing problem-solving skills

What’s your gut feeling?

Some studies show that following your intuition and making a decision based on instinct can often be the best decision, as it is based on our own innate wisdom. It’s especially useful when you don’t have time to do the research and weigh up all the pros and cons.
A hunch, a whim, or a strange urge could all be giving us helpful, “higher level” messages. And the more we honor the messages we are getting, the more we can develop our intuition and the more we
can deliberately tune in to it.

hunch

  (hŭnch)

n.

1. An intuitive feeling or a premonition: had a hunch that he would lose.

2. A hump.

3. A lump or chunk: "She ... cut herself another hunch of bread" (Virginia Woolf).

4. A push or shove.

v. hunched, hunch·ing, hunch·es

v.tr.

1. To bend or draw up into a hump: I hunched my shoulders against the wind.

2. To push or shove.

v.intr.

1. To assume a crouched or cramped posture: The cat hunched in a corner.

2. To thrust oneself forward.

whim

  (wĭm, hwĭm)

n.

1. A sudden or capricious idea; a fancy.

2. Arbitrary thought or impulse: governed by whim.

3. A vertical horse-powered drum used as a hoist in a mine

Morning thoughts

"The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it." --J.M. Barrie

Morning thoughts

"If you are insecure, guess what? The rest of the world is too. Do not overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think." --T. Harv Eker

Developing problem-solving skills

There may be more than one solution

If people hold the belief that there is a right way to solve a problem or that there is only one solution, then it is likely to hinder creative thinking and problem-solving ability. Many issues have more than
one possible solution. As the old saying goes, “There is more than one way to crack a nut.”

Morning thoughts

"The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing you fear and get a record of successful experiences behind you." --William Jennings Bryan

Morning thoughts

One small positive thought in the morning can change the entire outcome of your day!

Morning thoughts

Opportunities are everywhere. It’s up to me to find (or create) them and make things happen.

Developing problem-solving skills

Write a haiku of your problem

Can you express your problem in a different and creative way, for example, with a poem? Writing poetry engages a creative part of the brain and can help you think about the issue differently.

A haiku is a short seventeen syllable poem. It consists of three lines, where the first line has five syllables, the second has seven, and the third has five.

For example, if your issue was, “I don’t like working long hours,” you may express this in a haiku as:
Monday to Friday
Too many working hours
My kids losing out

Morning thoughts

Busy is a choice, stressed is a choice, joy is a choice. Choose well.

Developing problem-solving skills

Get the best from brainstorming

One option is to ask people to brainstorm on their own first, and then come together as a group. This may prevent any domineering types having too much influence on the process and “squashing” the introvert types.
To brainstorm well, generate as many ideas as possible and write them all down, rejecting nothing.
Then look at each idea in turn and consider its merits.

Developing problem-solving skills

Don’t wait for someone else to sort it out

There’s a problem, so set about sorting it out.

Developing problem-solving skills

Avoid looking for people to blame

It’s a waste of energy and time looking for someone to blame. There’s a problem, so set about sorting it out.

Developing problem-solving skills

What is the problem?

Take time to figure out what the problem really is. It may not be what it appears to be on the surface.
What is the underpinning question?

Developing problem-solving skills

Get an overview
Get to the heart of the issue and work out, on a scale of 1–10, how big the problem is. Having perspective will help with decision making.
In addition, ask yourself if you are doing anything, or if anything is currently happening, that can make it worse.

Developing problem-solving skills

See it from another’s viewpoint (4)
How do different cultures or countries deal with the same issue? We can get so used to the cultural norms that surround us that we may not be aware of completely different ways of looking at issues and solving problems. Examine different countries’ cultural perspectives.
How, for example, might someone from East Africa deal with the issue of losing weight; what might someone from China view as a good way to amend the school curriculum; what strategy might
someone living on a base in Antarctica adopt to keep fit?

Developing problem-solving skills

See it from another’s viewpoint (2)
Imagine you are someone else, a completely different person, real or imagined, and think about how they would tackle it.
For example, how would Bill Gates tackle it? Oprah Winfrey? Barack Obama? Donald Trump? Lady Gaga? Captain Kirk? Your neighbour? One of your high school teachers? The Chief Exec in your
workplace? Your auntie? The founder of a supermarket chain? The president of your sports club? A psychologist? Your doctor?

Developing problem-solving skills

See it from another’s viewpoint (3)

Research how people in different disciplines have dealt with similar issues. If it is a work problem, for example, explore how other industries have tackled the same or similar issues. They may have approached it from a different angle, found a very simple solution, changed tack, or used different instruments or technologies. Analyze what they have done and see how it can be applied to your situation.

Developing problem-solving skills

See it from another’s viewpoint (1)

Talk to someone very different from you and ask how they would go about solving the problem. It could be someone much older, much younger, from a different culture, from a different background,
from a different line of work, or a child.
Their life experiences and ways of thinking may shed a new light on the issue and allow you to see it from a different angle. Being able to think in a different way may provide the start of a solution for you.
The other person may not even see it as a problem, and may in fact help you see the issue in a positive or different light.

Morning thoughts

It’s exhausting to fight a war inside your head every single day.

Developing creative thinking

Go against the flow

Think of some of the current trends and work out a way to effectively do the opposite. For example, what’s a good alternative to: being connected via technology all the time; eating breakfast, lunch, and evening meals; owning a home; saving for retirement; keeping up to date with the news; or buying from supermarkets? You don’t necessarily have to do them; the act of thinking them through will serve to hone your creativity.

Developing creative thinking

Watch a short video (1)
Log onto the Internet, go to a video-sharing website, and watch a video on something you know little about.

Developing creative thinking

Find out about something new

Log on to the Internet, put your cursor in the search box, close your eyes, and type letters randomly. Follow some of the links it brings up.

Developing creative thinking

Watch a short video (2)

Go to a video-sharing website, put your cursor in the search box, close your eyes, and type letters randomly. Watch one of the videos it brings up.

Developing creative thinking

Learn a list
For example: the ten tallest mountains in the world; the NATO phonetic alphabet; the winners of the Super Bowl for the last ten years; or the countries in South America. Or perhaps something longer, like a list of the elements in the periodic table. Try singing the list! It can be an effective learning tool.

Morning thoughts

Be determined to be happy and cheerful in everything that you do.

Developing creative thinking

Talk to extreme people

Talk to quirky people, eccentric people, highly successful people, uncompromising people, snobbish people, condescending people, imaginative people, goofy people. You can gain inspiration from people with very different viewpoints.

Developing creative thinking

Read something different (1)

Go to the library or to a book shop and borrow or buy a book or a magazine from a section you don’t normally go to.
Then try reading it from different perspectives: think about what you get from it when you read it, if anything. Why would others want to read a book like that? What would they get from it? What would make them want to read another in the same genre? What made the author write it? What is their passion for the subject? What research did they have to do?

Developing creative thinking

Take a different route

Often we travel to places using the same route and the same method of travel. Try varying it. Drive home down different streets, go visit your relatives taking a longer way round, park your car several
hundred yards from your destination and walk down a new road to get there. Anything to break a habit. To enhance the experience, make a mental note of what you notice when you go a different route.

Developing creative thinking

Passwords

Try using different passwords for all your apps, accounts, and so on. It will stimulate the brain into thinking up new passwords—and in a format you are likely to remember them—as well as the process for remembering them.

Developing creative thinking

Learn a new skill

Enroll in a course to study something different in order to stimulate your brain. Have you thought about Japanese cooking, Feldenkrais, belly dancing, dealing with altitude sickness, special-effects makeup?

Developing creative thinking

Juxtapose

Put very different things next to each other—items, ideas, thoughts, concepts. For example, the very old and the very new, the traditional and the non-traditional, the sensible and the ridiculous; a children’s
picture book next to a quantum mechanics book, an analogue time piece next to a digital time piece, a vintage dress next to a modern dress. Imagine Einstein next to Bill Gates, Abraham Lincoln next to Bill
Clinton, Leonardo da Vinci next to Richard Branson. What do you notice? What thoughts or ideas does it spark?

Developing creative thinking

Sit in a different seat

Most people seem to be creatures of habit and sit in the same or similar seat at home, at meetings, on the bus, at the dinner table. Sometimes simply sitting in a different seat will give you a different view and potentially a different way of looking at or thinking about something. You may find that you notice something different, and if other people have to move, too, they may also notice new things.

Developing creative thinking

Eat or drink something different

When food shopping, buy a type of food you have eaten before but have never bought; buy a type of food you have never eaten and learn how to cook it; find a different way of using the kinds of foods
you already use; try out a new recipe; try unusual combinations of food or drink; when eating out order something that you have never tried; go to a different nationality of restaurant to the types you usually go to and try some of their food.

Morning thoughts

"It is confidence in our bodies, minds, and spirits that allows us to keep looking for new adventures." --Oprah Winfrey

Developing creative thinking

Turn it around

Take a picture, painting, or photograph and turn it upside down. Imagine that it’s meant to look like that and work out what the artist or photographer was trying to get across.

Developing creative thinking

De-clutter and be inspired

When you are de-cluttering and come across items you had forgotten about or didn’t know you had, work out ways they may be useful, either in a traditional or a non-traditional way, for yourself or for
someone else.

Developing creative thinking

De-clutter

Get rid of unwanted mess to free up space in your head for being creative. Do it in short bursts if you like: the bathroom cabinet; the compartments in your vehicle; your purse; your inbox; a bookshelf; a
kitchen cupboard; under the bed; or the shelves in the closet.

Developing creative thinking

Turn it around

Take a picture, painting, or photograph and turn it upside down. Imagine that it’s meant to look like that and work out what the artist or photographer was trying to get across.
Do a drawing upside down If you turn a picture upside down and then copy it, it can help stimulate the right side of the brain.
Start with a fairly simple line drawing.
Instead of seeing what you expect to see, you will need to develop your skills of observation—things don’t look familiar when they are upside down. You will see combinations of lines and shading rather
than familiar shapes.

Developing creative thinking

Take a break from being sensible

What is the safe, sensible way to do something? OK, now work out the impractical way to do it. It will require you to try a different kind of thinking.

. . . Or take a break from being impractical

If you generally aren’t sensible, have a go at that for a change! What might be the sensible alternative to the way you usually do something?

im·prac·ti·cal

adj.

1. Unwise to implement or maintain in practice: Refloating the sunken ship proved impractical because of the great expense.

2. Incapable of dealing efficiently with practical matters, especially finances.

3. Not a part of experience, fact, or practice; theoretical.

4. Impracticable. See Usage Note at impracticable.

Developing creative thinking

Come out of your comfort zone

Keep your brain active by undertaking activities that take you out of your comfort zone. Can you offer to speak at the next staff meeting; make contact with a neighbour you haven’t yet spoken to; organize an event; design a poster; redecorate a room in a different style; or learn a new sport?

Morning thoughts

I haven’t failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.

Developing creative thinking

Ask questions

Sometimes our creativity may be blocked, and we find it hard to think up new ideas. One of the ways to deal with this is to ask relevant questions. If using the starter “What can you suggest that would
make having gray hair appear fashionable?” try asking a few questions. For example: Who has gray hair and is fashionable? How have they managed that? Who has gray hair but isn’t fashionable? What’s the difference? When do people with gray hair get described as fashionable?
Using Who, What, Why, When, Where, and How questions will usually get the ideas flowing.

Developing creative thinking

Use your non-dominant hand

    Your dominant hand is linked to the opposite side of the brain, so if we spend time using our non-dominant hand it can stimulate the other side of the brain.
    Our right brain is generally deemed to be associated with creativity, intuition, thoughtfulness, perception, and emotions, while our left brain is associated with logic, language, numbers, intellect, and reasoning.
    As it’s not so common to undertake activities where we use both hands, our dominant hand does most of the work. Some studies show that we activate one hemisphere when we use our dominant hand but activate both when we use our non-dominant hand.
    How can we use our non-dominant hand? How about: writing the alphabet; drawing a simple picture of a house; tracing over a drawing; brushing your teeth; doing household chores such as pegging
out the washing or dusting; making something with toy bricks or play dough; dealing playing cards; combing your hair; turning the pages of a book . . .
    When developing any new skill, note that there will be aspects you find challenging and frustrating, and you will think you are going backward, but perseverance is everything!

Developing creative thinking

Go somewhere else

Come out of your usual environment and allow your mind to be stimulated by new images, sounds, and smells. Go to the beach, to a forest, on a train, the kind of café you would never go to, the zoo, an old church, a graveyard, a busy shopping mall, a museum, on a ferry . . .

Developing creative thinking

Meditate

Give yourself and your mind a break from the busyness of life. As you let your brain reach a peaceful, calm level, you are more likely to become aware of the creative thoughts that were previously hidden to you.
Through regular meditation you can train your mind to focus and to access the creative space more easily.
You can choose your own form of meditation or use guided meditations and meditation music specifically for creativity.

Developing creative thinking

Lyrics
Learn the lyrics of a song.
Learn the lyrics of a song in a different language.

Developing creative thinking

Learn something from other people

Ask someone who is knowledgeable on a topic you know very little about to explain it to you.

Developing creative thinking

Plan

Take time to plan something you don’t normally plan. For example: the weekly meals; a quiet weekend at home; how to spruce up the garden; a room-by-room spring clean of your house; evening classes you want to take over the next year; or a fitness regime.

Developing creative thinking

Avoid over-planning

When starting on a new venture or project, don’t aim for perfection before you start. Grasp the essence of it, start with what you’ve got, and then make it better as you go.

Developing creative thinking

Make something you haven’t made before

For example: a greeting card; a cushion cover; a cork notice board; a coaster from popsicle sticks; a scarf; a stress ball; a mini hot house for growing seeds using a plastic drink bottle and a plant pot; a video; a podcast.

Developing creative thinking

Look at an online forum

Think of a topic you know little or nothing about. Find an online forum and see what you can learn, not just about the topic but about the kind of people it attracts and their way of thinking.

Developing creative thinking

Surround yourself with creative people

Mixing with creative people will be more beneficial to developing your creative thinking than surrounding yourself with traditional thinkers!

Developing creative thinking

Write anything
If you decide to write and find you have a version of writer’s block, write down just anything at all.
Then leave it for a while and come back to it. It may spark other ideas. It may also let you know the track you shouldn’t be going down.

Morning thoughts

Having one positive thought in the morning can inspire your entire day.

Developing creative thinking

Change a routine
Vary some of your routines so you don’t go into automatic pilot. Do you shower, get dressed, have breakfast? Could you shower, have breakfast, and then get dressed? Do you come home and watch TV every Friday? Could you instead ask a friend round and cook a meal together, or read a book, or do some DIY? Do you get up in the morning, access the Internet, and check your emails? Could you get up, do some gentle exercise, get ready, and then check your emails? Any changes in routine can help keep your brain active.

Morning thoughts

Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.

Morning thoughts

Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven’t planted.

Developing creative thinking

Go against the flow

Think of some of the current trends and work out a way to effectively do the opposite. For example, what’s a good alternative to: being connected via technology all the time; eating breakfast, lunch, and evening meals; owning a home; saving for retirement; keeping up to date with the news; or buying from supermarkets? You don’t necessarily have to do them; the act of thinking them through will serve to hone your creativity.

Developing creative thinking

Read something different (2)
Read a part of a newspaper or magazine that generally wouldn’t appeal to you. Read it well enough so you could have a discussion with someone about it.

Development Creative thinking

Trust in yourself
Even if you don’t feel creative, it’s said that we all have creative ability, and you may be using your creativity without even realizing it. You may, for example, devise a new recipe, choose and arrange the
furniture in an aesthetically pleasing way, have the skill to style your daughter’s hair, or be able to write an interesting email or memo.
Trust that you have an innate ability to be creative. If nothing comes to mind, don’t put pressure on yourself; simply leave it for a while and allow the ideas to come when they are ready.
Ideas have a habit of happening at unexpected times, perhaps when you are out for a walk, in the bath, or about to drop off to sleep, for instance. Devise a way of making a note of these, for example, by
keeping pen and paper on the bedside table or by using your cell phone to write a memo or record yourself speaking.

Morning thoughts

Positive thinking evokes more energy more initiative more happiness.

Morning thoughts

Now, as we close one chapter, the pen is gradually inking up, preparing itself to write the next.

Developing creative thinking

Create the right conditions

The ideal conditions for thinking creatively vary from person to person, so choose the optimum environment for you. It may be total peace and quiet in a warm room, listening to music, sitting in a room with mood lighting, having a deadline, working on your own, or working with someone else.
If the conditions aren’t right for you, it could produce the opposite effect and your creativity may be suppressed.

Traffic sign or Road sign

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_sign

Color schemes

The North American, Australian and New Zealand colors normally have these meanings:

• red with white for stop signs, yield, and forbidden actions (such as No Parking)
• green with white letters for informational signs, such as directions, distances, and places
• brown with white letters for signs to parks, historic sites, ski areas, forests, and campgrounds
• blue with white symbols (or business logos) for rest areas, food, gasoline, hospitals, lodging, and other services
• white with black (or red) letters for regulatory signs, such as speed limits (or parking)
• yellow with black letters and symbols for warning signs, such as curves and school zones
• orange with black letters for temporary traffic control zones and detours associated with road construction^[1]
• purple for "lanes restricted to use only by vehicles with registered electronic toll collection (ETC) accounts",^[2] such as EZPass.
• black with white letters or arrows for lane use.^[3]

Here are descriptions of common traffic signs and what they indicate:

REGULATION SIGNS:

  Stop Sign    

COLOR: Red, with white letters.

MEANING: Come to a full stop, yield the right-of-way to vehicles and pedestrians in or heading toward the intersection. Go when it is safe. You must come to a stop before the stop line, if there is one. If not, you must stop before you enter the crosswalk.  (See "Stop and Crosswalk Lines" under the "Pavement Markings" section of this chapter.)  If there is no stop line or crosswalk, you must stop before you enter the intersection, at the point nearest the intersection that gives you a view of traffic on the intersecting roadway.

  Yield Sign     

COLOR: Red and white, with red letters.

MEANING: Decrease speed as you reach the intersection. Prepare to stop and yield the right-of-way to vehicles and pedestrians in or heading toward the intersection. You must come to a full stop at a YIELD sign if traffic conditions require it. When you approach a YIELD sign, check carefully for traffic and be prepared to stop.

 Other Regulation Signs      

COLOR: White, with black and/or red letters or symbols.

MEANING: These signs give information about rules for traffic direction, lane use, turns, speed, parking and other special requirements.

Some regulation signs have a red circle with a slash over a symbol.  This indicates that an action, like a right turn, is not allowed or that some vehicles are restricted from the road. Rectangular white signs with black or red letters or symbols are indications to be alert for special rules.

WARNING SIGNS:  

    

COLOR: Yellow, with black letters or symbols.

MEANING: You are approaching a hazardous location or a location where there is a special rule, as shown in the sample signs. Sometimes a warning sign is joined with a yellow and black "recommended speed" sign. This indicates reduced speed is advised in that area.

  

 Work Area Signs     

COLOR: Orange, with black letters or symbols.

MEANING: People are at work on or near the roadway and traffic can be controlled by a flag person. A work area speed limit as low as 25 MPH (40 km/h) can be posted.  Even if no speed limit is provided, you must drive at a reduced speed through the work zone and you must always obey the flag persons. These illustrations show some signals a flag person will use. Know and obey them.

STOP 

PROCEED

SLOW

 Destination Signs     

COLOR: Green, with white letters.

MEANING: Show the direction and distance to locations.

Route Signs    

COLOR: Varied.

MEANING: Indicate interstate, U.S., state or county routes. The shape tells you the type of route you are on. The sample signs, left to right, are for state, U.S., and interstate routes. When you plan a trip, use a highway map to decide which routes to take. During the trip, watch for destination signs so you will not get lost, or have to turn or stop suddenly.

Service Signs  

COLOR: Blue, with white letters or symbols.

MEANING: Show the location of services, like rest areas, gas stations, camping and medical facilities.

from: https://dmv.ny.gov/about-dmv/chapter-4-traffic-control-2#pav-mar

Morning thoughts

"Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy." --Dale Carnegie

Traffoc Officers

Traffic Officers

Directions given by traffic officers take precedence over signs, signals or pavement markings. If a traffic officer signals you to stop at a green light, for example, you must stop. If an officer signals you to drive through a red light or stop sign, you must do it.

Among the persons authorized to direct traffic are police officers, fire police, highway work area flag persons, and school crossing persons.  

Questions

Before you move on to Chapter 5, make sure you can identify the signs in this chapter and know what they mean. Also, make sure you can answer these questions:

• A regulation sign is normally what shape?
• What is the normal color and shape of a warning sign?
• What color and shape is a destination sign?
• What must you do at a STOP sign?
• What must you do when facing each of the following: a flashing red light, flashing yellow light, steady yellow light, a red light with a green arrow?
• What does it indicate if an edge line angles in toward the center of the road?
• What do each of these lines indicate: one broken, one solid, double solid, solid and broken together?
• If an intersection has crosswalk lines but no STOP line, where must you stop for a red light at that intersection?
• What type of pavement marking is used to show you which lane you must use for a turn?
• Which of the following must you obey over the other three: steady red light, flashing red light, STOP sign, police officer?

Pavement Markings

Pavement Markings

Lines and symbols on the roadway divide lanes and tell you when you can pass other vehicles or change lanes.  They also tell you which lanes to use for turns and where you must stop for signs or traffic signals. The arrows on these illustrations show the direction of traffic.

Edge and Lane Lines

Solid lines along the side of the road tell you where its edge is - where the travel lane ends and the shoulder begins. It is illegal to drive across the edge line, except when told to by a police officer or other authorized official or when allowed by an official sign. An edge line that angles toward the center of the road shows that the road is narrower ahead. Lines that separate lanes of traffic that moves in the same direction are white.

Lines that separate traffic that moves in opposite directions are yellow. There may be two lines between lanes and lines can be solid or broken.  Read Chapter 6 for the rules on how to pass other vehicles.

What some lane lines indicate:

One broken line: You can pass other vehicles or change lanes if you can safely and not interfere with traffic.

Solid line with broken line: If you are on the side with the solid line, you cannot pass other vehicles or go across the line except to make a left turn into a driveway. If you are on the side with the broken line, you can pass if it is safe to and you will not interfere with traffic.

Double solid lines: You can not pass or change lanes. You can not go across the lines except to turn left to enter or leave the highway (e.g., to or from a driveway or to do a U-turn see Chapter 5).

  

One solid line: You can pass other vehicles or change lanes, but you can only do so when obstructions in the road or traffic conditions make it necessary.

Stop and Crosswalk Lines:  At an intersection controlled by a STOP sign, YIELD sign or traffic light, there can be a white stop line painted across the lane, and/ or two parallel lines or light, you must reach the stop line, if there is one, or the crosswalk. You need a stop line or crosswalk if required to by a light, sign or traffic officer, or to yield to a pedestrian, in-line skater or scooter at a marked or unmarked crosswalk.  (See "Pedestrians" in Chapter 11).

   

Arrows: Arrows show which lanes you must use. In this illustration, for example, you can turn right only from the right lane. To go straight, you must use the left lane. You must be in the correct lane before you reach the solid line that separates the lanes.

Diamond Symbol:  This symbol indicates reserved lanes for buses, HOV (High­ Occupancy Vehicles) like car-pools and van-pools, bicycles or other special vehicles.  You cannot enter and use these lanes unless your vehicle complies with the occupancy or other requirements indicated by signs for the times the special conditions are in effect. When used to designate reserved lanes on city streets, sections of the solid white line that separates the diamond lanes from the normal lanes can be replaced by broken white lines. In these locations, non-HOV can enter the HOV lane if they make a right turn at the next intersection. Bus lanes and HOV lanes are to promote the most efficient use of limited street and highway capacity. They assure that vehicles with the highest importance move the fastest.

from: https://dmv.ny.gov/about-dmv/chapter-4-traffic-control-2#pav-mar