Are you creative? Can you define what creativity means? These are questions I’ve been asking myself as I prepare to attend Blogtacular, the blog event for “creatives”. For years, I’ve fought the idea that I’m creative, and I’ve been proud of the fact that I’m logical and love processes and spreadsheets. However, I think I’m changing.
I think my move away from creativity happened when I started A-levels; maths, physics and chemistry. Although I’d studied science for GCSE, I’d also did Art and Design Textiles and English Language. I admit I found the art hard and I cried in more than one lesson but my teacher pushed my skills and I achieved some pieces I still like, including these two on our walls; can you tell the themes?
For English, I loved taking some information and writing in different styles such as magazine articles. It never occurred to me to take it at A-level, possibly because I didn’t think I was as good at it as science. I clearly remember the moment my English teacher told me she was expecting me to get an A, because I’d believed an earlier teacher who told me I was a “steady B”. Maybe that message has stuck with me at some level because although I’ve written a lot here and in my diary over the years, I’ve done little creative writing.
Looking back, I don’t think the creativity wanted to be hidden as I’ve done creative activities such as dress making, crochet and digital scrapbooking. However, I haven’t felt creative doing them because I’ve followed instructions or used items that someone else has designed. And I don’t see my journal writing as creative because its just emptying my head before going to bed.
I noticed the change happening a year or so ago when I started describing myself as a problem solver instead of just someone who loves spreadsheets and processes. I thought this was it, this was the shift in my mindset, but over the last few months I’ve had another shift and I now recognise myself as a solution finder. I love taking a piece of paper and doodling and writing until I find a way to move forward.
Is this creativity?
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary creativity is “the ability to make new things or think of new ideas” which means I’m creative! And its just that my type of creativity is not crafting a beautiful object, but crafting a beautiful thought.
So I’m going to the Blogtacular conference tomorrow and I’m going to mix with all the creative people and take the opportunity to nurture my creativity for the first time in a while.
Have you been nurturing or hiding your creativity? How do you or would you like to nurture your creativity?
Yes Kate! This is totally me! I am 50/50 creative and logical, left side/ right side brain, it’s so frustrating!
If I got the balance I actually think it would be great to be both creative and logic, but I’ve pushed myself too far to the logic. I’m not sure how to achieve the balance, but I’m sure recognising it is the first step.
i am so not creative x
i am way more on the creative side rather then logical !