I thought I would take a moment to tell you (and remind myself while I’m at it) a few of the things we have to be thankful for when it comes to our creativity. Creative pursuits often take place in a vacuum with little or no encouragement and they are, by their very nature, solitary. Also, given that only the tiniest percentage of any creative endeavor sees the light of day, it’s easy to get frustrated. The risk is that we tend to forget what a gift exploring our creativity actually is. To that end, I’ve put together a few thoughts.
1. Your creativity gives you a way to express yourself
In the course of living our day-to-day lives, we are subjected to an unpredictable mixture of elation and sadness. No matter what, this is a lot to handle but having the ability to express those feelings is a huge advantage. Finding a tangible way of sublimating your thoughts will not only help you but also those who encounter your work which is a wonderful, constructive way of processing a life. Without the ability to create, you might never have the luxury of this kind of perspective.
2. Your creativity engages your passion
Many people go through their entire lives without finding something that truly moves them. If you’re willing to explore your creativity you will invariably engage your passion. While passion can make you crazy and plunge you into the depths of despair, it can also bring you great joy and drive you to efforts that you never imagined yourself capable of. This kind of growth can only come from the willingness to honor your creativity. Never take this for granted. Being passionate is its own reward and it’s important to remember that you’re lucky to have found something in this world that is so important to you.
3. Your creativity is a journey
Whether it’s the first time you create something on your own or the hundredth, every step of your creative journey should be appreciated. You will only have one first time to see something you’ve created genuinely move someone else. Don’t forget to stop and enjoy each event no matter how small. The danger in putting too much significance on the end game of creative “success” is that you’ll miss all the incredible moments along the way.
Conclusion
We all know how difficult, frustrating and even scary pursuing your creativity can be. Being thankful for all of the good it brings us can help keep things in perspective. Personally, I’m thankful for my high-school piano teacher who nonchalantly asked for the impossible at the end of one of our lessons when he said, “For next week, I’d like you to write a song.”
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