You’re more creative than you think … here’s why.
By Leslie K. Hughes
I haven’t felt creative in almost 2 years.
As a so-called *air quotes* creative, that’s made things difficult.
Not only have I been lacking a spark in my work life, but that void has bled into my personal life.
I used to love creating things just for the sake of creating – with no intent to sell, and sometimes for my eyes only.
I even created a sexy digital magazine purely as an avenue for my creative energy.
But, over the last 2 years, that desire to create has faded.
Actually, it’s been entirely MIA.
And guess what?
That’s okay.
For the past 2 years, I’ve been telling myself that it’s like that line from Steal Like an Artist:
“Creative people need time to just sit around and do nothing.”
For some people, that’s a week or two.
Apparently, for me, it was 2 years.
How do you define creativity?
But … upon recent reflection, I realized that I actually wasn’t sitting around doing nothing.
I was navigating life – the most elaborate and challenging work of art.
My life was lifeing pretty hard for a couple of years, and it took all of my mental and emotional energy to work my way through the mazes.
Which left nothing for the creative in me that used to flourish.
And guess what?
That’s okay.
Because I’ve realized that navigating life is a creative endeavor in itself, and a damn important one.
Life = creativity
We are all creatives in life.
We:
1. Act as sponges the first 7 years of our lives and soak up life tools & skills from the people around us
2. Build upon them / evolve them / reject them by learning new tools & skills in the present, and then …
3. Apply all of our uniquely acquired tools & skills to continuously create our own, unique future
All the while, keeping our fingers crossed that it all works out in some shape or form that resembles happiness.
And isn’t that exactly what art is?
Putting your creations onto paper, cloth, screen, etc. with your unique energy poured into them, hoping that you like it, and maybe – just maybe – someone else will too?
The takeaway
So, here’s a little TLDR takeaway that has helped me feel better about my “lack of creativity.”
And if you’re feeling blah in the creative department, I hope it’ll help you too.
Sometimes creativity looks like maneuvering paint and brush strokes to create a beautiful painting.
And other times, creativity looks like maneuvering your mind to make it through the day.
Both are creative; both require love and patience for, as well as dedication to, what you’re crafting.
Life doesn’t just imitate art; life is art.
Try this
Try this next time you feel creatively blocked:
1. Take 5 minutes to look at your life. You can sit and meditate on it, journal on it, talk to a friend about it – whatever works best.
2. [Get woo-woo with me for a second] Realize that you’re the creator behind that grand work of art – all of its perfections and imperfections. It’s the most magnificent work of art you’ll ever create.
Makes you feel pretty amazing, right?
So next time you get down on yourself for not being creative, realize that you absolutely are creative.
Your level of creative output will ebb and flow, like everything in life. But the undercurrent of creativity remains, always.
You are creating your life every second of every day – from the major events to the smallest little moments – so don’t ever tell yourself you aren’t creative.
