Creativity
The Key to Finding Ourselves Again
Catherine Lawson
It’s tempting to think of creativity as something that belongs to the chosen few – the artists, musicians, and poets etc – but the truth is it’s something which is in all of us. We only need to look at how young children play and interact with the world to see that far from being an exclusive talent, creativity is a universal gift. The problem is, by the time we’ve been through the education system and taken a few of life’s hard knocks, most of us have had our creativity squashed.
As the late Sir Ken Robinson (educationalist, most watched speaker in TED history, and original thought leader in the field of creativity and innovation) said, ‘creativity is as important as literacy.’ Why? Because creativity is how we communicate with the world: it fosters our ability to express ourselves, see the unseen, solve problems, innovate, adapt, and change – vital skills we need for just about every walk of life. It could be argued, for example, that accountants, lawyers, and entrepreneurs are consummate creatives, embracing these skills on a daily basis with not a paintbrush in sight. So, if you think you’re not creative, the chances are you’ve been held back by limiting beliefs imposed at a young age, or unhelpful definitions which it’s time to re-define.
If you take into account all of the skills listed above (and that’s not an exhaustive list) and think about creativity as being a unique expression of ‘self’, then it’s perhaps easier to see how it might apply to you. For example, do you like to experiment in the kitchen, exploring new flavour combinations? If so you’re creative. Do you like to write code in your free time? You’re creative. Do you ever head out on a familiar walk and decide to take a different route just to explore hidden paths? You get the picture.
As a unique expression of ‘self,’ creativity is integral to our sense of purpose and identity: it’s how we show up in the world. When we create anything – a pretty garden, a vibrant new cocktail, an exciting new business – we’re saying, ‘this is me!’, and the beauty is, there is no right or wrong. In a world which, let’s be honest, tries to herd us towards conformity from the get-go, creativity is the thing that lets our authentic selves come out to play. And when we do that, we’re making all our thoughts, feelings and intuitions real.
In fact, it’s often through creative pursuits that we give a voice to something inside of us that we didn’t even know was there. That’s true self-agency, and when we have a greater sense of that, we have a greater sense of control and motivation in our lives which does wonders for our wellbeing.
So, given that creativity is such a fundamental part of who we are, why are we so afraid to nurture it? For many, the fear of making a mistake (and publicly) is enough to keep the tap shoes in the attic for a lifetime. Not all creativity needs an audience, however, and the things we love to do can be done just for ourselves, mistakes and all, for the sheer joy of it. Perfectionism can be another issue – the feeling that unless it’s going to be an award-winning book then it just isn’t worth doing – but creativity isn’t about perfection, it’s about expression.
The point is this: the creativity that’s in all of us is central to our wellbeing. It connects us to our true selves – the person we are when we put aside all the distractions, fears, and limiting expectations of others. Creativity is the key to feeling whole, and alive and real. Finding an outlet for our creativity, which lets us explore our unique expression of ‘self,’ can be one of the most exciting and fulfilling journeys we go on in this life. It’s how we find our way back to ourselves.
