Teens Meet Outreach

Creativity, in the simplest of terms, is the process of producing something new and worthwhile which never really pre-existed. But, before I go on further, there a couple of myths revolving the phenomenon of creativity which I would like to make very clear.

Myth 1: Creativity is some kind of Divine Gift Present in some People and Absent in Others.

Don’t sell yourself short and be like ohhhh, I admire people who are creative, as for me I don’t think I would ever be one. No, it is a skill. The good news, however, is that nobody is born with a skill. It is honed, built and developed. Fortunately enough, creativity falls into the same box.

I bet when you glanced at this topic, the first picture your mind painted was the likes of artists, painters, designers, musicians and writers. Well, I can relate, that same train of thought goes through everyone’s mind. But there is something we all need to understand.

The ability to create doesn’t just exist in traditionally creative professions alone. It is everywhere and it is applicable in every walk of life. Everybody is a creative being. The funny thing is that we function in it every day without realization, which all stems from the misguided idea that creativity exists in only one form.

There are four creative types, namely: emotional, cognitive, deliberate and spontaneous creativity (these I won’t go into detail about in this article), two or three of which anyone can fall into. You just need to find the type in which you thrive.

The important thing to take note of is this, everyone is creative in their own unique way.

Myth 2: Creativity is Complicated

Nope, it isn’t complicated. Whenever you come up with an idea, that’s creativity. When you provide a solution to a problem to add value to a situation, that’s creativity. It really isn’t that hard. It doesn’t take much and sometimes it can come at the strangest of times and places.

So the question now is, if creativity is a skill, how can we make it grow and maximize its full potential?

I hope the following tips would be helpful in shedding light on that question.

1. Identify the Specific Thing You Want to be Creative at and Create Time for it.

Success doesn’t come by chance. Creativity, most of the time, doesn’t come by chance either.

If you want to see yourself grow, you need to commit. Sometimes, I wish we live in a world of fantasy but, it just won’t fall on your laps. You need to put it in the work by setting out time consistently to practice creativity in the particular aspect you want it to grow.

If you wish to be an author, practice writing articles and short stories for starters. If you are an aspiring architectural engineer like myself, practice making designs for bungalows, get a better education and then challenge yourself to do more. That is how it works.

2. Surround Yourself Around Inspiration.

Creativity is not something you make happen. You let it happen.

However, letting it happen doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do anything at all. Preparing a conducive environment to spark the creativity in you is the key.

A conducive environment could come in various forms like digging in a little deeper and garnering information about that which you want to create, listening to inspiring and vibrant music, having an intentional and deep conversation with a friend or simply de-stressing through intentional acts of self-care like treating yourself to a big cup of ice cream, for example, to set the right mood. The list is wide and it goes on and on. All you have to do is to find what works best for you.

3. Trust the Process

Practice makes perfect is no lie.

The stage of practicing is something you have to trust. When you fail, try again until the anticipated creative outcome is actualized. Progress is a process.

4. Birds of the Same Feather Flock Together (Don’t just depend on you)

That idea doesn’t always have to come directly from you. Hanging out with like-minded people like yourself could mindlessly spark the fire you need. First things first, find such people and associate yourself with them.

Hanging out with a bunch of pessimists won’t take you anywhere except backwards. Look for people who wake up in the morning, see the bright side of life and work even harder to make it look even brighter. This is the kind of company you want to keep if you desire to experience an overflow of your creative side.

5. Connect to the Creator

What better way to walk in creativity than to connect with the creator himself? You have been created by him to create. Creativity is God’s plan for you.

His desire is to see you give birth to glorious ideas and initiatives which would be effectively implemented to impact lives. We are made in the likeness of him being creative. Isn’t that just awesome?

6.Unplug (Rest)

Sometimes, the best thing to do is nothing at all. A good amount of sleep is bae. Quit work for a while and chase after rest because creativity doesn’t emerge from a place of exhaustion.

If you haven’t been resting enough, Rest. It is essential for you.

Once more, I hope these tips have helped broaden your scope, a bit about the matter of being a better creative. Let your light shine. Develop yourself inwardly and then go out to make the move. The world awaits the fruits of your creative self.

---

Do leave a comment below and don’t forget to subscribe to this blog to not miss a post.