🎁 “Do You See What I See?” — How Diversity Shapes Your Brain and Creativity

Every holiday season, the familiar carol asks, “Do you see what I see?”
And if we’re being honest, the answer is: No.

No one sees the world exactly the same way you do. Your brain—your thoughts, perceptions, and creative ideas—is shaped by your lived experiences, genetics, cultural background, and belief systems. That’s what makes the concept of Intercultural Creativity® so powerful.

🧠 Your Brain is Uniquely Wired

A study cited by Erin Meyer in The Culture Map asked participants from different countries to observe an aquarium. The findings were eye-opening:

• Participants from Eastern cultures focused on the background.
• Participants from Western cultures focused on the foreground.

Same image. Different focus.
Culture literally shapes how we see.

On our Create and Grow Podcast (Ep. #66), Dr. Michael Platt discussed how early social experiences determine who our brains empathize with later in life. His advice? Raise children in diverse environments to expand their “social brain network.”

🌎 Diversity Enhances Creativity and Brain Health

Creativity isn’t just about imagination—it’s about making connections between diverse ideas. When your inner circle includes people from a variety of ethnicities, professions, abilities, belief systems, languages, and learning styles, you gain:

• Broader perspectives
• Richer stories
• Unexpected solutions

This diversity doesn’t just enhance creativity—it improves mental flexibility, resilience, and even empathy.

Neuroscientist Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett explains, “Your brain wires itself to the world it encounters… If you read diverse books and talk to diverse people, their experiences, to some extent, become your experiences.”

That wiring makes you more open, more curious, and more creatively capable.

🌍 Why It Matters for Kids (and Adults)

In our Inner Child’s Book book, I AM CREATIVE, Shawn interacts with friends from various cultures, languages, and artistic passions. This isn’t just a nice detail—it’s intentional.

Diverse connections help children:

• Understand complex systems around them
• Build empathy
• Sharpen their creative thinking

And for adults? The same is true.

💎 Diamond Tool #10 Tip: Expand Your Lens

✅ Audit your inner circle—how diverse are your close and casual connections?
✅ Join community groups different from your background
✅ Read diverse stories, watch global documentaries, and learn histories often left out of mainstream education
✅ Travel—and skip the tourist bubble! Choose authentic cultural experiences
✅ Seek difference with curiosity, not fear

Every brain sees differently.
Let’s celebrate that—because it’s the key to unlocking true creativity, empathy, and brain capital.

So again, do you see what I see?

Maybe not.

But wouldn’t it be beautiful if we tried?