Patterns are all around us.  They are a fundamental characteristic of the universe and there is a great deal of advantage in being able to discover and observe them.  As such, this weeks challenge centers around building our ability to observe the interesting patterns that surround us but that we do not see.  Doing so will be a great boost in your journey to become a highly creative person.

Sometimes we just need a little kick start to get us going.  Sometimes we just need a bit of fun.  Sometimes it all begins when you're least expecting it.  This weeks challenge aims to get you doing things you probably didn't think you would be this week.  But that's ok because you're creative and out of the ordinary is par for the course as far as you're concerned.  So dive in and let's get started.

I'm willing to be that a fair number of you have accounts on various websites (hopefully this one included).  And part of that account will include an avatar,  an image or icon that represents you.  It's surprising how many of them are pretty average.  I suppose a lot of people just chuck any old picture up and then don't give it another thought.  Well that avatar can and should say a lot about you so this weeks challenge is going to tackle this pressing issue.

Well well well. It's Friday 13th.  A day that is typically considered to be one of bad luck and misfortune.  What better day to begin a grand adventure.  There are many ideas out there that at first glance seem quite crazy.  This weeks challenge involves one that I thought was silly to the Nth degree when I first heard of it.  Then I discovered that many people have actually undertaken it, and had quite a bit of fun with it.

This weeks challenge is of epic proportions.  When you're project can enlist the excitement of many others it takes on an energy that propels it forward.  Ideas that seem silly or impossible become doable and great once you aplify the goal.  With that in mind, this weeks challenge is an experiment to see just how big we can go.  I'm going to need the help of many so be prepared to spread the word.

This weeks challenge is something you may have done before.  Never the less, it is one that I find fun to return to every now and then.  It's a simple little activity that can show you just how much is out there.  The world is a huge place and is full of interesting things.  Let's see just how big the world really is.  Read on to find out what this weeks creativity challenge is.

Are you stuck in a rut?  Wish your life was more exciting?  Really want to launch your creativity?  Read on my dear friend as this weeks creativity challenge is just what you need.  They say variety is the spice of life.   So let's sprinkle a healthy dose of variety over your life and see what happens.  I dare you to take up this challenge and see where it gets you.

Making things big can have a big impact.  It makes things stand out.  It makes the normal, exciting.  This weeks challenge is going to ask you to blow things out of proportion.  See how it changes your perspective.  The aim is to go as big as possible.  It's a simple project that has the potential for a lot of creativity so make sure you experiment and explore different possibilities.

Sherlock Holmes was able to deduce a lot about you by noticing a series of minor details and piecing them together to create an overall bigger picture.  A nifty skill to have but can we really do this in real life?  Wouldn't it be great to meet someone for the first time and immediately know what they ate for breakfast and what they got up to last week.  Or to walk into a room and have all it's occupants sussed out in an instant.  This weeks challenge is to see if it's possible.

There is a particular bunch of people that are particularly creative.  The problem is that they are also particularly secretive.  Magicians.  A good magician is able to amaze and entertain and their act is creative in many ways.  Not only the mechanism of the trick but also the delivery and the banter that goes along with it to create the overall exerpience and illusion.  It's a lot of fun but does require practice, skill and creativity.

It's easy to lose sight of the big picture.  To not see the forest for the trees.  To catch the train but forget your stop.  When you get caught up in the details you become really focused and you can forget about what you're really trying to achieve.  Not the best as far as creative thinking is concerned.  This weeks challenge is a fun way to help get you back into the open.

Greece may be having a few financial problems at the moment but back in the day Greece was a powerhouse.  And a lot of their power came from the gods.  The Greeks had quite a list that covered anything and everything,  from Chaos, the God of nothingness from which all else sprang,  to Apheleia, the spirit of simplicity.  To concoct such a large and detailed web of supernatural power was quite a feat of creativity.

The Superbowl is one of the most watched events in America.  It is also gaining traction in the rest of the world as well.  This presents one huge opportunity to get your message out to a whole stack of people.  So it's not surprising that the adverts shown during this event get huge attention.  Businesses go to great lengths to make sure their ads are interesting, memorable and get the message across or make the brand stick in your mind.  This is the basis of this weeks challenge.

Sometimes really good creative thinking happens when you just let things flow. But this is not easy for a lot of us.  We have this desire to plan things, to know what's going to happen and in what order.  So this weeks challenge is an exercies in just letting things flow.  You may need to try it a few times before you get the hang of it but it can be a powerful tool once you've got it down.

One aspect of creativity is seeing things from different perspectives.  Seeing the things that are right in front of us, the things that are obvious, but that we don't see as we don't realise they are what we are looking for.  This weeks challenge is a fun way to develop this side of creativity.  You will already know the answer,  it's just that you don't yet know that it is the answer.

No doubt your just getting back into the swing of things after a couple weeks rest and relaxation (or if your Christmas and New Years was like ours it's been anything but).  This weeks creativity challenge accordingly is useful and fun but not too taxing.  This week we're going to experiment with strategies to improve your memory.  We have to remember things all the time and the better we can do it the easier our lives can be.

Well guys and gals,  that's it for 2011 for us.  Merry Christmas and hoping you have a terrific new year.  We've had a great time in 2011 bringing creativity to you and trust that you've enjoyed it too.  We'll be back on-line on Monday 16th January and we've got some awesome stuff lined up for you.  So enjoy the silly season,  have fun and be creative.  All the best,  From Ryan.

With the Christmas season upon things tend to get a little crazy.  Santa may have a list and be checking it twice but no doubt you also have a list and don't have the luxury of checking it twice.  What with buying presents, organising cards, attending parties and what not life has probably got a bit hectic.  By the way,  if you are finding your list getting a bit unwieldly our list manager may help.  But anyways,  we're getting side tracked.  Read on to discover this weeks challenge that will help you simplify a bit.

Inspiration can be a powerful thing.  It can provide us with ideas and it can motivate us to act on those ideas.  So anything that encourages us to seek out inspiration has to be a good thing.  The inspiration we're seeking this week is of the condensed form.  You'll gain just as much in how you track down this inspiration as you should in what it gives you as well.  Read on to find out what your challenge will be this week.