A creative mindset becomes a majestic force that lifts seniors’ minds and moods in much the way @oxherdboy suggested to the Ox: “Will you teach me everything you know?” the boy asked. “I don’t think so,” replied the Ox. “It would be better to relearn life with you than teach you my old ways.”
When we see our creativity merely as a sleeping giant within past memories however, rather than as lively, majestic forces to prosper any moment, our brains tend to default to frailties or frustrations in later years.
Creativity follows when we simply romance the joy of learning by acting on interests or curiosity at any age.

For seniors this means mixing and mingling a lifetime of talents, tools and tactics into original and personal innovations that add playful learning and wisdom. No wonder we can awaken creativity to keep depression at bay when adult kids lack time to drop by, or when beloved grandchildren step into more independence just as we did at their age.
New discoveries about the senior brain show creativity as an integral part of a fluid and growing intelligence at every age! How we think about accessing our inner abilities as seniors plays a huge role. If we sell our talents short, they’ll melt away like ice cream on a hot July day. But ask joyfully, “How can I create today?” and we begin to spot sheer delight of wonder and play that results in learning more about what interests us.
We seniors can restore this union of happiness and playful learning back into our sense of personal wellbeing through creative expressions that leave ourselves and others laughing more, thankful for the little things, and far better equipped to thrive even if our world tracks chaotic and crazy at times.
Not that we must rely on past talents or skills. Did you know we each have at least eight distinctive intelligences, or that each of these capabilities holds creative opportunities to develop at any age, for instance? These developed or dormant intelligences grow creative with use or they die off with neglect:
Movement – such as dance, golf or build;
Intuition – journal, reflect. meditate, care for self;
Musical acumen – hum, compose, enjoy background tunes;
Social skills – invite a neighbor in for tea, help a teen, play games together;
Naturalistic abilities – plant flowers, bake, hike beside a brook, listen to birds;
Language or literacy fluidity – write, debate, read, review a book, submit an editorial;
Visual or spatial gifts – paint, sketch, sculpt, decorate a room, sew or create an outfit;
Mathematical talents – organize, use data to share facts, reason things through for a solution.
Far more than any utopian state of flow people may crave yet often fail to realize creativity rocks action. Start by doing what brings joy or laughter and expect abundant chances to cultivate a free and light-hearted spirit. Alone or with others, creativity offers enormous open doors into unmined treasures as legacy.
It’s true that none of us feel creative 24/7. Nevertheless, joy and delight escalate when we start learning more about what interests us. The sort of creative mindset that enriches even an ordinary day, is much more available than most seniors experience. As a life-changing gift, creativity is sure-fire open-mindedness. It beats spending our golden days reminiscing regrets or mulling over missteps or miseries. We start by simply allowing others of all stripes to teach us new ways through their eyes. Through understanding, creative wisdom we begin to create incredible new personal perspectives side by side with those around us.
Imagine the delight of hearing from more creative seniors. My upcoming podcast will feature seniors who amp up creative happiness by relearning with child-like curiosity. I am thinking about starting the podcast to engage seniors in a sort of mutual mentoring for their wisdom and new brain facts that encourage us to uncover creativity as we grow wisdom on the one hand, while giving back happiness and delight on the other.