Humans are innately creative.

I truly believe the desire to express ourselves is deeply rooted within each and every one of us, along with the desire to be understood. However, the fear of being misunderstood or ridiculed stands in the way for many who wish to explore creative endeavours.

Ever since I was a child, I had this nagging little voice in my head: ”Who do you think you are?” every time I performed on stage or was successful in my sport. I can’t recall exactly where that voice stemmed from, but nonetheless, I could always count on its arrival!

Creativity is so much more than writing a perfect essay, painting art for galleries or performing on stage… Creativity is a way of being.

What if we took the pressure off ourselves and simply expressed ourselves more honestly in our day-to-day lives? What if we just started to live more truthfully? Not to impress, not for validation. Simply because of the desire to.

My mornings are my little getaway. Every dawn, I see the chance to re-centre myself, gather my thoughts, my being, and let myself flow more effortlessly. I bring my warm cup of coffee back to bed, and I just sit. Sometimes I listen to a meditation, sometimes I journal, but most often, I just sit. With my coffee. But what does this have to do with creativity, you may ask? I agree, sitting with yourself in bed might not sound like much, but it is. It’s the moment before the rest of the world wakes up and shouts for my attention. I get to be bored if I so choose. I get to be me, simply me. Without the noise. I get to listen to my own voice. And that, my dear, is rather magical.

Allowing boredom to enter is one of the most beautiful things we can do for our creativity. To let the mind wander away to distant places, to let the authentic, sometimes quiet, voice speak up. But somehow we choose to ignore it. It never shouts, it whispers. It never demands, it suggests. It never judges, it invites.

Whether you are a morning person or not, I bet you can carve out moments during the day to embrace snippets of boredom. Maybe you choose to commute in silence. Maybe there is time for a quiet walk during your lunch break without distractions. Maybe you can end your day just being.

Being ”on” every waking hour does not feed your creativity. You need moments to gather your thoughts.

Moments of stillness. Stillness within and around yourself. Yes, it can feel uneasy. Yes, anxiety may arise. Yes, you may feel frustration invading your entire body. Eventually, it will go away. Let it come. Then, let it go. There’s no need to engage with the unnecessary. You do not have to befriend it. Be polite, give it a little nod, and then, like a fresh breeze, allow it to pass you by.

Creativity requires patience. Curiosity. It will ask you to stop and listen. To not sprint through life on autopilot. It wants you to take a quiet walk in the park. It wants you to look at the sky, the moon and the stars. You see, it’s everywhere. If you just stop and look around. Look up. Not down. Turn off the phone. Turn off the noise. Be here. Now. In due course, it will invite you to dance.

So, the next time my mind whispers: ”Who do you think you are?”, perhaps I can smile and think: I’m simply someone who is learning to live in a way that feels true.