“Whatever inspiration is, it’s born from a continuous I don’t know.” Wisława Szymborska Polish Poet
Making art is truly a period of uncertainty. The wellspring of our creative vitality comes from not knowing what the end product will be.
Cultivating our creative capacity is one of the most fulfilling things we can do. Creative insights are accompanied by an enlargement of our consciousness, a more meaningful engagement with the world, and feelings of wonder and joy. But most importantly, when we engage in genuine creativity, we make manifest in the world something totally unique and individual. We put our stamp on something and remain true to who we are.
Crossed Message
Creativity is defined as the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, in order to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations… etc. It is often synonymous with words such as inventiveness, imagination, innovation, originality, and individuality.
Many people think that we must be artistically gifted with the ability to draw, paint, sculpt, design, play music or write to be considered creative, but that is not true. We tap into our creativity all the time and we do not realize it. For example, cooking, gardening, building, decorating can all be expressions of our creativity. It is when we bring our unique ideas, perceptions, and experiences together in doing a certain task. Other places we use our creativity is when we are solving problems. Creativity can be present in everything we do; we just need to learn to tap into it.
Be mindful however that the arch enemy of creativity is comparison. Comparing ourselves to others magnifies our insecurities and always leaves us feeling as though we are not enough. When we try to be like someone else, we lose who we are. We spend so much of our time trying to conform and compete that we completely lose sight of how important it is to be authentic, unique, creative, and grateful for who we really are.
We need to resolve to take pride in our individuality. Focus on what brings us joy, not on what others want to see us do or think we should do. It is there that we find the ultimate motivation for creative pursuits. Then we must let go of “doing” and be more involved in being, and letting thing evolve. This will allow our creativity to flow. When we operate out of our creative core, we cultivate meaning, add value, and leave a unique contribution in the world.
Letting go of comparison is one of the most important things we can do to get to the heart of our creativity and our own self-fulfillment. Letting go of expectations to be like others and compete with them, frees us to be ourselves.
It is the start of a “New Year” and the end of one we all will never forget. My wish for all my readers is, that you find inner peace and tap into your creative core. Let go, let it happen, be who you are, and embrace it! It is, what is going to get us through this difficult time.
Happy New Year! Stay safe. Carolyn