Catch yourself in a mirror while dancing around like a fool

When I was coming up I believed, like so many of my circle, that the only way to creative break-through was through pain.  Discomfort.  Frustration.  That unsatisfied pit in your stomach.  While there is no doubt that these feelings are what drive us much of the time as creative people, it’s good to be reminded that positive feelings too can motivate us, change our perspective, allow us to break free from expectations and see a new approach, vision or what have you.  One could argue there is no catharsis without relief…

A few weeks back while repainting our kitchen I had an experience that reminded me of this.  I found Pharrell Williams’s 24hoursofHappy.com (YouTube has these too), and now weeks later I’m still struck by the experience…at the joy I felt just dancing around my kitchen with paint brush in hand, working away while “Happy” played over and over.  I think this was not only brilliant in its execution for giving the user an excuse to hear a catchy song over and over (we’ve all had that moment – hitting replay over and over to hear that one song because it was so damn catchy).  If you aren’t familiar, I highly suggest you check it out.  24 one hour video’s of the song “happy” played over and over. 

More important than how innovative or how damn smart from a marketing perspective this is, there is something more personal to gain from it.  I think to quote the blurb from “A Road Less Traveled” – this idea is a “spontaneous act of kindness” too.  Hearing the message of positivity, of being HAPPY, over and over, is like washing the listener in joy, because it’s catchy, it’s uplifting, it’s happy. 

So, a brilliant creative project born out of positivity.  This too is possible, even for an old cynic like me.