Creativity is Within Us All

If there’s one thing I hope to impress upon you, it’s that ALL people are creative in some way. Some more than others, yes, but everyone uses creativity to navigate the world and their life. One of my primary goals is to bust the myth that there are people who “don’t have a creative bone in their body.”

Creativity isn’t just being artistic, expressing yourself like a painter or musician would. No. It’s discovering a way of doing something differently, or thinking about something in a new way. My favorite definition is this.

“Creativity is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others.”

Human Motivation by Robert E. Franken

Was there ever a time that you figured out how to accomplish something or build something without having the knowledge, tools, or materials that might typically be used? That’s creativity! Creative thinking is something we choose to use when the known or obvious options aren’t available to us. Those of us who use creativity to create art, music, or other commonly know creative endeavors, use or practice this ability more often. Which in turn strengthens our creative abilities even further, the same way lifting weights builds muscle. This is why artists who practice their craft for at least an hour each day are typically more proficient and often are more centered, able to take on life’s challenges as they arise.

Recently, I noticed a post about this very thing. Carrot Condo owner and artist extraordinaire, Trista Cornelius talks about how her daily creative practices have shifted her mindset, emotional health, and her creative passions.