Becoming yourself in a time of crisis

Are you a creative person? Most people would like to be but don’t know where to start. That’s especially true during hard times.

Spoiler alert!! Turns out everyone is creative. Making things is innately human, and this gift can be put to good use. We can all make something: a cake, a drawing, a knitted potholder, an origami crane, a ceramic cup, a bundle of flowers, or a neat system for putting away the socks.

Think about this: everything that surrounds you had its inception in someone’s imagination. The coffee maker you used this morning. The buttons on your shirt. The alarm clock. Your comfy slippers. Your computer. Your car. Glue sticks. Umbrellas. Paper. Reading glasses. Indoor plumbing.

We don’t think much about these mundane things, but life would be a heck of a lot harder without them.

As a kid, I “suffered” from creativity surges. I HAD to make something or my head would explode. I’d tattoo my dolls with permanent markers (and get scolded for it), fold my dad’s newspaper into planes, make parachutes with plastic bags, and run around the house dismantling knickknacks so I could reassemble them my way. Fun for me, terror for my mother who just wanted me to sit watching TV.

So I’m saying that you got what it takes. You always did. It’s just a matter of nurturing that seed of creativity buried deep within you. Let it grow tendrils and reach out for the sun.

Today, may I suggest step one: change your beliefs about creativity.

First, you can and should unlock all that pent up curiosity of yours. Your imagination is unlike anybody else’s on the planet. Put it to work right now. You don’t even have to decide what you’re going to make. Try everything. Be creative on purpose whatever you’re doing at the moment. Make small changes and switch routines around. Sparks will start flying!

Doable, right? Next week I will have another suggestion for you. Little by little, you’ll bloom. We can do it together.

And a final word for the more sensitive souls out there: if you share your experience on social media, don’t let online snipers get you. They’ll see your joy as a threat and a target, but their silly opinions don’t matter at all. Only your happiness matters in this scenario. If you’re enjoying the process, all is well.

Create an oasis of joy in times of crisis by becoming fully you.