Hello Beautiful Friend! Did you know you possess beautiful creativity?
I was a preschool teacher for many, many years. I love that age group because they are so completely transparent. They dig an earthworm out of the grubby soil with the pride of an archeologist. Their faces light-up with anticipation when they hand you a treasure of an old sticker that no longer sticks, but is a happy face which makes them think of you. They carefully construct statues out of blocks and toy cars and lost marker caps that they are sure are museum-worthy.
They Embrace Creativity
As adults, we may not completely appreciate that old sticker or lopsided statue of mismatched odds and ends, but the real treasure found in these instances is the complete embrace of creativity. There is no hesitation, no embarrassment, no fear of failure. Just joy in the creating. Sadly, as we grow and learn to be competitive and self-aware, we lose that unashamed joy. Instead, we tend to hide our creative attempts or hurriedly give excuses why we aren’t the person with the most talents or gifts. We are completely missing the point.
Creativity Is a Gift
Merriam-Webster defines ‘creative’ as marked by the ability or power to create.
It DOES NOT say that being creative is to be better than anyone else, to create masterpieces, or to win contests. It is just the power to create. You, my beautiful friend, have this power. Tap into your creativity and you will uncork a whole new dimension of beauty in your life.
Works of Art
Creativity has the ability to bring joy to ourselves and to others, and it doesn’t take talent. This picture is of a giant heart someone made in the sand using rocks, shells, and glass.
I promise you that the creator did not spend days sketching and planning its every dimension or color. An open heart gathered items and put them together to reflect their soul to the outside world. It is simple, elegant, and joyful. It made me smile as I walked past it; I even stopped and took a picture to keep. What an incredible gift that creator gave!
But what if art is not your strength?
Creativity Can Be Anything
Look for inspiration in the world around you.
Take a picture of something that captures your interest.
Draw a sketch of a sunset.
Record your child’s laughter and turn it into a video.
Write a few lyrics of a song that tells something about you.
Pick some flowers and arrange them in a vase.
Write a few lines of a poem.
Build a collage out of items you find on a walk.
Draw a picture in the sand.
Glue some freshly mown grass to a stone to make a ‘pet rock’.
Grab a sharpie and draw a silly face on an orange before you peel it.
The possibilities are only confined by the boundaries of your imagination.
3 O’Clock Wednesday
Here are your 3 to-do’s for 3 O’Clock Wednesday:
- Affirmation: Say to yourself, “I am creative. I can create something that brings joy. I have beautiful creativity.”
- Grace: Take a moment to accept that you aren’t a perfect prodigy and that your attempt at being creative is more important than writing a best-seller or painting a picture that will sell. In fact, it is brave, courageous, and very daring.
- Self-Care: Being creative can feed many areas of self-care! It can bring you well-being emotionally, mentally, physically, environmentally, spiritually, and personally. Creativity can feed your soul.
If you decide that you would like to share your creation to the world, there are many platforms for doing so. https://thetalentbank.io/ is one such place where you can share your poetry, pictures, music, and more.
But remember that recognition is not the goal in exercising creativity. By tapping into our child-like wonder and excitement of creating, we give ourselves a gift of joy. I know you will enjoy this, my beautiful friend; embrace your creative side today!
If you are new to 3 O’Clock Wednesdays, you can read about its beginnings here: https://lillystrong.com/3-oclock-wednesdays/
