Everyone is creative in their own way, but not all of us tap into our creativity. Very often, it’s because we don’t really know how, and we’re actually a little scared to find out. Yet creativity – in whatever form that takes for us individually – is very important, and discovering it, acknowledging it and expressing it needs to be a priority in our lives.
“Unused creativity doesn’t just disappear. It lives within us until it’s expressed, neglected to death, or suffocated by resentment and fear.”
Brene Brown
Add Meaning
The first thing we need to do is discover our creative outlet. What is that we can do to add value and meaning, and make a unique contribution? Making meaning means making art – this could be writing, cooking, drawing, dancing, knitting, rebuilding an old car engine, taking photographs, singing….anything you do that’s creative cultivates meaning.
Stop Comparing
We are so much more likely to find fulfillment and success through being ourselves than by relentlessly trying to be like other people. Letting go of our almost obsessive need for comparison to others is one of the most compassionate things we can do for ourselves. We will never fill someone else’s shoes as well as they do, so we’re just setting ourselves up to fail every time. But we will never fail at just being ourselves.
Make Time
Creativity is often thought of as a brilliant flash of genius that results in something wonderful. In reality, it is often exactly the opposite. Creativity is a process, requiring you to do the work. Put in the time. Practice hard. Look for feedback. Make improvements. We have to make time in our busy schedules to dedicate to creativity. Because when we make creativity a priority, that’s when the sparks of innovation fly.
Creative geniuses are not so much the ones who answer the fastest, but the ones who keep at it until they get it right.