“Often what we want and what we need oppose each other (i.e., you want to go on a vacation but you need to make money…) Creativity is making the two coexist (like figuring out how to make money on your vacation).”
– Ayse Birsel
I love the mountains and being able to stand at a vantage point where you can see the big picture that reaches far out in distance and contains so much beauty and wonder. This past weekend I had the opportunity to be in the mountains, but rain enveloped the view. I stood on a rock where typically I could see much farther, but instead there was a blanket of gray. I could only see a few trees in the short distance.
A metaphor about the pursuit of new things and creativity came to me. A thought came to me that said, “The mountains are still out there, but right now you can only see the trees directly in front of you. As you move forward in new things, take the small steps you see right before you. Know that the big picture of the mountains is still there and eventually it will come all together.”
We are all creative and need creativity. Maybe you use creativity to problem solve as an engineer, create beauty as an artist, or use it to design a new path in a new season of life. You might be surprised how often throughout the day you are creative and when you shut it off. Whether work or personal, we can all benefit from creativity.
Here are some tips to nurture your creativity:
Fascination, Awe and Wonder – Do you recall any childhood memories of when you were filled with wonder? For me, I remember going on family vacations to national parks and being amazed by the beauty of nature. I still am impacted by nature today. It doesn’t have to be big. Sometimes it is just being in awe of the intricacies of a leaf. What big or small things pull you into wonder?
Be Playful – We tend to lose the sense of play as we grow older. There seems to be too many tasks and responsibilities to bother with play. We also tend to judge those who do play. One day, I saw a person jamming out to music in his car. My first judgment was how silly that person looked. Yet the reality is that they were enjoying the moment much more than me. So, when listening to music, maybe you take time to dance (even just in the comfort of your home while making dinner). Take time to doodle on a piece a paper. Drawing doesn’t have to be a masterpiece. How will you add play into your life?
Listen Well – Listen to the whispers inside of you. Take time to get quiet. Where do you hear within yourself best? Is it in running, journaling, painting, cooking, meditating? Find your space to listen and write it down.
Big Picture – Small Steps – Take time to dream. What is your big picture? Make a dream inventory. What dream connected to your purpose is calling you most in this stage of life? Don’t get overwhelmed and give up. Look for the next small step. Take it and see where it leads. Be okay with two steps forward and one step backwards too. Sometimes this is part of the dance of creativity.
Move Towards Life and Let Go – When we dream, we engage in divergent thinking. The possibilities abound, but with constraints we can’t do it all. We then need convergent thinking. I was talking with a leader who was involved in so many good things, but was now so busy it was draining the life from him. He needed to discern what is best and let go of the rest.
Partner with Others – The beauty of being with others is the diversity and the confirmation it brings. Let other’s perspectives energize your creativity to diverge. Also see how their thought may give confirmation to your direction.
Be at Rest and Flow, Not Strive – I was looking up words in a thesaurus that connect to rest and came across the word superfluity. Superfluity is an excess or abundance. Rest has been an outcome for my life that I believe will release more of my potential and now I have another word to expand that meaning for me – superfluity. Creativity works best when our minds are calm and can flow. What helps you come to a state of rest?
How will you invest in more of your creativity to build on your past best, to flow in the moment and move into your potential?