Are you creative?
For more than a decade I was struggling with this question. Intuitively I knew, that I am creative. But during those years of my studies and building my corporate career I saw no manifestation of creativity in my life. There was no need or space for it in my professional life. I questioned my abilities in the Creativity department and was dreading any creativity exercises.
While I took up Ballet and Jazz dancing at the age of 22 and took as many classes and workshops as I could in my free time, I did not consider that as a creative expression. As a kid I was dreaming about choreographies and saw my favorite music as a dance in my mind. Unfortunately there were no opportunities to take ballet or any other type of dancing classes where I lived as a kid. Not to mention the fact that having an interest in dancing (of all things!) was not considered a worthy pursuit for life. I never forgot about my desire to learn ballet and jazz, but had to wait nearly 15 years for this particular dream to come true. In the last twenty years of my life I tried and danced many different styles, from ballet to musical, from belly-dancing to Scottish folk dance and many others in between. I LOVE to dance!
My creative breakthrough came 9 years ago, when I walked The Artist’s Way with a group of creative explorers. The Artist’s Way workshops changed my life. I began believing in my Creativity. I began practicing dancing again with the intention of telling beautiful tales of life to my audience. I performed many times at my parties and was enjoying this new creative expression in my life.
“Are you creative?” is not a dreaded question any more. I know, I am. And since I don’t question myself, nobody else does, either. That is the beauty of it. As soon as you change your deep belief about yourself and your abilities, everybody else does. As soon as you can declare yourself to be creative and take action to be better and better in your creative expression, your new image is accepted as the reality by the outside world.
When will you say out loud: “ I am creative”?
When do you begin practicing your chosen creative expression? Today is the best time to take action, to take that first dance step, to sing out loud, to write that first sentence, to begin research on your favorite topic, to create a new approach in your marketing, to put together your presentation that will establish you as the expert, to buy some flowers and to redesign your living room. Anything you want. Just take action. Today.
Tags: creative abilities, creativity