But I’m not creative…

A most amazing podcast

I recently listened to an amazing podcast  and I just had to share a thing from it!  Do you like podcasts?  I love podcasts!  Maybe it’s because I’m not a very good reader.  I’m a good reader but I don’t enjoy reading very much. So I LOVE to listen to things. …Anyway… I discovered this old podcast called Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert.  I really enjoyed them!  I wonder why she stopped doing them after only 2 seasons!?

Elizabeth Gilbert and Brene Brown

I have enjoyed so many of them but the one that I probably loved the most was the one that she did with Brene Brown. O.M.G. So good! And I’m going mention it again I’m sure because I wrote this really long list cool stuff I got from it.  Just one I want to tell you about today  – I can’t remember which of them said it (because Brene Brown and Elizabeth Gilbert are both totally awesome):

There’s no such thing as non-creative people just people who use their creativity and those who don’t.

I absolutely, completely, totally believe that!  When I talk about who  I work with I say that I work with creative people who are a bit stuck, maybe lost.  Maybe they don’t know what the problem is, they just know that something’s just not quite right. Maybe it’s depression. Maybe it’s anxiety.  They don’t always really know. But they are creative people.  They’re open to creative ideas.  They’re open to doing expressive creative things.  But the thing is that this isn’t actually a subset of the population because I believe that everyone is creative.  I really do!

If you consider yourself creative

Do you consider yourself creative?  If so claim it!  Say “Yes I’m a creative person”.  Act like a creative person.  Do creative person things. Let it work in you and let it affect your decisions and the world you build for you and your family.  Make it so people who see your life say “Wow that is a creative person, right there!”. 

It’s so easy in the world today for creative things to be downplayed – to be given less value, to be devalued.  As we get towards the end of high school we are pushed to focus on the ‘important’ things that can bring in an income and support us financially.  Like that is all that matters in life.  Looking back do you see that?

Don’t let it get squeezed out by ‘more important things’, ‘more serious matters’, ‘things that can bring money in’ or everyone else’s thoughts and priorities!  Claim it!

If you think you aren’t creative

If you’re one of the ones who think they aren’t creative – I beg to differ. I think that you are creative and that you just don’t use it!  Maybe it was squashed or beaten out of you.  Maybe careless, thoughtless teachers or parents told you you couldn’t draw, or you had no imagination.  Maybe you were mocked or teased or bullied for your creative expression.  I’m sorry if that happened.  It shouldn’t have. 

But maybe you could find that lost creativity now.  Maybe you could use it more.  Maybe you need to carve out some time and space to experiment.  Maybe you need to give yourself permission.  Maybe you can come to recognise yourself as a creative person.

Imagine your life with some space to create in whatever way you feel is for you!  Just imagine!  How cool would that be?

But I can’t draw

So those are my thoughts for you today:  if you’re the ones who think that you aren’t creative – open up your thinking a little bit.  I bet that there are areas where you already use creativity quietly, surreptitiously.  Where you enjoy creativity, but you downplay it.  Maybe you say that’s not really creativity because I can’t draw.  That’s what  people often say in our first intro session: I can’t draw so I’m not creative. No! No! No! Not true.  Creativity has so many more ways of being than just being able to draw something that looks like something.  

Maybe you are creative in the garden.  Maybe the kitchen.  Maybe in decorating.  Maybe in music or performance.  Maybe in your Christmas family emails.  Maybe on your computer.  Maybe in the problem solving at work.  There are so many more ways to be creative other than being able to draw.

And the kind of art we use in art therapy is much more symbolic and process oriented than that.  I draw abstract scribbles and sometimes stick figures and find them very powerful and meaningful!  

Creativity is necessary for a balanced life

I personally believe that creativity is an important part of a healthy balanced life. I don’t think you can have a full balanced life if there isn’t a creative piece in there.  I’m thinking like a slice of pizza or a slice of cake (too many food analogies!).  I don’t think it’s possible to have a healthy balanced life, if there isn’t some creativity in there.  So if things are feeling out of balance maybe that’s because a part is missing and maybe that’s the creative part.  Consider bringing some more creativity in. 

So there you go. I invite you to  think about your relationship with creativity. Are you a creative person or are you a person who thinks you’re not creative? Either way – bring more creativity into your life.  It’s an important part if you want a healthy balanced life.  If you want to be happy you need it!