What does it mean to Live Creatively ?
ALL OBJECTS ON THE CONSTANT MOVE, MALLORCA, 2019
The Essence of Creativity: Beyond Talent and Profession
Having spent the past 25 years as a designer immersed in the creative world of the fashion industry, I've often pondered the nature of creativity.
Over time, I’ve come to see it as more than a specific talent or profession. Instead, creativity feels like a fundamental state of being—an expansive energy akin to love, deeply rooted in our human nature.
Creative living isn’t reserved for artists or designers; it’s a birthright we all share.
This perspective invites us to approach daily life as an ongoing opportunity to explore ourselves and our surroundings with open-minded curiosity, tapping into the wellspring of creativity that resides within each of us.
Embracing Life's Uncertainties
The Danish existentialist philosopher Søren Kierkegaard reminds us that “life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.”
This idea makes me wonder about our collective tendency to seek definitive solutions for every aspect of life—a quest to make sense of our daily existence.
In our pursuit of comfort and instant gratification, we often turn to the limitless curated entertainment options at our fingertips. Perhaps this is our way of coping with an increasingly uncertain world that challenges our sense of security?
Yet, as Kierkegaard suggests, living fully isn’t about avoiding discomfort but embracing each moment as it comes.
Aligning with our innate creative nature and mindset means opening ourselves to be transformed by every experience, ready to evolve beyond who we were just a breath ago.
Roots of Creative Living
As the daughter of immigrant artists and musicians, I grew up immersed in a blend of Irish, African-American, and German cultures. My parents boldly merged traditions, styles, and ways of living, forging their original path in the process.
Admittedly, I frequently felt the urge to conform to the society around us, agitated by the feeling that we did not fit in, being visibly different from the norm.
On the other hand, there was an underlying sense of freedom in this colorful playground when I forgot to worry about how we were being perceived.
Authenticity in Creative Expression
Jon Kabat-Zinn, the scientist and meditation teacher who introduced mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), states poignantly in "Full Catastrophe Living" that anybody who is imitating somebody else is heading in the wrong direction.
He emphasizes that we tend to forget that it’s impossible to become like somebody else, calling our only realistic hope to be more ourselves.
The simple truth is, we are the only ones who can live the life we've been given.
Whenever we try to copy someone else, we're not fulfilling our own role. Instead, we become protagonists following someone else's script.
The home I was raised in was always buzzing with creative energy. It was filled with music, art, lively discussions, and impromptu house concerts, fueled by an open-door policy.
Life was fearlessly invited in. This meant welcoming people to share our daily lives, often up to the dinner table.
These circumstances encouraged me to explore day-to-day life as a constant exploration of ideas, from playing musical instruments to experimenting with countless forms of artistic expression, where creativity became akin to a way of being.
Creativity as a Life Force
Creativity can be described as a boundless energy that's always present, ready to flow through us.
It opens up endless ways for us to express ourselves and discover new things, as we create our own reality. And the more we tap into our innate creative nature, the more creativity expands.
Deepak Chopra, who mixes science and spirituality, states that we are the creative source of our own reality, and our purpose is to explore how far our creative powers can take us.
As innately creative beings we have the power to create the world we live in by how we respond to every moment.
And while creativity can be expressed through a defined creative career, its true power goes beyond, as we create our everyday experiences.
A limited Source of Energy
Living creatively is not always about grand gestures or flashy outputs; rather, it's about connecting with the ever-present flow of creative energy as we trust our intuition and express our authentic inner voice while encouragingly being reminded by Maya Angelou:
“You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have,”
As a limitless source, creativity encompasses being curious about the unexpected twists and turns that life constantly presents. It's about embracing change and uncertainty while breaking free from limiting narratives we hold ourselves back with.
Dr. Gabor Maté, a physician, and renowned figure in the fields of mental health points out in "The Myth of Normal" how creativity is closely linked to authenticity as in being the author of our own story. He points out that creativity is something fundamental, starting with us seeing that we can create in the first place.
Maté's words underscore the profound connection between creativity and authenticity, suggesting that true creativity emerges when we recognize the power of tuning into what genuinely resonates with us.
By embracing our authenticity, we move closer to the chance of finding fulfillment in every moment beyond external achievements or societal expectations.
It's about living each moment more deeply—allowing ourselves to fully experience life and feel more alive as we connect with the world.
Living Dangerously: The Creative Risk
Friedrich Nietzsche emphatically stated the importance of embracing risk and challenge in life, encapsulated in his famous exhortation from “The Gay Science:”
“The secret for harvesting from existence the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment is to live dangerously!”
This statement is a call to action to live on the edge of our comfort zones, truly experiencing life instead of living too cautiously, which can result in feeling like we've never truly lived.
In the same way Alfred Lord Tennyson wisely encouraged us to consider that it’s “better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all." - capturing the idea that experiencing something, even with pain, is better than avoiding it entirely.
It suggests that taking risks can lead to unexpected rewards and true fulfillment through engaging with life's uncertainties.
These reflections encourage us to venture into the unknown, both literally and metaphorically, to discover new opportunities and foster personal growth.
This aligns with Nietzsche's concept of the "will to power," which urges us to expand beyond complacency and mediocrity. This includes transcending societal norms and creating our own values.
The Practice of Creative Living
Ultimately, by Living Creatively, we embrace constant change as the nature of life.
We break through limiting beliefs and foster a connection with our true selves beyond the pre-defined narratives we are conditioned by.
This includes striving to shed the limitations of yesterday's self each morning, and understanding that true progress often requires un-learning, maybe even more so than learning.
There are countless nuances of living creatively:
Generating Ideas: Creativity involves the capacity to come up with new and original ideas.
Problem-Solving: Creativity extends to finding innovative solutions to problems by thinking outside the box and exploring unconventional approaches.
Breaking Conventions: Creativity often involves breaking away from traditional or established norms, rules, or conventions to explore new possibilities and alternatives.
Connecting the Dots: Creativity entails combining or connecting existing elements, concepts, or ideas in novel ways to produce something unique. For example, combining music with visual art to create a multimedia experience.
Ability to Adapt: Creativity includes being flexible toward new situations and approaching problems from different angles.
Experimental Mindset: Creativity involves a sense of playfulness, curiosity, and a willingness to experiment, take risks, and explore different possibilities without fear of failure.
Personal Growth: Creativity closely links to personal growth and self-discovery, allowing individuals to explore their interests, passions, and unique perspectives.
Innovation: Creativity ties closely to innovation, as it often leads to the development of new products, services, technologies, or artistic expressions.
By viewing creativity as a state of being rather than just a talent, we open ourselves to a richer, more fulfilling existence.
As we navigate life's complexities, our greatest creative act might be the continuous shaping of our own lives.
Have you asked yourself:
Are you open to experiencing each moment without a pre-set agenda?
What comes naturally to you?
What fears or limiting beliefs are holding you back from fully expressing your authentic self?
Are you open to un-learning what you felt certain about?
What small steps can you take today to explore a new aspect of your creativity?