Nested Collage
“Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake.” Kurt Vonnegut
There are so many benefits to being creative and developing our creativity. Life can often be difficult! Artistic pursuits, the process, not the product, make life more bearable. That is not said to diminish the product. That is what is shared with others. And enjoyed by many. But it is the process that gives meaning to the creator.
Why don’t more people develop the creative abilities they have been born with? There are several reasons.
As a society we have put more emphasis on fitting into a certain academic and social mold, than to allow an individual’s creativity to flourish. Parents, schools and the media, often unknowingly put down an individual’s efforts. As a result, we develop the “I’m not a creative person” mentality. We develop anxiety over doing it right, having it accepted. We become afraid we will fail.
Being creative has been pitched for a long time as something of a sideline. Yet it is those who have creatively expressed themselves and shared it with the world, that define the ages of human history.
When we abandon our ego and the fear of failure and embrace the process we will succeed at expanding our creativity. We just need to enjoy the journey!
“There is no innovation and creativity without failure. Period.” Brene Brown
To be nobody but ourselves, expressing our individual feelings in a world which is doing its best to make us like everybody else is difficult. We are all different, with different interests, ideas, and styles. We need to embrace our differences. Celebrate our uniqueness. We do not need to be like the masses. We will fit in somewhere!
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Anyone can learn and everyone can be creative. We just need to annex the word “failure” from our mindset. We need to explore, and experiment. Find a subject that ignites our creative fire and feels like fun. Knowing what we like doing creatively is important. It’s an expression of who we are and it’s what makes life richer. Richard Schmid wisely said: “Paint what you love, love what you paint”.
We each have a natural rhythm and if we work within that rhythm to express our unique feelings about something, we will find growth. We will expand our life exponentially when we explore and embrace our creative abilities
The creative process offers us vital catharsis and gratification when we do it without the pressure of “right and wrong”. Often the act of doing without judgement and a plan guides us through the process.
Expanding our lives to include the development of our creative abilities opens us up to seeing situations from different perspectives. It brings us to hidden parts of ourselves and allows recognition of our uniqueness and identity. It can help draw out what is already within us – hidden talents and inner capabilities. We connect with our passions. Most important, it reduces stress and generally leads to a more fulfilling life.
Carolyn
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