Creativity Squared: On the Seeds and Fertile Soil of Dreams

Dear Creativity Squared Member,

I can sometimes be a bit of a late bloomer and am waking up to so many gifts that each and every single one of you have given me — from your curiosity to your support in whatever way that may look — but most importantly, I’m grateful for the gift of you — your time, energy, and presence.

For supporting and believing in my dream, even before I saw it as clearly as I do now. So I’m going into this weekend with immense gratitude for the gift that is you. Thank you for being curious, for believing in my dream and all that I see — the infinite possibilities we can unleash…when we come together, you and me, and share our dreams of what can be. 💝 

I’ve joked that we’ve been flying the plane as we’ve building Creativity Squared since we launched. We’re SO excited about the expontential possibilities and all that awaits!

But as I’m coming down to the ground, slowing down, ready for some respite this holiday season, I’m reflecting on what this winter season will be for me.

It took me almost 75 episodes — the 75th will be a special one! — to get here.

Sometimes dreams need time to incubate. To take shape. To become clearer. To prepare to share.

My team and I are preparing a very special episode — this is your tease! 😁

We need more time to give it the caliber of care it deserves and needs.

Thank you for being here, for your understanding, and giving us time and space.

We promise, it’ll be worth the wait!

We’re aiming for next week. And I already know you can’t wait — wondering what is she so excited about to share with me?

Spoiler: It’s about manifesting.

My mother always told me that I was bad at timing, especially when I get so excited — so I’m trusting more in divine timing (aka my intuition) and when it feels right.

As I think about the Imagination Age, the reframing of the garden keeps springing in my mind.

My country mountain home and the mountains are calling me.

As we look to the sky and stars, we must also look to the ground, they’re reminding me.

For stars seed dreams, and they shine brighter when there’s fertile soil to take root.

Some things take time to grow, become, and manifest, from dreams to something that sprouts out to see the light and asks:

Is this world safe for me?

My community has made it safe for me to share my ideas. Thank you from the bottom of my heart — it’s such an incredible gift. 💝 And this is why your story is my story — and I shape you and you shape me — and our stories our intertwined.

It’s manifest destiny: you, me, and in community.

But while we’re refining, incubating, and preparing — 

Here’s one small gift from me to you:

Also, before I sign off, here are a few of my favorite things/highlights that are top of mind that I want to share with you and why:

📚 Imagination Age Pre-Homework — We need to be onboarded and not have the rug pulled from out and under us. If your interest is piqued, explore the assignment — you never know what rabbit holes they may prompt you to go down!

💝 1819 Innovation Hub — One of our homes where we can safely play in the playground of possibility. Where people can experiment and have fun with exciting new toys and ideas, share them, and get loving feedback.

The people who love the ideas that will spring from the 1819 space said yes to my crazy one without hesitation — a gift I’m so grateful for. To let me bumble and do a braindump of all my concepts — AND the reframe is: a safe space to share, and have my ideas be listened to, encouraged, poked, grow further, and take shape for the presentation I’m working on — that I’m so excited to share with you!! — when it’s ready. This is part of my creative process. You are part of it, too, and I’m grateful that you’re here. 🌱 😉

🔮 Amy Webb — Amy Webb knows the value of seeds. Seeds from dreams where she’s been, what she sees, and all of the possibilities she wants us to know. She found the love of her life by understanding that algorithms can help people find and connect people to who they love, and she shared that on a stage at TedX. Now she shares what she sees on stages like SXSW (Tease: I have a prediction on why Elon likes X so much! 😁).

Amy is one of our sirens who’s trying to tell us what’s to come about A.I. and the future. She gives us the gifts of what she sees, rooted in her sci-fi stories of what can be; rooted in her Jewish heritage that knows love and possibility (and the value of poking to stimulate discussion!); that takes shape now in New York City — a place where dreams come true; planting seeds of what she’s learned at NYU and the leaders who want to know what she does, too. What does she see? Then she goes to one of her favorite places, that helped incubate her ideas and dreams. And she gets to share her Future Trends Report, on one of the biggest stages in the world, at the intersection of technology, creativity, and community.

Why is SXSW one of her homes? She knows that all the weirdos like her will be there. She knows the world is ready for her ideas and that they transcend the stage she’s on.

She trusts the audience with her strategic foresight, insights, and predictions. Those who pay attention — who can take them home to marinate on, reflect, and see how they will manifest.

Because Amy Webb knows the value of seeds and technology and how ideas spread. This is one of the gifts she’s giving us — we should take heed.

For she knows that the seeds she plants on stages, didn’t start in Austin — and won’t stop there. It’s an important node in our network. Where ideas can be shared, lovingly interrogated, take shape, and put on stage for the world to see. Even if you’re a Jewish girl who grew up in East Chicago, Indiana in the Midwest with big dreams.

This is why Amy Webb and I love SXSW so much — or at least that’s my best guess from what I see. ;)

📗 A Book from the Imagination Age Library — One of our weirdo authors, Dr. Suess, who knew the value of dreams, and packaged them in all the weird ways we see each other, so we can ourselves in the colorful characters — and still believe that there are so many places our dreams will take us, too.

Time is love, and I’m grateful for the time you share with me.

Here's to planting seeds and dreaming expansively! ✨

For with the most fertile soil, the possibilities are as infinite as the stars that light up our night sky.

Thank you for being here and bringing your gift — whatever it may be — to Creativity Squared (and me!). It helps fuel, spark, and light up the possibilities of what this platform can be. 💝😉

Here’s to exponential possibilities!

Helen

#AnythingIsPossible #ImaginationAge

Helen Todd (she/her)
Human behind Creativity Squared
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🗞 PRESS & PODCAST INTERVIEWS

🖥 SXSW Conference Community Newsletter (December 5, 2024) — SXSW 2025 Speaker Helen Todd talks Digital Twins

🎙 AI Explored with Michael Stelzner of Social Media Examiner (November 5, 2024) — Using AI to Expand Your Ideas and Creativity 

🎙 Reflections with an Accent with Kike Calvo (October 18, 2024) — Unveiling AI's Creative Power with Helen Todd | Reflections with an Accent 

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📖 Movers & Makers Magazine (October 1, 2024) Notables in AI + Print

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