For a really long time, I couldn’t see myself as a creative person.
I worked at a marketing agency for many years, first as a social media manager, then as a brand strategist and whenever someone told me I was creative, I would always deflect it.
To me, the creative people were the ones who had job titles such as graphic designer or artistic director. They were the real deal and I was just playing around. I didn’t feel like I deserved to be called a creative.
We all tend to put people in boxes and it’s very easy to think that there are creative people on one side and analytical people on the other. But in reality we are all creative beings at our very core.
We just have to look at children and their enthusiasm when it comes to exploring their creative sides and experimenting with new things. I used to draw and paint a lot when I was little, always encouraged by my grandmother to pursue new artistic endeavours. But somewhere along the way we sometimes lose that creative spark or no longer give it the space it deserves.
Creativity comes in many forms. It is the use of imagination or original ideas to create something and that can mean many things.
You are being creative when:
You whip up a new recipe using the leftovers in the fridge
You figure out a new solution to a problem at work
You decorate your home
The list could go on forever. And the more you exercise your creative brain, the more you’ll want to use it.
I have learned to embrace my creative self again and one of my non-negotiables now is to do something creative at least once a week, even if just for a couple of hours. My preferred activity has been embroidery for the past year but it can also be writing, drawing, making a flower arrangement for my home or even dancing by myself in my bedroom. I just need to get those creative juices flowing because it makes me feel more alive.
It is no coincidence that the sacral chakra, the one associated with our reproductive organs, is also the centre of our creativity.
And if you are still not convinced, pursuing creative activities has been shown to reduce stress, improve your mood and even boost your immune system.
Being creative is your birthright.
So my only question to you: how are you choosing to be creative this week?
Love,
