For Reflection: Before you move on to Mission #2, reflect on yesterday's mission. What was it like to slow down to allow mindfulness to radiate from your awareness? Did you find that you experienced more wonder and gratitude, or that you were more patient and loving toward others? I did not slow down.  I did not get this mission until 9/13, but when I slow down, I do.  Share your reflections on the Compassion Report Map!

“The creative is the wilderness of your intuition. What you’ll discover is yourself.”  -Alan Alda Our second mission, Agents, is to unleash the power of our creativity for the benefit of our Global Village. What does it take to become a creative genius? It is often believed that people are born geniuses. Einstein, a person whose name we use as synonymous with the idea of genius, is a perfect example. But did you know Einstein couldn’t read until he was 10, had difficulty speaking as a child, and failed his first college entry exam? If you were to know these facts alone, you wouldn’t believe Einstein might grow up to become one of the most influential physicists of all time, right? It may be possible, Agents, that we’ve gotten the idea of genius entirely wrong. Genius may not be the rare quality of a lucky few, but a special quality we each possess… a unique treasure within us we can tap into and unlock if it is nourished and given care and attention. In fact, according to one study, children are naturally born into imaginative, creative geniuses. Conducted by educator Ken Robinson through a method that tested “divergent thinking” (another way of saying creativity), his study found that 98% of kindergarten children were geniuses of creativity. How many uses can you think of for a paperclip? The average adult comes up with about 10-15 answers. Kindergarteners, however, were able to come up with well over 200! As these same children got older, however, most of them gradually lost their creative abilities until, according to this test, they no longer scored as being creative geniuses. What happened? Modern education, says Ken Robinson, which tells you “there’s only one right answer, it’s in the back of the book, and don’t look because that’s cheating.” Essentially, the creative genius is taken out of us and replaced with someone else’s answer. The truth is, Agents, each of us are born with innate interests and unique gifts. If we are able to discover what our gifts are, we can explore them and even master them. If we give them enough time and attention, we can create acts of creative genius! And these acts of genius can change our lives, our communities, and the world. And so Agents, our mission today is to train ourselves to be the best members of the Global Village we can be by unleashing our gift of creativity. In the following video, Agents Oprah Winfrey and Louie Schwartzberg will guide us through the mystery and science behind creativity. Champions of Compassions Tune into the Global Unity Telesummit hosted by the Shift Network for the second day of the 11 Days of Global Unity! Today’s Telesummit features Zoe Wile around the second theme, Interdependence! Register to join in on the Telesummit for free here! Tomorrow’s Telesummit features speaker Jane Goodall around the theme of the Environment. Today marks Day 3 of the Compassion Relay! Team Compassionate Silicon Valley has received the Compassion Torch from 9/11 Day. Compassionate Silicon Valley is a shining role model for compassionate communities everywhere. Read about the incredible work of Compassionate Silicon Valley here! UN's Sustainable Development Goal: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure Investment in infrastructure and innovation are crucial drivers of economic growth and development. With over half the world population now living in cities, mass transport and renewable energy are becoming ever more important, as are the growth of new industries and information and communication technologies. Promoting sustainable industries, and investing in scientific research and innovation, are all important ways to facilitate sustainable development. Investing in Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure is one of 17 Global Goals that make up the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to achieve the global unity that we seek. Learn more about the targets for this Goal here. Agents, It's Your Turn! Agents, your mission today is to take on the role of a creative genius.As a creative genius, question everything - including the obvious - and allow curiosity to be your guide. As you do this, come up with a creative way to be kind or compassionate toward another person. Surprise someone with the creativity of your act by doing something this person maybe hasn't thought of. You may find all it takes to become a creative genius is to be yourself! As you reveal the power of creativity in your life, remember to report your experiences on the Compassion Report Map to inspire others around the world. Good luck, Agents! P.S. If you wish to do so you can support Compassionate Silicon Valley, our featured Champion of Compassion, to spread their remarkable work toward global unity with others! Sponsors of the Global Unity Games! The Global Unity Games are made possible by the incredible support of Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics and Seattle Chocolates!