This post was originally slated for March, but then the Pandemic hit. Today, as we begin to open our world back up, it feels like a good time to revisit the topic of Creativity. As now, more than ever, we may need to be creative.
A few years ago, Tony and I went to our first Michelin Star restaurant—by accident. We were on our dream trip to Tuscany, and we were late getting back into the town where we were staying. Online, I’d found three possible places for us to eat, but when we went to the first two, there were signs on the doors that read:
“Pieno” (Full).
In other words, there was no room at the inn for these two weary travelers. Until finally, we made our way down a dark cobblestone street and saw the name of the third restaurant painted on a lit up sign. We walked through an old gate and into a garden strung with Christmas lights. Soon a man led us to a table lit by candle light. He gave us menus and before we knew it, we were holding glasses of red wine in our hands.
Everything about that meal was memorable. From the artistic first course in which a lone carrot was served on a cup of white stones alongside four perfect bites of food placed on a slate slab—all the way to the final dessert course we didn’t have room for but still ate. Everything was incredibly creative and beyond delicious.
There are some things in life that simply put, are luxurious. Going on vacation or out for a fancy dinner, definitely falls under this category. But then there are those things we treat as luxuries, when we should consider them necessities.
There are those things we treat as luxuries, that we should consider necessities.
Exercise is a great example. Though many of us may consider it more tedious than luxurious, it is often the first thing we remove from our calendar when things get busy. We’ll do it “when we have time,” we say. This is also what we say about prayer/meditation, eating healthy, and going to the doctor. For some reason, self care is also seen as a luxury.
This has made me a little bit nervous to talk about creativity this month. Because if taking care of ourselves is too much of a luxury, then it’s too much for me to ask you to be creative. Because, what I am finding is
Creativity is a form of self care.
Before I explain, let me say one important thing about self care. In our culture, we want our athletes to take care of their bodies so they can win games. Only we don’t see that taking care of both our physical and mental health is how we win at our lives. If we’re running ourselves ragged at our jobs or in our relationships—and never replenishing what we’re giving out—we’re going to burn out. We’ll give less than our best in all the places that matter to us.
Taking care of both our physical and mental health is how we win at our lives.
Pablo Picasso once said, “Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” There is something incredibly powerful about using our creative gifts—whether we’re highly skilled artists or not. According to this BBC article, “Trying new creative activities is particularly good for our emotions and wellbeing…” Research has “found that getting hands-on with something new and creative is important regardless of skill level, it is the taking part that counts.”
In March, we talked about our creative wounds and about the reasons we don’t create. But today, I want you to know there is a BIG reason why we need you to make the things you were created to make. Whether you write stories, build furniture, paint murals, make jewelry, knit blankets, etc. And whether you make those things for yourself or others—your act of creating makes you a healthier and more joyful person.
Your act of creating makes you a healthier and more joyful person.
Our world needs more healthy, joyful people. People who are able to love, work, and serve others from a place of fullness. Only so many of us feel anything but full, and at times, rarely feel joy. This is because when we don’t create, the stakes are much higher than we realize. Through her research, Brene Brown has found, “Unused creativity is not benign. It metastasizes. It turns into grief, rage, judgment, sorrow, shame.” We are creative beings who physically and emotionally mourn when we are unable to create.
One reason we don’t create, is our fear of failure. Yet another equally as scary reason, is that when we create—it feels great! A feeling many of us believe we should only experience on special occasions, like when we’re on vacation or out to dinner.
Creativity is a gift God has given us to use.
Some of us believe feeling good is a luxury we don’t deserve. Only creativity is a gift God has given us to use. A gift that not only brings us joy, but enables us to be more of who He has created us to be.
What if you treated creativity as a form of self care?
What if you saw self care as a necessity, rather than a luxury?
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