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We are all born with the same creativity. Consider Picasso’s quote “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” Picasso knew that we all have the same ability when we are born, it is the circumstances that surround us and the opportunities we are given that allow us to grow and stay creative.
Those of us who are given these opportunities and go on to grasp them and take them further are the ones we often look at and admire for their ability to observe the world differently, whether through art, design, mathematics, science or any other subject, but creative thinking is a skill we have and we should all develop and use it.
New ideas come from creative thinking and we can all have these – it might be an idea for a dinner you want to cook, or a room you want to decorate. It could be an idea for a game you play with your children, or how you are going to save up for those diamond earrings you’ve seen! 😉 What we don’t realise is that we think creatively in (sometimes) the most mundane situations.
Are you wondering what has happened to yours?
Well, it’s still there! It doesn’t go away, it’s part of who we are and if it’s given a chance it will re-emerge from the shadows and benefit your life.
When I asked people from my business group “What do you think being creative is?”, the answers highlight the need for creativity in our lives:
“Giving your mind freedom to dream… and then bringing those thoughts and ideas into a physical form” Loubie Otto
“…letting our minds wander into thoughts and possibilities…then action the ideas that bring us most joy…” Tracy White
“Allowing yourself to explore your capabilities with total freedom and joy in the process” Charlotte Jenkyn. Charlotte also went on to say about it relying on you following your intuition, which really sums up for me the way that children learn – they do what they feel is right at the time, without fear. As adults we need to allow ourselves to “go with it” if we want to re-discover our creativity for anything.
Shelley Wilson expresses this perfectly: “It’s when I feed my inner child and don’t follow the rules”. She allows herself the mental and physical space “to fill [her] creative well”. How often do we actually allow ourselves this time?
Kim Alcock-Trombino finds creativity when she puts her heart and passion into something. “Freely letting my ideas flow and trying them out”.
“…the process is more important than the outcome”, said Hayley McDonnell. She also added that “creativity cannot be exhausted, the more creative you are the more creative you become”. This is so true! As it is intrinsic to our being, then it couldn’t possibly be exhausted. If you find it again and start to build it, it grows and grows. I found this when I left teaching, exhausted and stressed. I was mentally unable to create anything or even think about being creative. A year later, itchy hands began the process of making again and here we are a couple of years later – making, creating, sharing and encouraging others to do the same!
I kind of expected these answers from a group of women entrepreneurs, who spend their time building their vision of personal and business success, because they have to be creative in finding their ways round a whole plethora of different challenges, but also have to make time to dream and plan.
What would you say if I asked you?
Would you think the same, even in a different situation?
With well-being so high on everyone’s agenda, having these opportunities to explore what it means to you and letting your “inner child” take over for a while (in whatever form that takes) and see what happens, is just the perfect way to get started on your creativity journey. Maybe there is something that is hidden? Something that you loved as a child but suppressed in order to do what was expected? How many of us didn’t follow our dreams for the reason that our ‘dreams' weren’t seen as the ones that would be stable, sensible or provision for our future selves?
Stephanie Anne D’Entremont told me that for her “being creative… is like a hunger for something you haven’t quite yet find fulfilling”. Maybe it’s that that you need to search for? What would you love to do or learn? What would fulfil your hunger?
So many questions to ask yourself this week!
I’d love your thoughts on creativity, so please reply to this post and give your ideas too. Sharing helps everyone to think about their own creativity in new ways, so our ears are open!
Next time, I will be exploring more ways to support your child at home creatively, but I truly believe that once you are able to feel confident in your own creativity, the rest will come easily 😊
Take care and see you soon!
Deb x