I never made one of my discoveries through the process of rational thinking.
~ Albert Einstein ~
So much of my early childhood memories are filled with creative moments.
I remember one in particular … I must have been about five or six years old and decided to color rocks and sell them (my “lemonade stand” if you will). Armed with crayons galore and with our town house complex generously contributing a few larger rocks (previously serving as landscaping borders for trees) I was set to make millions. They wouldn’t miss just a few rocks, would they? ::giggle::
However, my first creative entrepreneurial venture ended in disaster when I dropped a rather large rock on my big toe; busted it bad, hobbling home and facing the Mom’s wrath. Oy vey.
Speaking of Mom, she was pretty creative herself. Rumor has it she used to sew sequins on sweaters back in the day (before I came along). She taught me to macramé and needlepoint. I inherited a love for sewing from her as well. My teen years were filled with a love of calligraphy and decoupage.
Creativity obviously runs through my veins.
Yet…often these days, I find myself saying, “I’m not creative.” Where did that come from? I mean seriously, it takes a modicum of creativity to write an article like this, right?!?
Which leads me to believe my definition of creativity needs redefining.
Creativity
Merriam Webster defines creativity as:
the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination
Some synonyms are:
inventiveness, imagination, innovation, originality, and individuality
In other words, creativity isn’t just being all artsy fartsy. That is where I get stuck. In my convoluted world, to create means to bring forth something from nothing. Like a painting, song, or novel.
It doesn’t count I can put a meal together, from scratch, without a recipe, with the last five ingredients left in my house.
It doesn’t count I could crochet a little girl’s dress from balls of yarn.
It doesn’t count I could help a cast of thousands understand a confusing marketing plan LIVE and in PERSON.
Why doesn’t it count?
Because there are others who do a far better job at those things than I do. They are the REAL creative geniuses. I am just a faker.
Yeah, just writing that hurts.
Comparison
Comparison is creativity’s arch nemesis.
Using comparison is the best way to ruin a perfectly marvelous creative moment.
Not long ago, I started planning my future retirement (from caregiving). One biggie is my living arrangements. After researching options, I decided to pursue the “van dwelling” culture. Ideally, I want to start with an empty cargo van shell and baby step my way to making it exactly mine.
But boy is it easy to wind up on YouTube for (what seems like) hours looking at all the tricked out vans. Suddenly my DIY idea is out the window. I’m filled with self-doubt thinking to myself, I will never get there.
Just like that, lickety-split, I went from envisioning a great future traveling the country in my home on wheels to a stagnant life probably staying on someone’s couch. Ouch.
That is what comparison does. Almost in an instant, it absolutely KILLS creativity.
Analysis and Resolution
Okay then, the question is, how do I get myself out of that stifling downward spiral?
Since creativity and comparison are rivals and when comparison has taken the upper hand, the simple fix is to do something creative. It can be anything!
Write, cook, take pictures, dream, play, draw, knit/crochet, scrapbook, dance, sing, act, tinker on an engine, decorate … there is a plethora of creative outlets out there for the taking.
One of my newest creative passions is Bullet Journals (BUJO). I love it because it fulfills two desires — the desire to be creative and my goal to keep moving forward.
But once again, I can get sucked into “their #BUJO’s are way better than mine.” My counteraction is to say to myself, I am a beginner. And more importantly…
The reason why we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind the scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.
Their finished product is a result of many hours invested and energy devoted to it.
For now, my #BUJO is in pencil. ::giggle::
Creativity will be a HUGE part of my upcoming new program (due to be released on January 1, 2019).
Until then, please see the following journal prompts. If you feel like sharing, you can do so in the comment section below.
Journal Prompts:
- How do you define creativity?
- Finish this sentence — My creative outlet is _____________.
My thanks to Brené Brown for her extensive research on the topic of what it means to be wholehearted via her book The Gifts of Imperfection. I am using her research as a guide to further my passion to help others discover their own authenticity and embrace their own third act of life.
Note: This is the sixth article of ten in describing Wholehearted Living. You can find the first article “Cultivate Authenticity” here … the second “Cultivate Self-Compassion” here … the third “Cultivating a Resilient Spirit” here … the fourth “Cultivating Joy and Gratitude” here … the fifth “Cultivating Intuition” here.