Be Creative

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Think of this room as the “Childhood Regression Room.” This is a space to remember and tap into the joy and freedom of childlike wonder we all have within us but that we may not have accessed in a while. This is the space for exploring, stretching, learning, or relearning what it’s like to do something new or challenging just for the fun of it. In this room we focus on the process, not the outcome. We strengthen the often dormant muscles used for getting lost in the joy of simply being and give a rest to the ones weighed down by the use of comparison, ranking, and “skill level” used to determine if participation in the activity is worthwhile.

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Children are inherently imaginative and creative in ways many of us have lost our connection to and forgotten we can still access. They are often much more inclined to feel free and capable of staying present and enjoying the process of creating because the process, not the outcome, is their objective. The process is what brings joy. The process leads to the learning they don’t even realize they’re engaging in,      because they’re not thinking about how it will end. In fact, if it were up to them, in most cases, the end would never come. They’re not thinking about if what they’re doing is possible or not, or how it will turn out, or if it will be “good enough.” There isn’t a standard to meet, only an adventure to let play out and discover one moment at a time.  

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Children create alternate worlds and play out adventures in their mind’s eye without stopping to consider why or if it’s worth the time. They make gifts for loved ones out of what they have access to because they want to and are inspired to give, bring joy, and show love. They’re not concerned that what they make might not be good enough or how it will stack up against the creations of others. Children come preloaded with the gift of remaining in the present, the ability to stay focused on the process of making. It’s as though they somehow know that the process and intention of the creative act is the gift. It’s not until we start to break them of this freedom to give of themselves uniquely by grading, comparing, and rating their creativity that they start to fear and hide this gift away. 

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This space is intended to reclaim that gift in all of us. Unfortunately, we live in a world eager to rank and compare everything from sports teams  to tacos to kindergarten art projects and so on. There’s even a Nat Geo special called America’s Greatest Animals, where they developed a rating system to determine the Top Five “best” wild animals in the U.S. It’s no wonder many of us find it difficult to be open to trying new, challenging, uncomfortable things–even those things we’ve always wanted to try, and deep down know we would enjoy. And yet, when we can experience the new, challenging, and uncomfortable in safety we often discover (or rediscover) the innate joy and strength inherent in accessing our imagination and bringing unique life into the world. 

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The trouble is we’ve all likely spent most of our lives in a world that has fed us a lie that being creative indicates your capacity to produce something valued by others. The good news is, we all were children once. Therefore, we all have the capacity to remember that our ability to create something valuable has nothing to do with our ability to produce something valued by another. Merriam Webster defines creative as “marked by the ability or power to create: given to creating.” Notice it doesn’t say anything about what is created, how good it turns out, or what others may think of it.

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It’s time to start reminding yourself and others what it really means to be creative. This is a space to awaken creativity individually and collectively in all forms, without fear of judgment or expectation of mastery. Here you can try that creative thing you’ve always wanted to try in a safe environment, free from judgement. We will practice staying present with the process and remaining open and unfettered by expectations or concerns about outcomes or achievements. The creative process, whether it comes naturally or with a bit of fear or resistance, is a great teacher and can be a powerful way to unlock joy for joy’s sake, if you let it. With practice, we can all begin reclaiming the joy, beauty, and fruits of our creativity.