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Welcome to my Creative Blog
Here, I explore leadership, learning, culture, and creative learning as human capacities shaped through lived experience.
This blog brings together essays on pilgrimage as leadership, cross-cultural learning, ethical leadership, and creative thinking — written from an observational, systems-based perspective. Grounded in educational psychology and reflective practice, each piece offers space to think beyond performance models and toward more human-centred ways of leading, learning, and belonging.
Rather than offering answers, these essays trace patterns: how leaders are formed over time, how cultures meet, and how inner coherence supports ethical action in complex systems.
May each entry offer clarity, perspective, and insight for your own learning journey.
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How ancient Malta engineered the mind for higher learning and creativity
Ancient Malta’s Hypogeum reveals how Neolithic societies engineered the brain for learning, empathy, and long-term thinking. Combining archaeology, neuroscience, and cultural history, Louise Sommer explores how past reward systems shaped human potential — and what we can learn to design better education, leadership, and social systems today. A thought-provoking read for researchers, educators, and innovators.
Louise Sommer
Sep 7, 20256 min read
The Art of Teaching, Designing, and Thinking: A Cross-Disciplinary Lens on Creative Intelligence
In a world that increasingly demands innovation, adaptability, and clarity, we often forget that the most powerful solutions come from the ability to think across disciplines. Over the years, I’ve come to realise that my most meaningful work doesn’t live in a single domain. It lives in the spaces between where psychology meets art, where teaching becomes design, and where coaching becomes a shared language of empowered learning. This is what I call creative intelligence in mo
Louise Sommer
Aug 18, 20254 min read
Communication Is Curriculum: Why How You Teach Is What You Teach
In a time where technology is reshaping education, leadership, and even identity, I believe we need a deeper conversation about the emotional, relational, and creative layers of learning. Whether you’re an educator, researcher, leader, or creative thinker, my aim is to offer ideas that support your voice, your presence, and your impact. Many of the ideas in this article are rooted in my real-world experience from working with researchers and thought leaders.
Louise Sommer
Aug 6, 20253 min read
Thought Leadership starts with a different kind of question
Once upon a time, blogging conjured images of travel diaries, food journals, or the early internet’s version of an open letter. But today? The landscape has changed. Blogging has evolved into something far more layered, strategic, and powerful. Yet strangely, the word stayed stuck in the past. What we used to call a “blog” is now a very specific form of professional communication; one that builds credibility, sharpens your voice, and attracts the right clients, collaborations
Louise Sommer
Jul 14, 20252 min read
The Words That Shaped Me: How a Teacher Can Open a Life, or Shut It Down
Everyone carries a story behind their eyes. A moment that closed something down. Or moment that made something possible. A memory of feeling stupid, or a memory of feeling seen. These stories are not always visible. But they’re present; in how we speak, how we learn, how we show up. And that means teaching is never just about content. It’s about creating the conditions where someone can unfold again.
Louise Sommer
Jun 30, 20253 min read
The Pelican, the Beach, and the Beauty of Everyday Magic
There are certain creatures that seem to carry stories in their feathers. For me, the pelican has always been one of them. Quirky, grand, slightly awkward, and entirely majestic, the pelican never fails to make me smile. There’s something deeply comforting about the way they waddle across jetties, flap those great wings with a kind of ancient elegance, and then, almost like a surprise, they lift off with absolute grace, gliding across the sky as if they were born of clouds.
Louise Sommer
Apr 10, 20253 min read
Beyond Entertainment: How Foreign Films and Stories Train Our Cultural Intelligence
Watching foreign films, TV shows, and reading books from other cultures is a way to train, expand and broaden our cultural intelligence. Some years ago, I found myself reflecting on the transformative power of foreign narratives. Having spent much of my life traveling, living, and studying in diverse countries, I’ve always been drawn to the rich tapestry of human culture. My career, particularly my work with immigrants, refugees, and expats, has deepened this connection.
Louise Sommer
Jan 30, 20255 min read
How Culture Shapes the Way We Communicate
At its best, communication is not efficiency. It is empathy, creativity, and culture in motion. Culture is a powerful lens through which we view the world. It shapes our language, values, traditions, even how we communicate and understand other people. It’s not just about the food we eat or the festivals we celebrate; it’s the stories we tell, the symbols we recognize, and the ways we express ourselves. But here’s the kicker: most people underestimate how much culture affects
Louise Sommer
Jan 26, 20254 min read
Culture, Collective Memory, Epigenetics & Identity
When I speak about culture, I refer to this collective experience that defines, influences, and enriches us all. We are not isolated beings.
Louise Sommer
Jan 20, 20255 min read
Exploring the Living Narrative of Human Existence
We’ve been taught to think of culture as something externa; a set of shared behaviors, beliefs, or traditions that belong to a particular group. But culture is so much more than that. It’s not just something we observe or participate in; it’s something we carry deep within us. Culture is the living narrative of human existence itself, and this is what I refer to every time I use this term. Think of all the lives that have come before us. Every generation leaves its mark.
Louise Sommer
Oct 12, 20243 min read
Creative Storytelling that Weaves the Fabric of Connectivity & Life
Stories are the threads that weave the fabric of our identities. They shape our understanding of the world, our place within it, and ...
Louise Sommer
Sep 13, 20245 min read
From Paris to Tuscany: How Living Fully Fuels Creativity and Authenticity
Life is a journey filled with countless experiences, both joyful and challenging. When we engage deeply with these experiences, embracing them with an open heart and mind, our creativity is not only nurtured but also emancipated. This authentic connection to life allows us to discover our true voices, transforming our existence into a unique adventure far removed from societal norms and expectations. In this blog post, I will explore this fascinating interplay between creativ
Louise Sommer
Aug 8, 20245 min read
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