About Creativity

It is difficult to describe what creativity is.   Creativity has been explained as not a talent but it is a talent.   It is a talent we are all born with.  Some of us have lost this ability.  It is the ability to be in a state of playfulness, child-like if you will. It is the ability to temporarily set aside every day worries, stresses, anxieties and busyness to engage one’s playful and exploratory side.  It is about being mindful, staying in the present moment. The talent I refer to here is the talent of being able to engage the child within.  If you have lost this talent don’t fret as the lost can be found.

Creative people can do just that.  They can go back and forth from dealing with the everyday adult responsibilities and to separating themselves.

Creative people realize that they need to cut off the outside world and it’s problems temporarily in order to delve into their creative zone.   This is easier done when we set ourselves time boundaries. We have a beginning and an end even if it is for a short time. We can always start again at a designated time.

When trying to get into the creative zone it is important not to get impatient or try to force it. We need to relax and let our minds full up with good positive self-talk. Creative people have learned to be patient and not to expect immediate gratification. They let ideas flow without judging.

Self-doubt and fear are creative killers.  They will paralyze and cripple creativity. As an art teacher I have witnessed this over and over again – students who are afraid to mix colours and apply their mixture to their surfaces. They are so afraid of making a mistake. Their biggest mistake is not being playful, not experimenting as a child would.   Have you ever watch children colour in their colouring books. They pick up crayons and go for it. They don’t worry if they colour their rabbit (the one in their colouring book) green and orange with a pink tail. They don’t care if they go outside the lines.  What has happened to us? I figure as we age we experience so many negative voices that smother our creative beings so many negative voices such as don’t do that, don’t do this, and that is wrong or that doesn’t look good. In order to get into our creative zone we have to guard ourselves from our critical selves. Creative people feed their minds with positive self-talk. They tell themselves that they can work through the process.  It is important here that I mention that creative people do experience self-doubt.   They know that to get into their creative state they need to clear their minds and push the negative stuff away.

Does any of this seem familiar?

Check out Donna’s website at www.donnawilsonartist.com