On Creativity

To create - to cause to come into existence; make, originate, produce

Every since I can remember I have always loved creating or making stuff.It is my way of connecting, of feeling alive and of being totally in the now.I know many of you feel the same way...Feeling that inspiration, we pick up the brush, the yarn, the pen, the cooking pot. With these tools we express ourselves, adding beauty, truth and positivity to the world. We celebrate the energy that enables us to create and become one with it . We draw, paint, sculpt, weave, write, design web pages, bake , run our own business, sing, dance, doodle.....it matters not what we choose to do, it only matters that we recognize our need to be creative and honour it. Creativity gives to you and the world. It empowers us. It nourishes us. It is what life is all about. Never forget that you are a creative being. Honour that creativity. Honour it in others as well. Focus. Creativity needs a nurturing environment. without the many distractions that are continually available. Busy work and creativity are not the same thing. Don't allow negative self-talk or negative comments from others to stop you from your creative pursuits. .When you chose to share your work with others, don't be overly influenced by their reactions. Most will respond positively, but there will always be the critics, the nay sayers. Don't share your work with negative people unless you are strong enough to not let it affect you. Allow for "mistakes", see them as lessons and opportunities for more growth. Focus on the process, not the finished product. Work without being attached to outcome. We must enjoy what we are doing, not be product driven. View your work, as well as yourself, as "a work in progress".Take risks, go out on a limb. Listen when that small voice inside, says "what if we did it this way instead" The act of creativity is also the act of discovery.Respect those times, when creativity appears to be blocked. Don't get overwhelmed thinking you'll never get it happening again. Trust these times of fallow. They happen to every creative person and often precede the birth of a new creation.. Never give up, keep at it. Suspend the inner critic. Keep it humble. Keep it real. You are just one of the components required for creativity to flourish. Like the brush, the yarn, the clay, the wheel, the computer, the guitar see yourself as one part of the cosmic chain of creativity.

......"and there is only the dance"........T.S. ELIOT

copyright 2000Penn George www.womenscreativity.com all rights reserved