One way I invite creativity into my life is to consider things backwards or upside down. Okay, Alexis – what do you mean by that?

Step into my fantasy for a moment. You’re in a movie theater waiting for the movie to begin. As you observe other patrons arriving for the feature, you notice they are all walking backwards toward their seats. They don’t need to turn their heads funny; they know exactly where to go, like they have eyes in the back of their heads. The popcorn popper is upside down and the popped corn floats to the top instead of settling into the bottom of the popper.

What just happened in your mind? Did any of these images stir new points to ponder? Those movie goers, once settled into their seats, the chairs turn upside down and they are all watching the screen upside down. Or, perhaps the picture on the screen is running backwards from the end to the beginning. How would your movie experience be different?

When our boys were younger, we used to play this game to stretch our imaginations. Think about what we would look like and how our clothes are different if our arms are where our ears are and our noses are where our belly buttons are perfectly situated. Now there are some creative ideas for new clothing. (She laughs out loud!)

The next time you’re stuck on a problem, give it a whirl. Step outside of what you think of a normal solution, and try a little backward and upside-down thinking. See what pops into your head when you try something un-ordinary. You have permission to experiment with crazy-silly ideas. Be bold enough to put your shirt on inside out or wear two different shoes or socks.

I bet you have some fun stories to share about upside down and backwards. My fantastical mind awaits your amazing ideas!