Explore Creative
Adaptive Intelligence
The intelligence that fuels you.
Discover how clarity, creativity, and adaptability help you lead, live, and create with intention. This is where we explore the rhythms of real growth…
the kind that sustains you, your work, and your community.
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“It’s like she turns chaos into coherence without losing the human part.”
What Is Creative Adaptive Intelligence?
Creative Adaptive Intelligence (CAI) is the innate human capacity to navigate uncertainty through clarity, creativity, and values-driven action.
It’s not something you learn or earn — it’s something you already do.
Where traditional intelligence measures what you know, Creative Adaptive Intelligence reveals how you grow. CAI helps you transform friction into flow, turning challenges into opportunities for alignment, creativity, and authentic momentum.
The Origin:
Creative Adaptive Intelligence wasn’t invented — it was remembered.
I didn’t set out to name a new kind of intelligence. I wanted to understand why people told me that I touched seemed to turn to gold. I played it off as luck, but I also noticed success seemed to arrive with ease, leaps of faith turned into a career, and how pivots didn’t just work but sparked grass-roots movements.
When I looked closer, I realized the pattern wasn’t luck. Each time, I wasn’t following a formula. I was following a rhythm: clarity, creativity, and values-based action, again and again. I was using my own Creative Adaptive Intelligence.
It’s what allows us to turn friction into flow and uncertainty into creation. It’s not something to learn. It’s something to remember.
That realization the foundation for Thriv. A collection of tools, talks, and teachings that help people tap into their own CAI, using what they already have to move forward with clarity, adaptability, leadership, and momentum.
Common Questions About CAI:
What’s the difference between Creative Adaptive Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence?
Emotional intelligence helps you understand and manage emotions. Creative Adaptive Intelligence helps you move through uncertainty with intention by transforming emotional awareness into action that aligns with your values.
What’s the difference between Creative Adaptive Intelligence and Adaptive Intelligence?
According to research published in Education Sciences (Sternberg, 2021, MDPI), adaptive intelligence is defined as the ability to balance and respond to change by applying creative, analytical, practical, and wisdom-based knowledge and skills. It’s about navigating environments through learning, problem-solving, and adaptation, skills often linked to success in evolving workplaces and complex systems.
Creative Adaptive Intelligence (CAI) builds on this foundation but shifts the focus from external adaptation to internal alignment.
Where adaptive intelligence asks: “How can I fit into or adjust to this new environment?”
Creative Adaptive Intelligence asks: “How can I align with what matters and create from who I am, even when the environment changes?”
CAI integrates adaptability with creativity, self-leadership, and values-based decision-making. It transforms uncertainty into flow, not just by adjusting to what is, but by consciously shaping what can be.
Is Creative Adaptive Intelligence the same as a Growth Mindset?
Not quite. Growth mindset focuses on believing you can improve. CAI takes that belief and applies it combining creativity, adaptability, and clarity to guide how you respond when life actually shifts.
What does Creative Adaptive Intelligence mean in simple terms?
It means composting what no longer serves, and cultivating rhythms that last. It’s how we turn uncertainty into aligned, sustainable momentum.
How does CAI relate to adaptability and resilience?
Adaptability is often defined as adjusting to change. Resilience is the ability to recover from it. CAI connects the two, guiding how we respond rather than simply react.
CAI helps you adapt without over-accommodating. It’s the space between reaction and response. The pause where discernment, creativity, and grounded leadership is invited to live. Instead of pushing through stress, CAI invites reflection, reframing, and value-based action.
Where adaptability helps you change course, and resilience helps you bounce back, Creative Adaptive Intelligence helps you evolve forward. It transforms challenge into growth through clarity, creativity, and self-trust.
That’s why CAI is often described as a regenerative form of emotional intelligence strengthens your ability to navigate uncertainty with purpose and composure, aligning your adaptability with your deeper values.
In practice, CAI turns reactive resilience into responsive wisdom. A way of leading, living, and creating that sustains energy rather than drains it.
How can I develop my Creative Adaptive Intelligence?
You already have it. Creative Adaptive Intelligence (CAI) isn’t a framework, it’s an intelligence, just like creativity. It’s innate, not taught. You were born with it. And like a muscle you need to use it to strength it.
What I’ve created is the frameworks and tools to help you recognize and use it more intentionally. CAI gives language and shape to something that has always been within you.
And here’s the key: when we can name our intelligence, we can trust it, strengthen it, and return to it again and again.
When you explore THRIV tools and practices like the C.A.L.M. Framework, Creative Return, or ThrivFOCUS System you’re not learning CAI; you’re refining it. Each practice helps you remember, apply, and expand your natural ability to navigate uncertainty with clarity and creativity.
Featured Essays: CAI in Everyday Life
Explore real-world reflections, leadership insights, and creative strategies rooted in CAI:
7 Sneaky Reasons Urgency Steals Your Energy + The Simple Shifts That Stop It
How to Schedule the Right Kind of Nothing
How to Stop Over-Adapting Without Losing Your Edge
Each essay shows how Creative Adaptive Intelligence shows up in real life in leadership, in creative work, and in moments of personal change.
More Essays
Your Genius Return
Navigate your Genius Zone with this reflective, interactive guide inspired by The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks. Using Creative Adaptive Intelligence (CAI) and the C.A.L.M. Framework, this companion resource offers journaling prompts, everyday practices, and mindset tools to help you reclaim your rhythm, spot limiting patterns, and return to your most aligned, creative self.
How consistency really happens
Discipline isn’t about being perfect—it’s about staying in motion when things get messy. This ThrivRESOURCE breaks down how resilience, perseverance, and consistency actually connect, and gives you six real-life ways to build discipline that adapts with you. If you’re ready to move forward without waiting for the perfect moment, this one's for you.
The Soil Holds the Story
Explore how a missed opportunity uncovered buried beliefs, quiet truths, and the roots of self-protection. This storytelling essay invites you to dig beneath the surface, shift patterns, and rediscover your inner wisdom through the lens of Creative Adaptive Intelligence.
Clarity Is the New Hustle
For years, I wore hustle like a badge of honor, chasing every opportunity and doubting myself every step of the way.
It took stepping away — and trusting my clarity — to finally realize:
You don't have to hustle yourself into belonging.
You get to move differently. Build differently.
You get to trust yourself differently.
The Invisible Weight We Carry: How Over-Adapting Holds Us Back (and How CAI Frees You)
“Adaptability should fuel your success, not drain your spirit. When you adapt from clarity, not pressure, you don’t just survive—you thrive.” - Jenn
Let’s explore: How over-adapting quietly chips away at your energy, creativity, and leadership. Why saying "yes" too often disconnects you from your true vision. How Creative Adaptive Intelligence (CAI) helps you pivot with purpose, not pressure.
If you've ever wondered why doing "all the right things" still feels exhausting—you’re going to want to read this one.
Turning Fear Into Your Liberation: Reclaiming Your Rhythm
A truthful story of self-worth, mirror work, and reclaiming your rhythm through Creative Adaptive Intelligence. Learn how small actions and honest reflection can turn fear into liberation.
How Creative Adaptive Intelligence Turns Self-Awareness Into Sustainable Clarity
Self-awareness becomes a catalyst for Creative Adaptive Intelligence (CAI); the innate human ability to sense misalignment, adapt with clarity, and create meaning in uncertainty. Learn how the C.A.L.M. Framework (Clarity, Adaptability, Leadership, Momentum) transforms awareness into self-leadership through tools like Seeing the Unseen and Rewrite Your Story.
Flipping the Script on Fear
Your Ego: The Messenger, Not the Competition
I used to think my ego was a saboteur, whispering doubts and fears designed to keep me stuck. But when I started flipping the script, I realized something profound:
👉 The ego isn’t stopping you—it’s showing you the edge of your comfort zone.
👉 The ego isn’t telling you not to do it—it’s highlighting what you deeply desire, yet fear the most.
Trusting Instincts, Cultivating Intelligence
In this latest ThrivRESOURCE, I’m breaking down:
• The difference between instinct and intuition (and why both matter)
• How to reclaim self-leadership and break free from external conditioning
• Why commitment + adaptability create unstoppable momentum
Creative Adaptive Intelligence: The Synergy of Creativity and Adaptability
Creativity alone isn’t enough—we must also be adaptable. Creative Adaptive Intelligence is the ability to pivot, problem-solve, and innovate in real time. It’s what turns challenges into opportunities and uncertainty into growth.
Through my work as a photographer and mentor, I’ve seen how embracing this mindset unlocks confidence, resilience, and success.
Lessons from a Messy Day
"Feeling like you’re falling apart? In this raw and honest post, I share the struggles of inconsistency, self-doubt, and starting over—even after 21 years in business. Discover how reconnecting with your purpose and value can help you thrive on the messy days."
The Creative Creed
The Creative Creed serves as a compass, guiding me to honor my creative spirit while keeping my values in alignment with the impact I want to have on the world. This creed represents a commitment to nurturing the inner spark that fuels passion, compassion, and the relentless pursuit of creative expression in ways that elevate both myself and those around me.
Build Resiliency Not Resistance
A Reflection Exercise Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome. We’ve all felt it. That nagging doubt in the back of your mind that questions your success, your abilities, and your worthiness. Despite evidence to the contrary, it creeps in, making you feel like a fraud—like you don’t deserve the wins or recognition that come your way.
But here’s the thing: imposter syndrome isn’t a sign of failure. It’s actually a sign that you’re pushing boundaries, challenging yourself, and growing. What if, instead of seeing it as a block, you reframed it as a teacher?
Mastering Time Management: The Pomodoro Technique
In a world where distractions are just a click away, staying focused on tasks can feel like an uphill battle. Whether you're a student, entrepreneur, or creative professional, finding a time management method that keeps you productive without burning out is essential. Enter the Pomodoro Technique—a simple yet powerful tool to help you maximize your productivity, maintain your focus, and achieve more in less time.
From Overwhelm to Overflow: Creative Blocking
Creative blocking is a powerful technique that helps you carve out dedicated time for creative work, ensuring your projects receive the focus and attention they deserve. By identifying your peak creative times, scheduling consistent blocks, and eliminating distractions, you can boost your productivity and creative flow. Start small by integrating one or two creative blocks into your weekly routine, and gradually expand as you see the benefits. Want to learn more about how creative blocking can transform your workflow?
“Own Your Story” #1 Best Seller
Excited to announce "Own Your Story: Empower, Connect, Create Change," featuring my story and those of 30 extraordinary women. Launched June 11th and is considered a #1 Best Seller. Get the Kindle version for $0.99!! #EWE24 #EmpoweredWomenAnthology
Navigating Complex Decisions: Strategies for Success
Discernment is a critical yet often overlooked component of effective decision-making. It acts as your internal compass, helping to navigate through the noise and direct your choices toward what truly matters. But what exactly does it mean to practice discernment, and how can it transform your decision-making process?
