Hello everyone,
How are you?
Last night Di read a piece to me from a book she is reading by Brene Brown (It’s The Gifts of Imperfection, she’s loving it.)
She got excited when Brown started discussing creativity and how we are all innately creative.
Listen to this! She said to me.
When thinking about being creative Brown suggests there are common ideas that often trip people up.
“I’m not very creative.”
Is a key one. But she suggests that:
“There’s not such a thing as creative people and non-creative people. There are only people who use their creativity and people who don’t.
Unused creativity doesn’t just disappear. It lives within us until it’s expressed, neglected to death, or suffocated by resentment and fear.”
I love that! I couldn’t believe this more. I can see it myself, when I am not keeping creativity alive in my life and I can see it with my friends and family when they are only focusing on the never ending work of achieving.
I see it with my workshop participants when they are unsure if their photography is any good or worth anything.
Another common idea is that:
“The only unique contribution that we will ever make in this world will be born of our creativity.”
I have to say again, wholly agree. I have talked endlessly about how my moments of pure creativity are some of the most exciting and magical of my life. The work that I produce means so much to me, and it makes me proud that I have created something that comes directly from who I am (even when it’s not very good :))
Her third idea is that:
“If we want to make meaning, we need to make art. Cooking, write, draw, doodle, paint….. It doesn’t matter. As long as we’re creating, we’re cultivating meaning.”
Again, a beautiful idea, a wonderful reminder of what we sometimes forget to do to bring that deep feeling of purpose and meaning into our lives.
She goes on to recommend that ‘if we see creativity as a luxury or something we do when we have spare time, it will never be cultivated.’
Of course the best time to take photos is…. now! The best time to get started is… now!
And one thing she follows that with really struck me: ‘Take a class. Risk feeling vulnerable and new and imperfect and take a class.’
It struck me because I spend a lot of time teaching people, and sometimes I forget the trust and willingness and, often, bravery it takes to step out of your life and into a brand new experience.
It takes a lot sometimes to go somewhere new, with a bunch of people you don’t know and put yourself out there with your photography, your creativity and yourself.
And I am always grateful that people place that trust in me. It is a huge honor.
I love working with people, and seeing their photography, and their creative journey, flourish. It feels intensely meaningful in my own life to work with people in this way
That’s it for today.
As always I am here on the end of email if you need anything,
Anthony & Diana
