You are creative. Really.
You, are creative.
I know you are already shaking your head and thinking, “she isn’t talking to me.”
Yes, I am talking directly to YOU.
Are you a doodler? This green vine is a version of a doodle I have been making since a high school class trip to the Cleveland Zoo’s Rainforest Exhibit. Creative inspiration arrives in many forms.
Most folks who stop to talk with me when I am out sketching in a public place say, “That’s so cool. I wish I could do that, but I am just not creative.” This happened to me just last week at a hotel restaurant in San Francisco, of all places.
“You are not creative” is a lie we are told when we are young, that creativity has something to do with drawing or painting skills. Creativity is thinking outside the box we are assigned. It is the act of imagining a different future, solution, or way of being.
Creativity is thinking outside the box we are assigned. It is the act of imagining a different future, solution, or way of being.
It’s relying on that snack in your purse when lunch gets cancelled. It’s writing new software code when the old code sucks. It’s making up a new route home when the bridge is up. It’s designing a new building to withstand an earthquake.
Me with a notebook I designed as a reminder to myself. Hand-lettered modern calligraphy, watercolor, and salt.
As someone who worked as a social change agent and project manager for 20 years, I am convinced that creativity is also required for imagining a more just and equitable world. When we reimagine life as more easeful, more prosperous, more just - for ourselves and for others - we are engaging in the act of creativity.
When we reimagine life as more easeful, more prosperous, more just - for ourselves and for others - we engage in the act of creativity.
In truth, creativity is within all of us. We may express it in different ways, but it is always there. It may be buried under gloopy layers of negative thought patterns or self-doubt.
But it is there, like a glimmer, deep within.
Resources
I have an idea… how do I make it happen?
Check out this blog post for my tips for how to get that creative idea out of your mind and into the world.
What if I need some 1:1 support?
I offer coaching assistance for creatives, however broadly you define creativity. I can assist you with:
Defining your vision and project goal
Identifying priorities and tasks
Creating a project map that is flexible to fit your life and personal needs
Setting up tracking or accountability systems to keep you on track
