Creativity

I believe that everyone is creative. Many people believe that they aren't. I don't think "not being creative" means that one is incapable of creating something new, useful and wonderful. It just means that what creativity really is is misunderstood. Something new and beautiful can mean a work of art such as the smile you put on your child's face, or the melody a blender makes when you are making something special for your partner.

I personally find that in every aspect of our lives there is incredible potential to be creative because, to me, being creative is simply the opposite of being reactive. (There is an interesting relationship between the letters in both the words creative and reactive. The c is displaced, or, the "SEE!" is displaced. Cute, huh?)

Being creative is not just doing art, music, writing, or theater. It is about being creative in all areas of your life in a joyous and meaningful way. For instance, we can be creative when children are getting noisy or out of hand, or we can be reactive and cause a chain of negativity. Being creative is much more satisfying for all involved. Without tension, judgment and reactivity to situations, children and others, by observing us, can learn how to make negative situations into positive ones, too.

In a peaceful, non-reactive state, we find our minds conjuring up things to make and to play with, as opposed to looking for faults and problems in our lives. While being creative instead of reactive, we will find that the world becomes a great treasure chest full of colors, sounds, textures, motions and words. As Yoda might say, "Reaction turns to stress. Stress turns into negativity. Negativity turns into pain." The more peaceful and less stressed we are, the more we are able to create on all fronts. Either choice is a circle—each fulfilling itself. It is a much more rewarding life when you choose to follow the circle of creation instead of reaction.

We are all creative—whether it is by playing music with an instrument, or turning on an instrument to listen to music with joy.