thecreativeverse creativity is our human superpower.
Yes, these are messy, chaotic times, full of turmoil and fear. But they’re also incredibly powerful times for us to remember that we don’t have to be victims of this era. We can turn chaos into power, when we lead with synergy, creativity, heart, and become stronger together.
The Creative Potential in the Middle – Our Collective Will
Action is the antidote to despair. ~ Joan Baez, American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist
There is no longer any doubt, that we stand at the precipice of a profound change cycle – a tumultuous crossroads where chaos and possibility are colliding. And that’s no coincidence (or surprising). As we’ve shared throughout our HTTE Series, we have been for some time, on a challenging trajectory of major transition and transformation and today, we find ourselves knee-deep in the first and most volatile phase of this evolutionary journey we at thecrv call Transition.
And Transition will be the most demanding cycle, emotionally and spiritually of all the three cycles of change (Transition, Transformation, and Evolution) because it requires letting go of what we’ve known, while simultaneously embracing the uncertain new. It’s the place where the familiar crumbles and new, fresh foundations form, which can be incredibly scary for many. And as anyone who has ever had to let go of a cherished belief, relationship, privilege status or way of being knows all too well – this is where the real storm rages and the real pain is felt.
Which is why we foresee our environment in a state of flux and turbulence for quite some time, as we participate in a dramatic (and emotional) battle between: 1. the forces of the old status quo and the people desperate to keep it, 2. the new inevitable, innovative future on the horizon, and us, 3. the collective, in the middle.
We are Not Victims
Victim or Victor, which are you? ~ anon
But while we’re sure to experience significant turmoil in our current environment, that doesn’t mean we have to be victims of this transition energy, or that we need to be completely overwhelmed and paralyzed by it. There IS a purpose to this turbulence and a lesson to be learned.
As always, we are reminded that we as individuals and as a collective, always have a lead part to play in the story unfolding before us. We are not powerless or simply victims of the winds of change. We are architects, leaders, and contributors to it.
And where we stand, in the center, lies a powerful creative potential that we have an opportunity to unleash. And that powerful potential is us – our individual and collective will. We know how powerful we become when we find common ground and fight for and create what we deserve. And that is the opportunity we have available to us, right here and now.
Expect the Unexpected – Chaos Is Not the End, It’s the Beginning…
Chaos often breeds life, when order breeds habit. ~Henry Adams, American Historian
In “The Art of War,” legendary strategist Sun Tzu offers this profound insight: “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” This wisdom resonates deeply with me because it changes the way we think about life’s chaotic moments. Rather than viewing chaos as something to fear or avoid, Sun Tzu invites us to recognize it as the birthplace of possibility.
I’ve read chaos described as “the science of surprises” and rightly so. Chaos isn’t merely disorder; it’s the dramatic change point where deeply entrenched systems break down and new patterns are forced to emerge. Like the prescribed fires of the Indigenous tribes of North America and Australia who use an approach called cultural burning fires, to clear out the dense underbrush and dead vegetation to make way for new growth. In this way, chaos is our prescribed fire, it’s destruction creates space for unexpected growth. And in that new space is where the greatest innovations, personal transformations, and societal shifts can occur. Not from comfort but from the disruptive change that follows.
Which reminds us that when we embrace chaos rather than resist it, we see potential and opportunity in the turmoil where others see only threat. And this perspective doesn’t just help us survive uncertain times; it give us the power to thrive within them, providing a surprising and powerful advantage.
Positive Change is Within Our Grasp
Change your thoughts and you change your world. ~ Norman Vincent Peale, author
For generations, we’ve allowed ourselves to remain shackled by outdated beliefs that have kept us trapped in stagnation. And we’ve watched time and time again, progress inch forward and then be crushed or lay mostly dormant, stuck within comfortable illusions and deeply embedded familiar patterns. But now, a powerful catalyst has emerged in this chaos energy we’re now experiencing. And we can no longer hide from what we need to fix or create new.
Demanding change, rather than politely asking for it, this chaos energy is exposing what’s old, rotten and obsolete which we can no longer hide from or turn a blind eye to. It’s the lightning strike that illuminates our shadows and the earthquake that topples our old models to make space for new growth. With no more places to hide, we can no longer run away or avoid what we have to work on. And so in this chaos, lies our most profound opportunity: to finally let go of what we’ve desperately clung to and embrace what we’ve always been capable of becoming.
The question is whether we are brave enough to use this highly challenging and potent change energy to rise to the occasion and push for the positive change we deserve. Or do we lean into fear and do nothing or fight change at all costs, sacrificing our humanity and evolution potential in the process, as we’ve written about in the Cost of Fear.
Rising Up to the Occasion – Let Go and Step Into Our Creative Power
Chaos, an opportunity to redefine who we are and where we stand. ~C
If we summon the courage to rise to the moment – and I believe that we will – we have the power to rewrite the rules and transform the game itself.
The COVID pandemic of 2020 proved this. When faced with an unprecedented crisis that shattered our normal existence, we didn’t merely survive – we re-imagined everything. We revolutionized how we live, work, and connect by unleashing our inherent creative power and leading with compassion. We witnessed firsthand the extraordinary force of synergy – when diverse talents unite around a shared purpose, especially under intense pressure, the impossible becomes inevitable.
So rather than looking at chaos as our enemy, perhaps we should look at chaos as our teacher – showing us that the time has finally come to break free from old patterns and release the status quo that we already know in our hearts has failed us. Perhaps chaos is clearing the ground so we can re-imagine and build the world we truly deserve.
New Synergy – We are the Unexpected
Be the unexpected. ~ Jack Dorsey, Founder of Twitter
In action, this means that as chaos disrupts the old that needs to change, we’re not paralyzed by this AND, we’re also not just sitting around watching the mess! As chaos energy swirls around us, we’re simultaneously fighting to protect each other AND, using this time to search for, focus on, create, and support the new that’s trying to emerge and that we desire. In other words, we become the unexpected.
In this way, we beat chaos and chaos wielders at their own game. Instead of being so overwhelmed by chaos, we USE it to move forward in as many ways as we need to support our common goals.
We play chess here, not checkers by moving unexpectedly and strategically – putting our powerful, laser-focused attention and investment in what we want, rather than what we don’t want. We use this momentum to push for accountability and consequences, to move faster, to work smarter (and differently), and to focus on innovative and creative opportunities., projects, and solutions that are BETTER than what we’ve had. Alongside like-minded leaders, innovators, creators, architects, contributors, and supporters, we fundamentally change the rules, and we create a NEW approach that benefits us all.
This is not some pie in the sky concept or some impossible thing to achieve. We’ve already been here and doing this. The pandemic era was our dry run, teaching us what we can do when we stick together, stand up and fight for each other in chaotic, unprecedented circumstances. And what we can do when we use our creative brilliance and heart to overcome obstacles and change the game for good.
As we find ourselves here, we must remember we are more powerful than we think when we stick together and work with each other. We are truly stronger together.
Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more as we share strategies for turning chaos into power and ways we can support each other to become stronger together. As always, here’s to us. ♥
I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship. ~ Louisa May Alcott, American writer
~ Love, Carmen
