I want to continue my discussion on Creativity. In my January 12, 2022 newsletter I talked about the definition of an artist. I also pointed out that we each should be on own personal creative journey. If you did not receive this newsletter and want it, email me and I can resend it to you.
Today I want to discuss the importance of nurturing your own creative journey and suggestions on how to do that.
But first, I want to set something straight about a common misconception. That is the notion that the right half of the brain is the creative half and the left half is the analytical half, and that we can only be one or the other.
Arts Academy in the Woods (artsacad.net) wrote a wonderful article about Creativity and its relationship with the right and left hemispheres of our brain. They clarified that “…it’s safe to say that probably every human trait is doing business in both hemispheres. And the way the two hemispheres relate with one another determines how demonstrative these traits will be from person to person.”
So this means that each of us have our own unique approach to creativity. Some may have a more logical approach, while others are more intuitive. Each of us has own own “dance”, our own journey.
So both creativity and logical thinking are whole-brained activities. And learning to use both sides of our brains will allow us to become creative problem-solvers. After all, isn’t that what our own personal creative journey is all about? Figuring out how to express ourselves in our own unique way. And, perhaps even more importantly, determining the best path to explore and nurture our own voice.
You can find lots of recommendations for ways to nurture creativity. The ones that resonate the most with me include:
- Step out of your routine. We tend to do things the same way. If you try a different way, it allows you to open up to different possibilities. Try something new, something you may have never done before.
- Allow yourself time to play. Don’t worry about things being perfect. Experiment and try something new. You may find that you enjoy it.
- Find your flow and enjoy the process. Allow yourself time to truly immerse yourself in whatever you are doing. Start to feel what is happening. Don’t fight the process of experimentation. Learn to dance with the possibilities.
- Be okay with imperfection. Allow yourself to experiment. Try new things without the fear of having to do it flawlessly. Don’t sabotage your attempts with new things. Each endeavor is a lesson in learning and growth. You may even discover a new way of doing things. So, in that context, all is good in the larger scheme of things.
- Chase your inquisitiveness. Be curious. Explore. Have fun!
Can you think of other ways to nurture your creativity? Let me know of some of your recommendations!
Unitl next week…
Here is some feedback on my 8-wk GPC Challenge from Yvonne G, a graduate of the Challenge. Thank you for the wonderful feedback Yvonne!
