As we often do with the mystical concept of passion, we tend to reserve the word creativity for artists and geniuses who can dream and bring new things to life, and not for use in our daily lives.
But that shouldn't be the case. Human beings are creators by nature. Just look around you: it takes a lot of creativity to be where you are now. Where you live, the appliances you use, the art you enjoy, the clothes you wear—everything is a result of human creativity.
However, our jobs don't always require creative efforts. And our modern society offers everything we could possibly need. It seems like there's no reason to get down to work and create more things. So if our work is not particularly creative, and we don't need creativity to solve everyday tasks, that leaves us as mere consumers.
On the "creative void"
Taking on such a passive role when we also have the capacity to undertake creative tasks sooner or later affects our emotions and our sense of satisfaction.
When we have been consumers/viewers for too long, we neglect our inner desire to create.
We feel a creative void. As they describe it The Minimalists in one of his essays:
For most of us, however, emptiness has nothing to do with the need to consume more; in fact, it's quite the opposite: when we consume too much, we experience stress, anxiety, and depression, which effectively deepens the emptiness. Our possessions possess us.
To avoid this, we must look within ourselves and let things flow. Let's give ourselves the space to invent, make, design, move, write, and so on. Just for the sake of creating. Let's let go of the expectations that our creative expressions should be anything more than that.
Exploring our creativity has many benefits.
1. Creating something can rekindle our sense of ability.
We often get caught up in what we should and shouldn't do instead of trying and trying new experiences. If we let go of self-imposed limitations for a while and focus on a creative activity, our sense of ability will benefit. Because, regardless of the final outcome of the activity, we will have demonstrated the ability to do something different.
2. Creative activities help us manage our emotions.
There's a reason art therapy exists. Creative activities give us the space to channel uncomfortable feelings and express them instead of keeping them bottled up.
You don't have to be a professional artist. Engaging in creative activities (drawing, painting, music, gardening, and many more) gives us the opportunity to distract ourselves from and make sense of difficult situations.
3. Our creative expressions can help us understand ourselves a little better.
Creative expressions allow us to express feelings and desires we didn't even know we had. According to psychoanalysis, art is a form of sublimation. A defense mechanism that allows unconscious desires to manifest as something beautiful and constructive rather than psychological symptoms. This is another way of saying that creating things can help us cope with our feelings and improve our mood, but with the added benefit of getting to know our inner selves a little better.
You are already creative. We all are. So explore your creativity and take the time to create something. It doesn't even have to be good... just give yourself the chance to try and have fun.
If you're unsure how to explore your creativity, I hope you find these articles helpful:
- 5 Ways to Increase Your Creativity by Dr. Mila Petkova
- 5 More Ways to Boost Your Creativity, a collaboration I wrote for Mila's website.
