​What is a creative, and how do you know if you are one?

Black and Brown Bicycle by SplitShire

Recently I have found myself using the term “creatives” as a label or shortcut term for my people. I am also seeing that term tossed around by others. I thought it might be useful to explore what I mean when I call my tribe creatives.

A creative might not know that they are a creative, they might not feel artistic or musical or whatever. I know that I did not- people had to tell me. It is hard to see from the inside.

So, these are some of the signs:

You have been called passionate- you can dive into an idea with all four feet because you see the ways that it can be so great for the world around you.

You have been called a dreamer- your imagination is always on. If you have ever run into a hypnotherapist, they might have told you that you were already in a trance.

You often have more ideas than you can follow through on, and may bounce from one project to the next – on a good day it is invigorating and affirming, and it can also lead to a feeling of ineptitude when you see all the dropped projects around you.

It can feel hard to trust yourself and your ideas because you know that you have not always been able to stick with one long enough to reap the benefits.

A creative is someone who thinks outside the box and makes links between boxes that others might never have thought of.
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Photo by Designecologist

A creative is someone who might have logic in spades, or might be so caught up in thinking in non-linear and non-cognitive ways that they can’t remember the directions from point A to point B, but they can sing an aria that will touch your soul, or draw a line that has dance in it.

A creative is someone who needs to forge their own path, even when it seems harder than the well-worn path, much to the chagrin of their well-meaning friends and family.

A creative is someone who is essential to the well-being of the culture because they can access the deeper truths, the conundrums, the paradoxes, the beauty of the soul and though they may feel fear in doing so, they have this itch to keep going into layers of discovery.

A creative is someone who might value a simple life, but is constitutionally unable to keep it simple- they get itchy and irritable if they are not creating, listening to their muse, finding time for their explorations, busting open the walls and flying in the face of restrictions.

A creative is a risk taker- though they may not really know that they are taking risks because the risks they take are just the thing that feels like it needs to be done.

A creative does not necessarily know that they are creative, may not be able to call themselves a writer, musician, artist, they may not even know that they have something that needs to be expressed, they just feel an ache, a longing, an unidentifiable desire, and it hurts if they do not give it time and space.

A creative who is not expressing is a very sad thing.

A creative who is not expressing is a loss to the world because creatives offer healing in being able to express and witness with compassion and love the things in our collective soul that we are struggling with, sometimes long before we know that the struggle is there.

A creative may be drawn to share their creative activity in public ways- or may just need to do the work on their own, but if they do the work, the world around them still reaps the benefits because they bring their learning and healing into their relationships.

A creative who is not expressing can get very depressed.

Ah and here is the twist:

Maybe really we are all creatives: I like that idea very much- to think of it as a simple human aspect. Maybe every human being has a creative side that needs to be expressed.

Imagine how cool it would be if all of us took time for creative pursuits!

Imagine the compassion and depth of understanding that we could bring to each other if we could all access that part of ourselves that does not fit into the logical boxes that we try to live our lives in.

Imagine if we could all witness with compassion and openness the parts of ourselves and each other that are paradoxical and troubling, and if we could all let ourselves learn from our mistakes instead of ignoring and denying them. If we could all tap into the beauty of the soul.  

This is part of what I know the creative process to do for me. I am sure it does so much more.
 
As a culture we believe that only some are creative geniuses. That limiting belief is stifling a whole heck of a lot of creativity.

If being a creative means being some exalted genius, then of course I am not a creative. I am only me.
 
But as only me I have felt the pain of not making, I have been called a dreamer and passionate, I have felt bad for not finishing things and excited with new ideas.

So maybe being a creative is simply being someone who chooses to make room in their lives for that side of them that is not logical, linear or boxed- for that side of them that plays in the unknown and questions reality and loves what it loves.

What do you choose?

If you choose to be a creative and you find yourself full of doubt about whether you are really a creative, because there is that part of us that believes that only some folks are, then just know that your doubt is completely understandable; your fears are based on a deep paradigm that we live in- an assumption that only a select few are crazy enough to be creative geniuses.

If you feel that longing, that ache, maybe even a memory of touching the creative side of you, and you wonder if you could, or want to be letting that creative side of you out more, this may be enough for the moment.

Take it in, let yourself feel the possibility that it could be a good thing for you and the people around you, even if it feels hard or like you have nothing to say or you would have no idea how to proceed. You do not need to act- just let yourself breath into that little part of yourself that longs to play and ask it what would make it happy, or what it needs.

Let yourself acknowledge that you are up against a whole heck of a lot of cultural and/or emotional baggage. We all are. And it is time to change that.

So, start small and with compassion and joy. Maybe hum a tune in the car, or make a sketch of a that flower, or let yourself doodle on the side of your notes. Maybe take a walk in the woods and invite your dreamer along to smell the spring breeze and imagine.

Let pleasure be the invitation and impulse be possibility, and let your wise being choose acts that bring you closer to yourself.

But do something to just wake up that passionate dreamy creative side of you because our creative work is an expression of the soul of ourselves and the culture and we all need it.
 
 
 I am super curious! If this speaks to you, I would love to read your response or your experience. Please leave a comment below and as always- share the love! pass it on to anyone you think it might be helpful for.

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Photo by Daniel Frank from Pexels