Creativity: Our Natural State

Welcome back to the week folks. Here’s a little something to ease you into your Monday:  a wonderful reminder from Jonah Lehrer that our decisions profoundly affect those around us, even down to the smallest detail. Are you allowing yourself to be as creative as you can be?

As a kid, I remember relishing the times when we were allowed to draw in class. However, I distinctly recall the teacher coming by during this free art time to suggest colors to use or remind us that the “picture might look better if we stayed inside the lines.” I would comply, but as soon as I was home, I’d pour all of my crayons and pencils out onto the floor and see what would happen if I made a tree blue, or created my own shapes that I could color in with whatever hue suited my eye. After years of normative judgments on similar creative pursuits, we learn the safe and correct way to accomplish an “artistic” goal. But since when do the terms “safe” or “correct” belong in this creative realm?

We often stunt ourselves and ideas, or feverishly search for obstacles, or make some half-hearted excuse as to why we should not express ourselves to the fullest extent. Perhaps it’s more likely that we’re afraid of all that we’re capable of doing than of the challenges themselves. Doubt is the ultimate assassin – of dreams, of  relationships, of aspirations – but it doesn’t mean we have to submit to it. Next time you sense it sneaking into your thoughts, think creatively. There is rarely one correct way to do something, so no harm in challenging yourself to find an alternative avenue or two.