Everyone Is an Artist

I have been thinking a lot about creativity lately. I have found myself getting into a creative groove during the pandemic. I was a creative child who was nudged into a more practical and lucrative path by well-meaning adults. I have discovered that you can’t block the light of a creative forever; eventually, it has to shine through in one way or another. 

The thing with creativity is that it shows up in many different ways. We all have the capacity to be creative in our own arenas. I define creativity as the production of something novel, useful, and uniquely beautiful, whether it is a new process, experiment, spreadsheet, painting, writing, or a piece of music. When you adopt a creative mindset to your work or life, you can infuse a fresh perspective on just about anything. 

With this in mind, I have been exploring the artist’s journey, and I stumbled across this concept that translates well with how to adopt the creative mindset. Being an artist is about not knowing. It’s about starting a painting and not knowing what’s going to emerge. It’s about allowing the truth of your gesture to express itself. It’s about responding intuitively and honestly to the mark you have made. It’s about being frozen by self-doubt and inner criticism and going ahead anyway. It’s about allowing yourself to be surprised by what bubbles up from your unconscious and onto the canvas. It’s about stepping into the unknown, the mystery, and finally trusting yourself. And it’s about facing and embracing our inalienable freedom and agency every time we paint. 

Your life is meant to be a canvas for you to create the most beautiful painting you can imagine; You are an artist; An artist of your own life, according to Don Miguel Ruiz, author of the classic book The Four Agreements.

Why not make it a masterpiece! Start creating something amazing; it is never too late!