What is Creativity?

Personal Growth, 22 Comments

Published by thishalcyonlife

, , ,

For the past couple of months, I have been reading books and watching videos on creativity. Not just how to become more creative, but also what creativity could be.

I’ve been trying to go easy on myself recently if I’m not feeling creative enough to post (which you may have noticed since it’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve done so). If I feel like I don’t have any ideas that I’m excited about and inspire me, then I don’t try to force it. For me, trying to force an idea just to get something out there sort of defeats the purpose of blogging. If I try to write something, or make anything for that matter, just for the sake of it, I find that there isn’t any passion behind what I’m doing and it causes me to lose interest. But, when inspiration and creativity strike, I find that not only is it easier for me to make things, but I’m happier doing so.

So, what is creativity?

While creativity isn’t a tangible thing, I like to think of it as a force that comes and goes. It can stop by uninvited while I’m doing the dishes, driving, or taking a shower. Other times, it can have pretty good timing and arrive when I’m already trying to work on something. When creativity makes itself known, even only just for a second, I always make sure that I can write down the ideas somewhere. If not, there’s a chance that I’ll lose those thoughts and even if I try to remember, it won’t come out like originally planned. The ideas will fly right past me and may never return.

Thinking of creativity as its own being, if you will, has definitely made me feel a lot better about not having exciting ideas for content every week. While I don’t sit on the sofa and wait for a thought to come to me without looking for inspiration elsewhere, I don’t feel as bad if I don’t find anything or think of anything that piques my interest.

There could be multiple days in a row where creativity sticks around and hangs out. There are also times when it takes a little break and I don’t see it for a couple of weeks. When that does happen, I try not to worry. I know it’ll be back. It just isn’t the right time for it to appear. And when it does, I’ll take the ideas and run with them.

 

  1. I really enjoyed this post! I like thinking of creativity as its own being, it definitely helps take the pressure off, which is essential when creating. I recently had my first bout of a creative rut for the first time since I started blogging two years ago and it hit me head. Nothing I tried to make was working out, and I couldn’t think of any new ideas that I was excited about.

    I felt really down, but I eventually stopped trying to force it, and soon enough my mind was full of ideas once again, and the spark had returned. Being a creative person sure isn’t easy, but it is rewarding. We just need to be a little kinder to ourselves, I believe!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I think so too! It gets really draining when you try to be creative all the time. I have a creative day job, and even coming home and thinking about having to come up with ideas for a post is tiring sometimes!

      Like

    1. I get like that sometimes! I feel like we’re all too hard on ourselves to come up with great ideas all the time. Sometimes you just need to take a little break and come back refreshed and inspired!

      Like

  3. This is a great post! I like your perspective on creativity – I think we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to constantly blog or create something but thinking of it as its own identity alleviates that pressure 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  4. It was really nice to read this reflection. Creativity is very subjective and while looking at the videos and reading the books helps to put our thinking caps on, we feel it really comes to us to define what it means to us. You are bang on to highlight about the timing and creativity!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. Great reflection. Creativity seems to come at the most random moments, and I always hit a rut at the most inopportune time…we just have to roll with it, I guess!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I totally agree! It’s always when I’ve prepared myself to get things done when the creativity isn’t there. Unfortunately, you sometimes just have to wait for it to return!

      Like

  6. You are so right! I love being creative, and you have found a way to talk about it so beautifully. It’s fun to be a person with a creative mind.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. You seem to have a really healthy relationship with your blog. Sometimes it hard to give yourself a break If you feel uncreative, but it’s really important to let go once in a while. Otherwise, all the fun gets lost.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I do have a health relationship with it now! I actually started this blog a couple of years ago, wrote a few posts, and then deleted them because I didn’t like the direction my blog was doing in. But, now that I’ve been here for almost a year, I think I’ve finally gotten the hang of it, even if creativity tends to leave me for a little while.

      Like

  10. wow! You really studied what creativity is?

    I just know that my two kids are quite creative with making things, drawing, performance arts, and such. After all, my husband and I are quite creative people as well.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  11. like I recently sad on my IGstories I always do a digital break and it helps me recharge myself and stay creative longer and longer, ’cause it’s so important for me. then I feel creativity I feel alive!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment