Creativity is such a buzzword these days. As a facilitator, I host sessions to help people friend creativity. With this post, I explore my motivation for creating. Why do I create?
To me, creativity is a universal spice that adds flavour to life. In my creative journey, I noticed at least 3 ways to spice my days with creativity.
Create to release emotions (Self-Discovery)
The first one is a liberating spice. Best practised with no expectation or judgment.
Back in 2016, as a creative newbie, I played a self-made game, “punch.” In the moment of my chest exploding, I would type a poem. I was “writing poems,” but people recall them as “punchy shotguns.” Well, that was a feeling in 2016. What can I say?
Looking back, my first creative attempts worked like a tool for self-discovery, where I was letting go of accumulated emotions (as deep as grief, hurt, …) through creative writing.
But what’s fascinating is that I discovered new sides of myself through such creative cooking! For example, in my Banana Break poems (2016-2019), I had “human,” “human-robot,” and “human animal” as categories. But only in 2020, I got to know about the topics of “regeneration,” “more than the human world,” and “spiritual ecology,” which brought my consciousness to the next level, that’s for sure!
Isn’t this intriguing? How the process of creating is like a portal to the future? In my story, an invitation for a change in values was just around the corner!
And if you’re curious to try this spice out, do it. Just take a sheet of paper and repeat “I remember…” on every line. This is the start of the poem about your life. Enjoy!
Create to be useful (Problem Solving)
The second spice is way more exotic. It offers a twist to any creative meal. You’ll be asked to shift focus from your inner world to the outside. With this spice, you’ll learn to use creativity to create something valuable for others!
When I started making websites for clients, the hardest for me was to separate my life experiences and the project. The design journey is indeed about listening to the environment, asking people deep questions about their routines, needs, and dreams, and taking notes to solve people’s problems with your design. The conversation is at the core of this type of creative cooking. Use this creative spice, and you’ll inquire about other people and their needs.
Let’s take an example. If you have ever created anything for others, you know a feeling! Hearing feedback is like eating broken glasses. Okay, feedback sessions can become easier to digest thanks to the imagination! Here’s an idea. What about a giant soap bubble between the people giving feedback and me? All the input gets soaked into the drop! I’ll use that drop later to adjust my designs. Ha!
Overall, the critical step while cooking with this spice is pausing. Oh, that fresh breath of air, where a wise inner voice whispers: “okay, how might we sort the feedback into seeds and icebox?” I know no one ever used this phrase. But sorting feedback into actions and the waiting line is essential to stay grounded. Also, the seeds are the purpose of why the feedback sessions happen. Go on, seeds!
If you’re curious to try this creative force, here’s a prompt: “How can I help you?” This simple yet essential question shifts our perspective from ourselves to others. And the rest of the steps? Message me, and I’ll share the designer’s toolkit with you.
Create to deeply connect with people (Community)
Now, let’s try one more spice. Glue. Community is another way to play with creative spices in your life. Here, we move from “I” and “them” to “we.”
Let me try to make the point about this type of creativity. When creativity is used as a glue for a micro-community, as a shared experience that ties people together, the focus here is on the collective journey rather than individual ideas. It’s always about adjusting, compromising, and navigating towards a north star that matters to all. Yes, it’s quite an evolutionary rollercoaster filled with a deeper connection to life and others!
In my story, at some point in life, I realised I enjoy companionship on a creative rollercoaster. Enter creative partnerships where the famous “synergy effect” happens. 1 + 1= 3. The whole is more than its parts, yes. But I have to admit, my first collaborative projects were quite bumpy. It’s still a learning curve now.
This type of creativity is tricky because no rules are “set.” Often, co-creation means everyone is on an equal level, with no hierarchy. But then personality things arise, where some participants are louder, and others speak up after a nudge or when the group bonds a bit more. What about socialising outside of the project?? Yeah. Bring it!
Looking back, I feel that co-creation always needs a “holding space” element. Nah, it’s not enough to be in a messenger channel. Someone needs to tie everything together. Often. Getting on the same page! Again and again.
Overall, it’s so easy to get lost in the creative chaos, forgetting the why. Why we’re here? Yeah. Why? Because we love to co-create rather than create solo! Okay, yes. Remembering this creative spice’s purpose helps ensure we stay friends instead of walking in different directions!
Curious about this one? Friends gathering may be your playground. Good luck!
So here it is, my 3 motivations for creating: to see myself, add value, and be together. Of course, there are more reasons why and how creativity deepens one’s life experience. Tell me, what inspires you to create?