117. Move, Think, Rest to Promote Creativity with Natalie Nixon, CEO of Figure 8 Thinking

How can you unlock creativity to thrive in leadership and life?

In this episode of Women of Color Rise, I speak with Dr. Natalie Nixon—creativity strategist, author of The Creativity Leap and Move, Think, Rest, and CEO of Figure 8 Thinking. Recognized on the Thinkers50 Radar and named one of the Top 50 keynote speakers by Real Leaders, Natalie helps executives and organizations harness creativity as a strategic advantage.

A proud African American woman and Gen Xer, Natalie grew up on the East Coast in a family that modeled discipline, faith, imagination, and rest. From her father’s example of Sabbath practice to her mother’s encouragement of daydreaming, Natalie learned early that curiosity and movement fuel innovation and resilience.

She shares lessons for leaders:

• Embrace creativity everywhere. It’s not just for artists—engineers, CFOs, and educators all thrive when they pair wonder with rigor.

• Build curiosity into culture. Ask better “what if” questions to unlock new possibilities.

• Honor natural rhythms. Movement and rest sharpen thinking and prevent burnout.

• Connect ROI to creativity. Collaboration and curiosity drive productivity, efficiency, and innovation.

• Trust intuition. Imagination and foresight are as powerful as logic in leadership.

Natalie’s story shows that by moving, thinking, and resting with intention, leaders can reimagine what’s possible and create lasting impact.

Order Natalie’s book Move Think Rest here.

Get full show notes and more information here: https://analizawolf.com/episode-117-move-think-rest-to-promote-creativity-with-natalie-nixon