Lessons learned from the toboggan hill

Rather than continue to hit your head against a brick wall, approach a problem from a different angle. Get creative. Find workarounds. Seek out a fresh perspective on the situation from an outsider.

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Consider this

1. When faced with a problem, do you tend to rely on familiar solutions — or do you explore new angles? What influences that choice?
   
2. Think of a time when an unexpected or unconventional idea helped you solve a problem. What allowed you to think outside the box?
   
3. What activities or environments spark your creativity? How can you make more space for those in your life?
   
4. When you feel stuck, what helps you shift perspective or see things differently?
   
5. How comfortable are you with uncertainty or ambiguity when working through a challenge? How might embracing uncertainty support creativity?
   
6. What role does collaboration play in your problem-solving process? Who do you turn to when you need a fresh perspective?
   
7. What habits or routines might be limiting your creative thinking? What could you change to encourage more innovation?
   
8. How do you balance practicality with imagination when searching for solutions? Can one support the other rather than conflict with it?
   
9. What’s one small problem in your daily life you could approach more creatively today? What’s a new way to try solving it?
   
10. What would it look like to view challenges as creative opportunities rather than just obstacles? How might that mindset change your approach?

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Turn ideas into action with these suggested activities from our Resilience Toolbox.

More modules

Module 1. Making your own luck: Lessons learned from a coin flip

Module 2. Improving adaptability: Lessons learned from an absurd Christmas tree

Module 3. Embracing teamwork: Lessons learned from a rogue haybale

Module 4. Leveraging tools: Lessons learned from a poorly chosen sledgehammer

Module 5. Learning humility: Lessons learned from a very brief career as a valet

Module 6. Failing forward: Lessons learned from banshee babies and buttered butts

Module 7. Avoiding shortcuts: Lessons learned from a giant backpack

Module 8. Redefining success: Lessons learned from an idiotic bet

Module 9. Letting go: Lessons learned from a gooey pit of clay

Module 10. Taking responsibility: Lessons learned from trying to catch a train

Module 11. Getting creative: Lessons learned from the toboggan hill

Module 12. Fuelling motivation: Lessons learned from sleeping in a barn

Module 13. Handing over control: Lessons learned from riding in a shopping cart

Module 14. Practising gratitude: Lessons learned from a very special list

Module 15. Prioritizing self-care: Lessons learned from a surprise birthday celebration in the hospital

Module 16. Creating lasting change: Lessons learned from life’s awesome and absurd moments