What it means to be a creative

I have had the privilege of having conversations with people I consider to be creatives. These people build businesses and passions that are rooted in creativity and service to the greater good. But these are the same people that say things like “I’m just not creative” or “I’m not feeling creative” or “I have writer’s/photographer’s/designer’s block.”

So, what does it mean to be A creative, to BE creative, and to LOSE creativity?

What does it mean to be A CREATIVE?

If I was to describe a creative, I would say it is someone who is looking for solutions and follows their unique natural calling to fulfill that solution. For some this means picking up a camera, for some it is a paintbrush, an instrument, or even a calculator. To be a creative means to allow a connection to something beyond the self to come through in a way that cannot be explained. Sure, we can break down the technical aspects of what we are doing - but there’s something a creative CAN’T explain and that is that

“…it just feels right to do it like this.”

The unique brush stroke, viewpoint, mathematical equation, formulation of words, or the way the notes come through are only capable from someone who is A CREATIVE. A creative isn’t someone who copies something and claims it as their own. They may take pieces of what someone else has created and put their own spin or riff on it - I would say that that is a trait of a creative: seeing things from a different perspective and being inspired by it, morphing it into THEIR experience and not apologizing for it.

A creative knows that the fear of criticism, while terrible, isn’t enough to stop them from executing upon their gifts. They are risk takers, rule breakers, and courageous. A creative’s call to create AND share is much greater than the small voices that attempt to intimidate and make them small. A creative’s legs may shake when stepping on stage, their voice may catch in their throat, every fibre of their body will tell them to “just turn around, it will be easier if we don’t do this” when they go to submit their final manuscript - BUT, they will teach themselves that those feelings are not warning signs, but rather signs that what they are doing MUST be done, for the world will not be the same once they do.

To be a creative is to find a way to execute the gift regardless of how much time they have, what job(s) they have to work, how many school activities their parents encourage them to participate in, or how many children they must care for.
A creative understands that creating is breathing.
And without breath there is no life.

This is what it means to be a creative.

What does it mean to BE CREATIVE?

To be creative is to be in action. One does not need to be A CREATIVE in order to BE CREATIVE. Confusing, I know. But also liberating.
While being A CREATIVE is an internal pull that one can’t shake and can come with some really heavy-must execute-or-perish vibes, being creative is totally in your control! It’s something you do, not something you are.

To be creative is to act creatively. Think outside the box, try something new, be courageous, take a chance, do without abandon. Being creative is doing things in a new and different way without worry about what happens before or after. To be creative is to be curious, to be playful, and to test, try, and fail. Being creative is messy and fun and joyful. There are no expectations when you are being creative because you simply are…being.

The only way to not be creative is to not try.

If you are doing - you have the opportunity to be creative.
To be creative means there is no room for words like “good” or “bad”
because you are doing it
you are creating it.
There’s no judgment when it comes to being creative.
You just do.

To be creative you just have to start.

You pick up the brush, the pencil, the tablet, the sheet music, the candle wax, the graph paper.

Whatever happens next doesn’t matter, because right now you are doing the thing which means

you are doing what it means to BE CREATIVE.

How do you lose creativity?

You don’t.

There’s no such thing as a block or a lack.

As we mentioned above, creativity isn’t something you have it’s something you do and you can’t lose something you do.

You might have dips in creativity - those are your moments for rest.
You might have chaos - that’s when you need to recenter.
You might have frustrations - that’s when you need to get off the internet.

But you never have nothing.

It’s not possible.

It’s actually just hiding

behind words like
“not good enough”
“It’s shit”
“I’m not creative”

What you chalk up to as “a block” or “a lack” or “losing creativity” is actually just you thinking that the creativity you are creating is bad.
But just because it is “bad” in your eyes doesn’t make it any less creative.
We talked about this.
To be creative is to get rid of good or bad or judgment.
So, instead of saying “I’m not creative” you could say things like “I am not creating to the standard that I would like”
(but that’s still kinda negative)
OR
”Ideas flow through me”
(understanding that not all ideas are good ideas but in order to get to the good ideas you need to work through the bad ones)
First drafts, third revisions, and final edits exist for a reason.
Even a first shitty draft is creative.

YOU HAVEN’T LOST YOUR CREATIVITY

Creativity isn’t a fire that ever goes fully out.
Sure, it might dim from time to time, but if we tend to it daily, no matter how little attention we pay it, even if it’s just one breath,
we can bring it back to being the roaring bonfire it once was.

While creativity isn’t something you can lose, it is something you can abandon

But, worry not, even if you abandon it, no matter how long,
it will be waiting for you to pick it back up when you are ready

Your brushes will be there, your dance shoes will be there, your camera will be there, your clay will be there, your pencil will be there
Colors will still exist, textures will still remain, and music notes will persist
Some work will be good, some will be bad, some will be neat, some will be reckless, some will be wild, some will be fantastic, and some will fall flat

BUT ALL WILL BE TRUE & CREATIVE

You just have to put away the excuses of why you can’t tend to your flame
You just have to make it a wee bit of a priority
You just have to start