Creative by Nature

Have you ever paid attention to God's creations?  Look at the zebra.  It's like he made a horse and then said "Oh look at what I am about to do right now!"  Look at the way that some animals have sex.  Look at us.  We are a masterpiece, even when we are flawed.  Everything about the world is creative and if you really pay attention, it is art. It's as if God was playing with clay and coloring with a box of crayons.  He made the birds chirp, making music, and created the need for verbal and nonverbal communication and expression. Then he created us.

If we are made in God's image, wouldn't you think that we by nature, are creative beings? I believe we all are. We are today, and we have been since the beginning.  Even people from the paleolithic and neolithic times expressed themselves on their cave walls. The ability to be creative makes us human, and sets us apart from the animals.

Any time I am frustrated, sad, happy....basically any time I feel anything at all, I am inspired to write it all down.  I was upset and crying once and my friend who was with me said "Britt, write.  Write right now.  I'll get your laptop."  I said "No.  I have nothing to say," knowing I was basically playing hard to get with my feelings and my computer.  She got really sad and said "But that's what you do, Britt, you write."  I told her to grab my laptop and I went at it.  I was immediately better. When I don't write, it's because I am sulking, because really, I cannot live without it.  My creative outlet is like a drug.  Albert Einstein said, "Creativity is intelligence having fun" and I am not saying drugs are fun, but you know they have the reputation for being fun, so really, this all makes sense.

I believe that as long as you respect the PROCESS of creating art, you can speak to other artists that you have nothing in common with.  Art inspires other art, and that is so crazy and beautiful.  For example, when I was younger I completely ignored the Modern Art wing at the museum because I didn't understand it.  Now, I love it.  I understand that what happens to me when I write, or when I learn a song on the piano (I play by ear), is the same process for the artist.  There is nothing like feeling inspired, and the creatives understand that.

I believe that everyone has a creative fiber in their body, but some don't tap into it. I have noticed that children and adults who have found a creative outlet are calmer and can express themselves better than those who have not found one.  Those who don't create anything don't have that outlet for expression.  What is expression?  It is a result of your thoughts and emotions.  So without an outlet, they are stuck inside.  Eventually, the person who has no means of expressing themselves often blow up.

Since I respect the creative process, I can say this.....your creative outlet could anywhere from really listening to music and paying attention to the lyrics, to refinishing old furniture, to just truly appreciating art and watching others create.  You don't have to be classically trained on an instrument or be able to write well or paint or act to be considered a creative person, because you are. 

Being creative is in our nature.