Am I creative? I used to think I was. I was involved in artistic ventures in music and theatre. I was part of a creative team in the advertising biz. But lately my definition of creativity has grown more restrictive and I find myself not included. I’m wondering why.
These days I think creativity means bringing something new into being– a work of art, an innovation in business, a new way of seeing or thinking. Something that hasn’t existed before.
I think part of the reason I’m counting myself out is because I’m married to someone who is driven to express himself in multiple ways. He studies and consumes the creations of others and puts his own work out into the world regularly. He doesn’t judge me but in comparison to him I come up short.
I don’t fret about it or ache with longing to be other than I am. I’ve just noticed that recently when asked if I describe myself as “creative” I’ve started saying “no” and that surprises me.
Now that I think about it I realize it’s not true that I’m not creative. I look at things in unconventional ways. I have a vivid and childlike imagination. I enhance a musical arrangement with harmony. I create environments that elicit growth for my clients and inspiring stories from my podcast guests.
My creativity is expressed more in embellishing something that is already present rather than an invention that has never before existed.
That counts.
Creativity. The word is a kind of trap but the reality needn’t be in my opinion. Today, I was getting ready to use a two day-old roll for my sandwich only to discover that it was getting really stale. Italians, as you know, don’t use preservatives in their fresh bread – hence the rapid staleness. So, I buttered the two cut sides of the roll and put them in the fry pan to grill. Before I put the lid on I wet a paper towel, squeeze the excess water out and put that in the pan, too. Five minutes later, fresh toasted bread. Now that was creative. It wasn’t a great work of art or a written masterpiece, but I think creativity is also about how we use the brain.
I notice in your post that you have a lot of references to what is and isn’t creative. An original idea – you have those in abundance. A nuanced twist on something – a lifetime bouquet. A shared notion – again, it’s there, a slice, sliver, alteration, variation, wholeness, whisper, whatever – creativity arises out of a feather-like touch of whimsy or weighty saga. It is not the threads of the garment but the vision created as it is worn. Remember that scene with Audrey Hepburn coming down the wide park staircase in the film Funny Face. Her scarlet scarf billows behind her as she strides confidently, joyfully down the stairs. That was creative.
You don’t need an Eagle Scout badge to prove creativity. You are proof of it all by yourself.