YOU are Creative, Really!

 “Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.” ~ Erich Fromm

Are you creative? Now before you rush to answer that question, think about it. I didn’t ask if you were artistic. I asked if you are creative.

It amazes me how often people tell me how un-creative they are when they find out I am a songwriter, as if I am standing there in judgment. Can everyone write songs? Well, I believe yes, they can. But that’s beside the point. The point is everyone is creative, whether it be in making music or something else entirely.

The trick is first defining the word creative. Broken down, being creative can be defined as the ability to create. That’s simple enough. We create every day, whether it be a daydream while waiting in rush hour traffic or a task on the job. Creativity is making something new and useful, especially when solving an everyday problem, like how to get to work when your regular route is blocked or how to get everything done on a to-do list in a short period of time.

Many people associate creativity with art or music, but what about problem-solving? When’s the last time you came up with a creative solution that no one else around you thought of (that really worked)? Or looked at a situation in a whole different perspective that really helped you get through a difficult time?

We often fail to recognize smaller feats of creativity, passing them off as unimportant or uninspired. But truly it is the smaller moments and our reaction to them that create the bigger picture…how we live and experience life, which in turn affects our overall well-being.

So, redefine what creativity is for you and then get to creating. I’d love to hear about what you created today! Leave a comment below.

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