What Does Creativity Mean to You?

Recently, two creators in the iCreateDaily Facebook community shared uplifting posts on how daily creativity has transformed their lives. That sparked the idea to create this article and to ask: What does creativity mean to you? So asking you and sharing the answers from others as well.

Creativity is about so much more than art. Those who engage in creating regularly experience tremendous personal transformation through creation, and discover that creativity is like the air, it permeates every area of life.

Creators have the power to transform ourselves and our lives in much the way we transform a blank canvas into a painting or a blank page into words. And… we are all creators.

We Are All Creators

Even if you’re not an artist, and don’t consider yourself artistic, you’re still a creator and capable of creating so much more than you know. We are all creating all of the time by the thoughts we choose and the subsequent actions we take.

Correlating creativity with breathing is apt, because we’re doing it all the time. And like creating, conscious use of the breath is a fantastic tool for health and stress relief, meditation and relaxation.

The more consciously we employ our breath, the better the effect. Same with creating. The more consciously we create, beginning with creating our day, the better the effect. Conscious creation brings greater consciousness and greater creativity, and these compound over time with practice.

Creators bring ideas to life, and life to ideas. The more consciously we create, the more we discover our capacity for personal transformation through creation.
~LeAura Alderson, writer, editor, creator iCreateDaily.com®

Inspiration for the Meaning of Creativity Topic

The inspiration for this article came from a conversation in the iCreateDaily for Creators Facebook group sparked this article on ‘What Does Creativity Mean to You?“

Creating Has Saved My Life

Author and Poet, Shannon DeAnna Schofield Wrote:

“Chapter 7 eeeekkk! I can’t believe it. I started writing in 2018 and haven’t stopped. Book 2 is 90% written and I feel so proud. [That will be two books in two years] I started on it half-hearted in March and look now. Y’all, if I can do this, you can too Creating has saved my life, my heart, and my soul this awful year. Life keeps trying to kick my butt. But I just ignore it and go to my other world where peace lives. I create daily and am so grateful. I love this group and I love y’all.”
~Shannon DeAnna Schofield, poet, author, farmer, beekeeper, b.2/23/1977

Creating has saved my life, my heart, and my soul.
~Shannon DeAnna Schofield, poet, author, beekeeper

Multimedia Artist, Singer, Musician, Susanna Holman Wrote:

“Yeah, at 6:25 a.m., I have sanded, cleaned the dust and varnished on my next thing already on 1 cup of coffee! And played 2 songs on the piano (that I didn’t know). Every day starts with the piano. Musical interludes keep me going and are built into my schedule. I stopped singing for 2 years once. I was depressed. So I sing and play first, every day. It’s going to be a great day! 
Susanna Holman, multimedia visual artist, musician, singer

Way to positively and purposefully create your day, Susanna!!

So then we asked the larger iCreateDaily communities via various social media posts:

What Does Creativity Mean to You?

And here is the growing list of responses. We’d love to add yours here as well. Just send us a note with your response and information.

Responses from the iCreateDaily for Creators Community to the Question:
What Does Creativity Mean to You?

Creativity is an Implementation of My Soul

If you would’ve asked me that a few years back I would’ve said “not much”. Today, creativity is an implementation of my soul. It’s my insides coming out… my therapist and best friend. It’s my lover, beckoning me to come play.

I recalled what sparked my creativity again. It was you, LeAura Alderson! You asked if folks would like to submit an article for GardensAll in the Planting for Retirement Facebook group. My article, My Most Valuable Gardening Tool: Failure.

Your reception to my article lit my fire! And you know the rest. Perfectly Imperfect By Shannon Schofield is a lovely place I created to share my poetry, my book, and short stories. Thank you, dear friend, for this place [group] that’s precious to me. Thank you for lighting my fire! And thank you for your daily inspiration 
~Shannon DeAnna Schofield, poet, author, farmer, beekeeper, b.2/23/1977

Creativity is an implementation of my soul.
~Shannon Schofield, author, beekeeper

Photo by Ilyuza Mingazova on Unsplash

Creativity is Being Actively and Consciously Engaged in Life

For me creativity is being actively and consciously engaged in life and mindfully expressing my vision and experience. I think many people live creatively without producing a body of art, their interesting life is their art.
~Linette Jensen, artist

Creativity is being actively and consciously engaged in life and mindfully expressing my vision and experience.
~Linette Jensen, artist

Painting is to Create a Place That Only Existed Inside of Me

In making a painting, I get to create a place that existed only inside of me, so others can enjoy it. I love singing out to the rafters, to fill a place with the joy of music! I want to share the joy of music so that others feel like singing, too. When I watch nature, I see the joy that even critters get.

Recently my hubby and I watched a bright green beetle flying figure 8’s around my flower beds, over and over. In my mind, he even said,”Wheee!” as he rounded the corner once again. I was compelled to draw him with goggles and a big smile! Even thinking about creating that makes me happy once again!

I am an emerging artist and musician. When I taught art to a homeschooler, we had one rule: in art class, we are on an island, and no troubles can reach us; and the artist herself has to do what makes her happy, with no regard to the opinions of others. I am in the process of building my website. My art can currently be seen at Susanna Holman Creations on Facebook.
~Susanna Holman, multimedia visual artist, musician, singer

I try to stay towards my happy place of creating nowadays, because not creating made me sad.
~Susanna Holman, multimedia visual artist, musician, singer

Creativity to Me Means Just Letting Go and Letting Everything Flow Out

Creativity to me means just letting go. Studying my subject or idea; Soaking in sights, smells, sounds, impressions, letting that mix with what is inside me – joy, fear, self-doubt, anger, contentment, and then letting everything flow out. It means not trying to control every little thing, but getting into a “zone” and letting it go where it will. The result is sometimes surprisingly good, sometimes not so much. But I’m learning that even the “failures” are really a necessary part of the creative process, like stepping stones.

I’ve come think that stifling the creative urge is actually a form of sin. God is the creator and we were made in his image – made to be creative (whatever form that might take). I think denying that part of us goes against what we are meant to be. Just my opinion, but I feel it in my core.
~Gwenna Baldwin, artist, dancer

Creativity means paying attention to my inner voice – she knows what she’s talking about!
~Gwenna Baldwin, artist, dancer

Creativity is the Space Before Thoughts Arise

And for me, it’s to be in the space before the thoughts arise, and from that space the creative process is a clear felt sense. I think the cold exposure [winter] contributes to that quieter space, and dropping deeper into a relaxed body gives rise to a more embodied felt sense during the creative spell. I see the difference between laboured art or coming from the belly.
Jenny Eshed, Israeli artist, English tutor, translator, polyglot

Creativity is to be in the space before the thoughts arise, and from that space the creative process is a clear felt sense.
Jenny Eshed, Israeli artist, English tutor, translator, polyglot

Creativity is Making the Ordinary Beautiful

Creativity to me is using ordinary things to make something that speaks to me of beauty. Whether things, words or combination.
~Stella Myers, writer

Creative energy is a powerful drug. I love that feeling of excitement… time stops, heart is full, and you want to share the pure JOY of creating and accomplishing the final stroke of the pen or brush.
~Katrina Morrison, artist, owner – Garden Thyme in Bishop Hill

Creativity is the infinity of divinity.
~LeAura Alderson, iCreateDaily.com®

You can find more creativity quotes here, and join the iCreateDaily for Creators Facebook group here.

Top Feature Photo by alex bracken on Unsplash

Get Gratitude.

The Day is the Way.

iCreateDaily™ on Amazon

iCreateDaily Journals & More