A FUN WAY TO CELEBRATE LIFE
“You can’t use up CREATIVITY, the more you use, the more you have.” ~Maya Angelou~
Being
Creative can mean something different for each of us. Most people associate creativity with the
arts but it’s so much more.
The moment
you wake up you create your day. When
you go to work, you constantly create – making decisions, setting up meetings,
writing status reports, etc. When making
dinner, you create a meal.
Being
Creative is what you do every moment of every day. The question is: How do you see yourself Being Creative?
My own
journey started at five years old when my parents enrolled me into an art
class. They were told I had
‘potential.’ I loved getting lost in the
process, slipping into an alternate world, unaware of time and place.
My Mom and I
watched a craft show on TV every day, it was kind of a ritual. Watching the expert take pieces of different
materials, cutting shapes, gluing, learning new techniques, as we created fun
things to decorate our home or give as gifts.
It fascinated me how you could create something out of a pile of
“stuff.” I was able to make really cool,
fun gifts for my family out of scraps (at that age money was not an option).
Between the
fascination of watching others create and my own experiences, by the age of
nine I was obsessed with BEING CREATIVE!
I had an endless stream of ideas I wanted to make happen. People talk about “getting inspired,” or
needing to be in the right mood in order to Be Creative so I wanted to know how
to get to that place whenever I wanted instead of waiting for the mood to
strike. I spent that summer, going to
the library at least once a week or more in the pursuit of understanding and
harnessing that creative energy. I know,
weird for a nine year old but I was motivated to discover the secret. I was surprised to learn there were no books
on creativity only craft and how to books.
So I decided I should study how the brain functions and how it processes
creativity then I could be creative all day.
The books were, of course, adult level and difficult to comprehend but I
scanned through book after book, checked the back index and nowhere was the
word CREATIVE ever present.
Undeterred
by my ineffective pursuit of the secret behind the creative process and wanting
to help children with muscular dystrophy (Jerry’s Kid’s), I planned a fair to
raise money for that charity. I designed
all the games, physically made them, found businesses to donate prizes,
advertised the event and encouraged the neighborhood kids to volunteer to help
with the games.
By the time
I entered fourth grade, I was unstoppable.
I wrote a play, conducted casting calls and rehearsals, directed the
play and yes even starred in it.
Everyone wanted to be in my plays.
I continued my art classes, performed in numerous dance recitals and
shows, joined a classic literature book club, and obtained a sash full of Girl
Scout merit badges. That year was
amazing.
What made it
even more special was that the following year was the complete opposite. Fifth grade was a major turning point in my
life affecting me to this day. I became
self-conscious, doubted myself, felt “different,” not understood, was told ‘no’
a lot, you can’t make a living being creative, and that pesky little voice in
my head telling me I’m not good enough, turned me into a quiet, introverted,
scared kid. After that I questioned my
abilities, who was I to think I could do {fill in the blank}. I pursued my creative endeavors behind closed
doors for fear of rejection and ridicule.
All I ever
wanted to do my whole life was wake up every morning spending each day being
constructively creative in a way that would make a difference in the world as
well as inspire others to do the same.
What a wonderful life that would be.
As I grew up,
I succumbed to the pressure of finding a “real job” and being practical. It took a lot of time and soul searching
until I came to the realization that I was being creative with every thought
and action. I have an extensive library
of books now about the creative process, still curious but also much better
informed. I never stopped pursuing my
creative dreams, evolving from knowledge, understanding, experience and
wisdom. I’m grateful I never lost my
passion for connecting to my creative spark.
Now I wake
up every morning and I’m creative all day, my business is all about the
creative process and inspiring others to pursue their creative/life goals,
dreams and passions in an environment that promotes support and lets you know,
you are not alone in your desire to BE CREATIVE – in your own uniquely YOU way.
So again, I
ask you, how are you BEING CREATIVE?
