A Relationship with Creativity

Seemingly overnight, daily routines that felt as natural as blinking our eyes were interrupted by an occurrence we’ve only read about in novels, only seen on screens. As we read this short essay, we’re most likely approaching our tenth month of quarantine or physical distancing, doing our best to continue adapting to a once-in-a-lifetime, worldwide pandemic that has challenged our way of working, parenting, loving, and living. Schools quickly created infrastructures to teach and learn virtually. Businesses promptly transitioned to a work-from-home model. The country’s most renowned restaurants now appear on Postmates and UberEats alongside popular franchises. Homes have become less of a place of sleep and storage and more of an essential, functional habitat. The world snapped its fingers, and suddenly, a species that anecdotally resists change collectively adapted.

It is in our very make-up to adapt to sudden and extreme change, despite a visceral discomfort when presented with it. Have you ever noticed how upon receiving unexpected news, we immediately begin asking questions like, “What is our next step?” “What do we do now?” Our instinct is always to collect the pieces, adapt, and creatively rebuild. You see, to adapt is simply to create. With no training or investment at all, we are innate creators designed to pivot and invent and act, and this means we have the power to feel aliveness more than any other species on Earth.

Today, I’m going to focus on ways to nourish a part of ourselves that has been within us all along, a part that will continue to be every moment of every day until we exhale our final breath of air. I’m going to focus on creativity, the importance of acknowledging it is already within us, and a short list of ways to give it space to grow.

The good news is our creativity comes alive in small, fleeting ways like making the bed in a precise and inviting way, throwing a new spice into a favorite recipe, or beginning a meeting engagingly and evocatively. Especially today, I believe finding thin slices of joy in a world of sorrow is one of the most creative ways we can live, as well. 

Our creativity can also take shape through larger practices such as photography, writing, floral design, or cooking; really, you name it! When we give space to our larger practices, our attunement to every way we’re living creatively sharpens in turn.

Below, I’ve collected a few ways to nurture our creativity.

Treat your personal creativity as if it is hired work. Take it just as seriously, and plan ahead. Scout a new location, or study the sunlight in your home. Create a backdrop the day before, or gather the supplies you need well ahead of time.

I began to notice how anytime I was hired for a project, I would pour more energy and time into it than I would when pursuing a personal idea. As soon as I began treating my personal ideas like hired work, I noticed I gave them the energy and time needed to bring them to life in a thoughtful and thorough (and income-generating!) way. 

Carve out time for your creativity as you would for a partner, close friend, or essential errand. Block off creative time in your calendar as you would for a dinner reservation or doctor’s appointment.

Our creative practice might fill us up as much as time spent with a partner or close friend. It is just as important and can therefore be equally represented on our calendars. 

Spend time with your creativity even on days when you don’t have a clear vision. Have you ever set out for the day without a clear plan or an idea of where you might end up? Chances are, the day introduced you to a new street, an afternoon cocktail, or a memory you haven’t visited for quite some time.

Sit down at your desk, or stand in the middle of your kitchen, and remain open to where the morning or afternoon (or free ten-minute block!) takes you. Where does your mind go? Toward what do your hands reach? 

As Elizabeth Gilbert would say, “Have an affair with your creativity.” If you feel pressure to spend your time cleaning, mowing, or with a loved one, then sneak away quietly with your creative practice. No one needs to know. In fact, it’s exciting and romantic and perhaps a bit rebellious to run off with your secrets, right? What might you create when no one’s paying close attention? Surprise us!

Remember “to create” does not mean “to produce.” Giving ourselves space to receive is equally as important as giving ourselves space to produce. 

Oftentimes, the best thing I can do for my partner is go for a long run alone. The same is true for my creativity. Some days, the best thing I can do for my creative self is take a deep breath, leave for a long walk, process, and notice what comes to mind.

Show up for your creativity as you would for someone you love. What do you do to feel your best for someone?

If I close my eyes and envision myself across the table from someone I love, I’ve shown up as my best self if I’ve had a cup of coffee beforehand, perhaps if I’m wearing my favorite perfume. My phone is out of reach. I’ve stretched or exercised, and I’m sitting tall and comfortably. I allow our time together to remain focused and uninterrupted. It was, after all, a commitment on my calendar from the start.

The partnership between our creativity and us can enhance our experience of our routine, day-to-day lives, and it can help us navigate unprecedented times like the one we’re in right now. When we pour into our creativity, it reciprocates. It thrives most with space, attention, and care, and in return, it allows us to grow taller and feel important, nurtured, and loved.

Below are a few resources on nurturing our relationship with creativity.

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

Elizabeth Gilbert: The Curiosity Driven Life, Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations

Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed, Page 128: The Future Has An Ancient Heart

Lastly, I chose to celebrate the color green in my photo essay because the color green reminds me of aliveness. We’re each living and breathing and adapting, and that means we have opportunity after opportunity to follow our curiosities and create space for our creativity. Let’s make our beds, stretch our necks, and pay close attention to where our minds and hands take us this week. Deal?

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