Creativity | Make it Blossom

If creativity is in our soul, how do we encourage ourselves and others to use their creativity? Last week I wrote a post on creativity and the inner critic. I talked about how our inner critic may have played a role in shutting down our creativity.

For years I never considered myself creative. I’m a totally left brain thinker. And in my family, you were rewarded for your intelligence. Oh, they oooo’d and aaaahh’d over my kindergarten drawings. But when it came time to choose classes in high school, they never said, “Why don’t you take another art class?”

And once I got out into the real world, there were too many “serious’ things to do other fill my creative soul. That changed when I had my children. As they moved beyond the infant stage, I started to realize I didn’t know who I was. I certainly was a mom and a wife, but what else?

Creativity saved the day and I didn’t even realize it til years later.

I started gardening. So now I was a mom, a wife, and a gardener. But it was the act of creation that filled my soul. And I didn’t even recognize it at the time.

People would say, “Oh you’re so talented. Look at your beautiful garden.” But I would dismiss it and say, “Oh, I just bought the plants and planted them. They did all the work.”

How wrong I was.

I slowly started to realize that the gardening saved me. It gave me a creative outlet that filled my soul.

So let’s talk about ways of encouraging your creative genius.

Awareness

Well, the first thing is awareness. Be aware of how you are already creative. The obvious places to check is your hobbies. When I’m trying to discover something about myself, I always state an intention. Out loud. “I am noticing the ways I am creative. It’s easy for me to see the ways I am creative.”

Did you say it?

Now if you don’t have any hobbies, maybe you’re creative at work, or in your relaxation. By noticing how we are creative, we will create more opportunities to be creative.

Non-judgment

Another challenge to embracing your creative side is judging whatever creative outlet you choose. “Oh, I just plant the plants.” Or “I just follow a recipe”, or “I just bought the furniture and threw everything together.”

How about just noticing our creativity and when we receive a compliment, just saying thank you.

Do it Badly

And sometimes we attempt something creative and it doesn’t turn out the way we expect it. Give yourself permission to do it badly. Sometimes I sit down and say, “Now I’m going to create some bad art.” It’s wonderfully freeing.

Schedule It

And lastly, make time for your creativity. You owe it to your soul.

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• EFT Tapping for Limiting Beliefs
• Creativity and the Inner Critic
• Personal Growth | It All Started With Tomatoes

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