Learning To Look at Life From a Creative Lens
Thanks to the pandemic, I have discovered a new me
This is a topic that I have wanted to write on for some time but was not sure if it will have the required audience. But as I talk to more and more people, I realized that so many of us had found creativity as a source of healing, especially during the stressful times of the pandemic.
My creativity journey started last year when my workplace shut down due to the pandemic. Many organisations put breaks on hiring by then, and the job market had slowed down.
To divert my mind from the outer stress and inner helplessness, I decided to dabble with creativity. Thus, painting and writing became my saviours, and I realised both were a great medium for self-reflection, self-redemption, and self-growth.
One year into the creative field, I have coined my own definition of creativity. For a person who always thought that one is born creative, this last year has been a great revelation and a source of incredible learnings.
What Creativity Means to Me?
Creativity is not about the output; it is about the process. The output is important but not the sole purpose. The outcome may turn out to be a masterpiece or a good attempt. But the most important thing is that creating a piece allows you to explore your inner emotions, giving an outlet to express what is deep down.
Being creative is all about what our mind, body and soul go through while indulging in this process.
Learning to look at life from a creative lens has made me appreciate life with its different shades as I have learned to squint my eyes to see the colours that I missed earlier.
Creativity and Self-Discovery
For me, this entire quarantine period has been a journey of creative self-discovery. Along with painting, I started writing and sharing my life experiences with an audience like you. Writing is another form of creativity that I never knew existed in me.
While I pursue painting as a hobby, I decided to take up writing as a full-time profession. Each time I paint or write a blog, I discover a new aspect of my side.
I learned how to be more patient with every stroke and every thought that crosses my mind. Also that sometimes you need to go with the flow and trust your instincts. Things may not make sense then, but have faith and keep moving on the path chosen.
When we discover new things about ourselves, it gives us immense self-confidence. For me, this self-confidence came at a time when all other doors seem to have shut. So maybe this was necessary for me to look beyond and discover new opportunities life had in store for me.
Creativity and Different Perspectives
I usually do my painting sessions in a group of four to five people. All of us paint the same thing, and surprisingly all the final paintings come out so beautiful.
They are not exactly similar to each one of us has our individual style of holding the brush or making a stroke. And if I make a mistake that I have done quite a few times, I can improvise on it and give a slightly different perspective to the painting.
Similarly, when I write on parenting or solopreneur life, that is my perspective and how I would like to approach my role, which may be different from yours.
Each on of us has a different canvas to paint on. And our experiences are the strokes. These experiences make us think differently and have different perspectives even if we started our journey together.
But each life is still beautiful in its own way.
Creativity taught me how we become richer and more mature when we learn to appreciate other’s perspectives.
Creativity and Mindfulness
On a normal day, zillion thoughts are going through my mind. But during my painting session, I am only thinking about the painting and how the various colours are coming alive on the canvas. The same is the case when I am writing.
So I am truly living and enjoying these moments without bothering about what will happen next in my life. Isn’t that’s what we want to achieve in our lives ultimately? Creativity allows us to achieve this, even if in small doses. And this one addiction has no side effects.
Creativity Helps You Bond
Whatever your brand of creativity, you will always find your tribe. And this tribe will be your motivator, influencer, and support group. For example, I have an amazing tribe of my painting friends and my blogging community, a constant source of encouragement and positive reinforcement.
It also helps you adjust to a new place like it did for me. You immediately connect with people who have similar tastes. It is a start point of a new relationship.
Creativity Has No Age Limit
I am at my creative best at the age of 40+. Not that I am too old, but I am not too young either. Therefore creativity has no age limit, and let your age not be a limiting factor.
I know of people who have taken up singing as a hobby rather late in life, but they enjoy themselves and are happy. Any time is the right time for being creative. As a matter of fact, being creative is more important than ever now with everything around us.
Main Takeaway
I have learned in this one year that you don’t have to be born creative to pursue creativity.
Tina Seelig, the Stanford Technology Ventures Program executive director, has written a book, inGENIUS: A Crash Course on Creativity, to explain this point.
While speaking to Business News Daily, Seelig says,
“We are all naturally creative, and, like every other skill, some people have more natural talent than others. However, everyone can increase his or her [or their] creativity, just as everyone can increase his or her [or their] musical or athletic ability, with appropriate training and focused practice.
The biggest myth about creativity is that it isn’t important and that it can’t be learned. But, in fact, it is one of the most important skills we can master.
Creativity isn’t something you are; it’s a habit — and for a good reason.”
Being creative means that we are working on something. This can be an artistic piece, a solution to a problem at work, or a new dinner recipe for our family. All these activities which create a result help activate our brain & senses.
Studies show that our brain is flooded with dopamine during the process, a feel-good chemical that helps motivate us. We may or may not be aware of our increased happiness state then, but it certainly influences us to repeat this behaviour.
This explains why we tend to go back to writing, cooking, or painting whenever we feel stressed. That’s our route to happiness.
So whatever may be your reason to create — passion, escape or simply self-indulgence, go ahead and pursue, you will definitely come out a better human being.
