Are you clever? Do you have an imagination? Has someone told you that you have talent? If you answered yes to any of these, you are creative. Creativity is something that I believe we all have, believing in yourself the key.
What is the difference between you and a “do-it-yourselfer?” DIY people try and do without regard to what others think. They may fail. Their idea may not coincide with what you like; however, as the saying goes (with a slight modification) “creativity is in the mind of the beholder.”
Do you compare your creativity to someone else’s? Stop doing that! Some people have a large amount of creativity, and some have less. This is ok! Don’t knock yourself!
For example, my husband is a metal artist. He wasn’t always a metal artist. He was a circus clown for Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey circus. His imagination and natural talent helped him propel himself into his current career: owner of Artfully Rogue.
About 6 years ago he told me about his desire to create a robot. Not just a toy size robot, but a BIG robot. About 5 years ago, Phoenix put out a “call to artists” request for a large art piece that would be part of downtown. Perfect timing! He submitted a rendering of his idea. The city loved it! Next thing you know, he was commissioned to create “Bernie”. Now “Bernie”, amazes and amuses locals and people from all over, when visiting Phoenix. My creative contribution on the other hand, was to help with the colors to be used on “Bernie” since my husband is color blind.
Here is another example, a little less grandiose. I am disabled (thanks cancer! NOT!!) and I must use a walker to get around. The 1st walker I used was cumbersome on certain surfaces. Of course, my husband didn’t waste any time modifying it to accommodate my needs. His creativity, vision, and tenacity made my life easier. I would have never thought of the modifications he made.
When my kids were young, I painted murals on their bedroom walls. People who saw them went on and on as to how creative I was. Little did they know I used an overhead projector to trace the objects on the wall. I accepted the “you are so creative” compliments and keep my “artistic abilities” to myself.
What sets people apart from being creative is: DETERMINATION and SELF-DEFEAT. We hold ourselves to certain standards and often stay within the proverbial lines. My husband is determined to build his own business, which he is doing successfully. He had an idea years ago to only work for himself. While several attempts at different lines of work didn’t pan out, he continued. He would often criticize himself when Artfully Rogue was in its early stages calling himself a hack. Fast forward 5 years, he is doing extremely well and is now starting to believe that he is a creative metal artist.
Don’t let insecurity keep you from being creative. Be as creative as you like. Don’t let others judge you or what you create. Go as big as you want or as little, but just accept your creativity and go with it.
