You Don’t Need to be Called ‘Creative’ to Create

“Creative” is one of the words people use to describe me. I’ve heard it from a very young age. I had a wonderful aunt and mother who encouraged my creativity. I went to art school. I have a creative job. I create all.the.time. It doesn’t occur to me that others don’t think they are creative.

It always surprises me when I hear a friend or family member say something like, “Oh, I am not that creative.” [Sigh.] I always respond, “That’s not true!” I don’t say this to be polite. I am saying it because it is true! You don’t need to be called ‘creative’ to create.

The Brain Theory. Science tells us the left side of the brain is where language, logic and math happens. The right side of the brain is dedicated to creativeness, among other things. Although both sides of the brain do a little bit of each, picking up slack for each other, there is a definite job assignment for each side.

Presuming you still have your right side of your brain, you are creative!

Also, we create everyday, because all human beings were made to create. That is because we were created by the great Master Creator. Some humans are naturally more creative than others, this is true, but that does not negate your own creativeness.

Being creative is more than painting a masterpiece written about in history books. As one great painter once said, “Painting is easy when you don’t know how, but very difficult when you do.” That was Edgar Degas speaking truth.

Everything we do requires creativity. Don’t believe me? Ask yourself this: Have you ever made up an excuse as to why you couldn’t, or didn’t, do something? You are creative.

Have you every started a business, or dreamed of starting a business? Do you sing in the shower, in the car, at your desk at work? Can you sense the mood of others? Do you have a hobby? Do you laugh at jokes, or tell jokes? You are creative.

Do you forget where you parked your car at the mall? That’s not forgetfulness, it’s creativity at work. That’s what I tell myself every time it happens!

Creativity is a way of living life, no matter our vocation or how we earn our living. Creativity is not limited to the arts or having some kind of important career.” –Madeleine L’engle

So, forget that old saying, “I am not creative.” Never say it again. Want to get in touch with your creative-self? Try this…

TIPS TO SET YOUR CREATIVE-SELF FREE TO START CREATING:

• Give up comparison. Your art is yours. Don’t compare your art to others.
• Give up comparison, seriously. Just stop. Don’t compare your beginning to other’s middle.
• Do draw inspiration from others. Notice I said ‘inspiration’, not ‘comparison’. Pinterest is a great place to start finding inspiration.
• Focus on the process rather than the final results. Creating should be about expressing yourself not producing gallery art. Enjoy the process.
• Gather supplies in one place. Nothing derails the creative process faster that having to stop and look through the junk drawer for a pencil!
• Don’t be afraid to experiment. Try something new, even if you fail at it. And, maybe it’s not paint on paper. Maybe your art is music, dance, or acting.
• Have fun. If it is frustrating, or forced, then stop it, or at the very least walk away for a little bit and come back to it later. If it still isn’t working, let it go and move on.
• Play. Play with a medium you’ve never tried. So what if you have no clue what you are doing. Do it anyway.
• Let go of the negative thoughts that your ideas are stupid, or silly, or nobody else gets it. You get it and that is all that matters.
• There are no rules in creativity. What you create is all from you. There is no right or wrong way of creating.

Everyone is an artist, and our materials are all about us. To use them, you must see them, and to see them, you must accept that they exist.” –Bill Kenower

All of us can create something wonderful, whether we think of ourselves as ‘creative’ or not. Our creativeness is inside use, just waiting to be expressed. Go ahead, try it. Go create something.

FOLLOW MY PINTEREST CREATE::365 BOARD

I will be starting our Summer Art Journaling Series next month…stay tuned.

LINKING UP at Holley Gerth’s Coffee For You Heart. She is an encourager of faith and words. Check her out and other encouragers linking up today.