Creative Expression
There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one you in all time, this expression is unique. And, if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost. - Martha Graham
When we lose our creative touch, we lose touch with what belongs uniquely to each of us. Without expressing ourselves creatively we are not expressing ourselves at all. Instead we go with our old habits, what everyone else is doing, and what everyone else expects.
In the new economy where all manner of tools and methods can be copied, where automation is becoming king, and where global competition raises the bar for everyone, we have to creatively express who we are, in terms of our unique talents, strengths, ideas and perspectives.
To help you realize just how creative you are and, in turn, help you inject more creativity into your life, it is first important to understand that everything you do is an act of self-expression and that most of it involves some level of creativity.
#1 Creative Expression Quiz
Score your creativity from 1 to 10 on each of the categories below.
Home:
Is your unique style all over your home?
Does your home really reflect who you are as a person?
Did you have a hand in picking the wall colors, the furniture, the layout?
Work:
Do your coworkers have a sense of your individual strengths, style and personality?
Are your signature style and creative input all over the past five projects you worked on?
Intimate Relationship:
How much do you see and sense your voice and values in your intimate relationship with your spouse or partner?
Does your partner understand your values, communication style, quirks, and life ambitions?
Friendships:
How much do you see and sense your voice and values in your friendships?
Does your friends understand your values, communication style, quirks, and life ambitions?
Leisure:
Are you pursuing hobbies that make you feel that you’re expressing who you are uniquely are?
For instance, do you read the books you would like to read?
Contributions:
Do you feel you are leaving your unique imprint on the world?
Do you sense that your work and volunteering reflect the essence of who you are?
You can improve your creativity by turning the quiz into a planner for how to be more creative.
#2 Study people, art and design
If you want to become more creative in life, start watching people as a practise, paying close attention to how others creatively express themselves. Notice what they like and don’t like, express and don’t express. Sometimes, just paying attention to people helps us notice new things within ourselves.
Watching a professional dance troupe can make you want to dance. Seeing an artist’s gallery can make you want to pick up a brush. Hearing a great musician can make you want to take up and instrument. Try this: See what’s going on in your town this weekend. Go catch a show, listen to a symphony, see an exhibit, take a course, get into the local art scene and engage.
FInally, start paying attention to how things are designed. Notice how your phone is shaped, your car’s interior is laid out, your work space is structured, and ask yourself why it is so, and if it could be changed or improved.
#3 Create more, share more
Don’t just be an observer of creativity, always looking to others and things -- translate your inspiration into real works. Creativity isn’t just about ideas; it’s about physical form. Real creativity ends up as something.
Creativity is hard work, you may start with an idea, then you shape it, move it, combine it,m break it, begin anew, discover something within that idea, see a new vision, go at it again, test it, share it, fix it, break it, … It’s easy to give up on creativity and put oneself in a box of excuses.
One of the greatest ways to activate creativity in your life is to share more. Share your works with others, get their feedback. Also important, start telling more stories about what fascinates you in the world, and ask what others find fascinating and encourage them to share their stories.
Finding your voice can only happen through sharing your creative expression with the world!
Topic: Motivation Monday #14 (Read 1436 times)
