How To Be Creative

Creativity 101: I got nothing.

I do have some ideas of what ‘creativity’ is and how we use it.

My hypothesis is that we all are born to be creative. Like breathing, the moment we are born we start feeling for our surroundings in search of food and shelter. We just came out of a very warm and soft environment to this shocking world of noise and light.

Once our survival skills are rewarded by medical professionals and hopefully parents, we can start exploring this new world we’ve been dropped into. We are naturally curious so we listen and look and touch and taste and try to make some meaning for this thing called “Life”.

Without asking for classes, we start to communicate what we are learning. We begin to make sounds that some day may become beautiful arias or thoughtful oracles. With minimal motor skills we scratch in the sand or mark on walls with simple patterns relating what we have seen and experienced so far.

We are being creative.

As we grow older a stick may become a saber or spear or a tool for scratching in the dirt. A cardboard box may become a fort or a dollhouse or a space ship. Whatever our imagination tells us we can be creative with it.

We are using creativity to expand our consciousness.

We are taught letters and numbers and words bringing us new horizons of wonders. We are shown science and history and math which all can be used in a new creative exploration.

Somewhere along the way we are told we must be responsible for this entire creativeness is too much fun and “Life” isn’t about having fun.

Some will retire to a dull world of accounting or sales but even then there are the choir singers and the square dancers and quilters and knitters who are being creative without thinking about it.

Some will continue to follow the fun and become artist, painters, dancers, musicians, authors, playwrights, actors, singers all trying to express their experience of “Life” to others.

Social media has allowed every individual to become a moviemaker and critic. Everyone has a camera now to record a sunset or beach vacation or a family member to present to the entire world. Keyboards click away our ideas, thoughts, fantasies, fears and dreams.

We are being creative.

Even though we might think we are not creative because we cannot play the piano, we can plug into a song that might make us dance or sing along. We might not believe we can draw a straight line but find skill in woodworking or pottery or fiber design.

We are being creative without even thinking about it.

Enjoy.