Over the last decade I've enjoyed a number of opportunities to gather with others, using creativity and inquiry for self discovery. Sometimes I am the teacher, at others it's another in my community.
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| Hearts and Dragons |
When asked if they are creative, 95% of young children say 'YES!' ... by middle school, that's dropped to about half, and by late teens, only about 5% see themselves as creative! What changes?
Sometimes it was a thoughtless comment or criticism, or comparing ourselves to someone (we consider) more 'talented.' In reality, Creativity is a birthright of all humans!
When we delve a bit, and include inquiry with image, process is more valued than the 'product,' though chances are you - yes YOU - can create something that brings you and those around you pleasure and joy, and looks good to boot!
And like any other 'muscle,' the more we create, the more skillful we become.
NeuroNoodles and postcard art from friends
And ... then there's the intention!!Our friend and Intentional Creativity SiStar & teacher, Bejeweled Baroness Elizabeth Gibbons, writes, "By creating with intention, we create a cosmic portal, a quantum field where we can explore our potential and possibilities. We shine the divine light of our higher self into the darkness of our shadow self. We are able to heal and integrate all aspects of our psyche and to access a miracle field, the space between the thoughts where our divine spark lives."
What stories run your life?
What story is burning to be told?
In my perception, most people associate "creativity" with "being artsy" or "good at painting", when creativity really is much broader. People with great problem solving skills are creative. Software developers who find a way to tweak a program are creative. hockey players who score from an impossible angle are creative. Moms who survive long days with small kids, HAVE TO BE CREATIVE ;-) Us writers are creative, and we should all give ourselves more credit.
ReplyDeleteYes!!
DeleteWe have to be creative to survive! I'm a 'lucky one' whose parents fostered many forms of creativity - my dad and I sang, both at home and in choir. They had me study piano, and in my 40s, I got my first harp.
My mom was multi crafty, with a good eye for color, and was the family historian and genealogist ... we all read and therefore wrote
Different parts of the brain light up amen were exercising these creative skills and exporting new forms ...
I have been looking for ways to use my creative side more. I’m one of the 5% who don’t remember that we are all creative.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great goal, Cheryl - as Tamara mentioned - writing taps our creativity, too!
DeleteWriting by hand (especially cursive or language using glyphs) activates the brain in similar ways to graphic arts!
I love exploring something new - and them sharing what I learn
Nadya
A absolutely love this reminder we are all creative. Whether we write, make art, cook, build, garden, problem solve, etc, we are all inherently creative beings! As a prior teacher, I actually had NO idea about the drop off in self-perceived creativity that happens in middle school! My middle school students were so creative.
ReplyDeleteI also love your question of what story is burning to be told. I am going to sit with that one a while.
Yes - we are all creative in so many ways!
DeleteI think part of the drop in self-perceptioncomes from comparison, and labeling some folks as 'creative.' And the inner critic is activated - especially when an 'expert' discourages them.
I've had gals with art degrees in my Intentional Creativity classes, who stopped doing graphic art post college - and cited needing to 'critique' and criticize each other's work, over and over!
They were willing to dip a toe, in a supportive space.
💕 Nadya