“Given that Adobe just released the latest version of its wildly popular Creative Suite line of products including Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign, it’s no surprise the company would play up the need for a more hospitable climate for experimentation. But the study’s findings do indicate that people worldwide feel unfulfilled creatively.” ~ Mashable
In a world where we have been hearing for most of our lives that creativity is so important, it saddens me that so many don’t feel like they are as creative as they could or want to be. They don’t feel like it is valuable gift at work, they lack the time to make it happen outside of work because we are so “plugged in” all the time and, the reality is, people just don’t always make it a priority.
For over a year, I took art classes from a wonderful teacher, Joanie Ford, and called it my “forced creativity time.” I know that sounds negative but it wasn’t to me. It was “forced” because I made a commitment by signing up and paying and it meant that I would have some pretty regular creative space to explore that I wouldn’t fill up with something else in my life. The carpet that needs vacuuming, the dishes that need doing, the grocery shopping the family is begging me to do…probably much like your life.
Life has changed. I don’t take classes as often but I do give myself permission more often to play with creativity than I have in a long time. Even though much of my work involves creativity, it’s a different feeling than when I explore just for me…just for fun vs. for a job I’m working on.
The image above has a link so you can view the full infographic, if you’d like on Mashable’s site. It has some interesting information. I feel creativity is so important to our overall well-being, I’m committed to making time for it.
Are you?
Do you feel it’s important?
Do you have opportunities to express yourself creatively?
Please share in the comments.
Sue says
April 25, 2012 at 6:45 pmMichele, I totally agree! And you expressed this so well. I think creativity plays a huge factor in peoples lives in ways that they might not even realize at first. It opens up their minds to let in all sorts of goodness.
One of my long term goals was to offer classes to people to begin a sketchbook journal to record the sights and life around them. And it wouldn’t require you to be an “artist”. I hear it all the time..” I wish I could paint or draw”. Well you can still be creative and get those juices flowing!
I just love your thoughts here. Thanks for sharing.
Michele says
April 26, 2012 at 8:44 pmIt does open us up to all kinds of goodness:) It completely balances our energy like a good laugh or finding ultimate joy does. I love your idea for a class. I think people have been taught over time to believe that being an artist means something specific…both good things and bad. Like artists are too laid back or can’t make any money, etc. or that they have to be able to paint or draw a certain way or it isn’t any good. I’ve struggle with the same thing myself. I like to spend time looking at the work of some of the great painters out there. Their people don’t often look like people and their perceptions are off but they are considered great. There are so many styles out there, we each just have to find ours.