Creativity: Where does it come from & how do we keep it?
The spark of creativity! Perspectives on how creativity starts and ends.
Creativity seems like the stuff of magic at times. When you hear a song you love for the first time, you feel inspired or your brain is altered because of the feeling the music gives you. There are also the parts where you may feel creativity has dried up. Mindless scrolling or repressed emotions make you feel stagnant in finishing a project. I am in a state of limbo in activating my creative juices. This led me to be curious about the scientific aspects, along with the emotional factors of creativity. If it is lost, can we just get it back?
According to the APA article in 2022, The Science Behind Creativity1, it is a matter of nature versus nurture. Neurological networks influence creative thinking which can derive from genetics. There are also environmental influences that foster exploration; not to mention individual personality traits and experiences. One might say that creativity comes from strong emotions. Life’s happenings can provide a wide range of emotions that inspire romance novels or melancholy songs. I believe personality plays a strong role when you tap into the vast resource of creativity.
For example, Frida Kahlo was an artist who channeled emotions and personal experiences into creative expression. In September 1925, she endured an accident that changed her physically, and she had a tumultuous romantic life. Her art often depicted pain, dreams, and thoughts around self-image. Kahlo’s art was influenced by Mexican culture and indigenous traditions in her environment and upbringing. Her outlook towards life ultimately was the deciding factor on whether she would turn trauma into inspiration, or a blockage to her potential. Frida Kahlo is just one of many examples. The need to release and express emotions breathes life into much of the work we see today.
Can I turn my trauma into my passion?
When traumatic events disrupt life’s stability, cognitive reframing is an internal regulation to process emotions. Stress, anxiety, and depression are often soothed by creative expression as an outlet. People who think of multiple perspectives and solutions often find ways to process trauma in constructive ways. I start by thinking of what activities make me feel liberated and can transmute my worries. Whether it’s interpretive dance, sketching, or writing down thoughts, I feel better afterward. Creating a masterpiece is secondary to releasing the emotions. With focus and direction, emotion can drive a creative process to greatness, or at least bring harmony to your life. Keep transforming through your experiences to create the life you desire!
Affirmation: I am a creative individual with a limitless imagination.
American Psychological Association. (2022, April). The science behind creativity. Monitor on Psychology. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/04/cover-science-creativity