What encouragement can you give to someone who is just discovering their creativity?

For those who are pre-wired for creativity, the mere suggestion of an idea is all you will need to begin. To you I say embrace creativity and run with it. See where it leads. And find fellow creative enthusiasts that you can share with, and get inspiration from.

For others, you might worry that you aren’t talented enough. Negative thinking not only doesn’t feel good, and isn’t productive, but it literally makes your brain and body not work as well. Creativity is about flexible thinking and imagination. It’s also about adding joy and beauty to your life. Those are all great things. So decide ahead of time that negative thinking will not be allowed in your creative space. Any effort should be rewarded with massive praise, and a few “Yay Me’s” thrown in for good measure. If that’s too hard to do, imagine you are talking to your young child. If they showed you their best scribbles, would you not be delighted with them? Just do your best, have fun, and enjoy the process.

If you just can’t see the value of creativity, let me say this. Creativity is good for your brain and good for your spirit. When you think and do creative new things you are building new neural pathways to a healthier brain. You are improving your powers of observation and your ability to really see things in new and more detailed ways. You are adding to your dexterity and coordination. You can also improve your retention of new material to learn, when you reinterpret the information artistically. When you create something you like, it is a real boost to your spirit. It makes you happy. So don’t discount it until you try it.

I recently shared my love for art journaling with a good friend. She felt art wasn’t her thing. But she was brave and tried it. Today she went to Joann’s and bought markers to expand her tools for journaling. She is loving it and finding it very calming and good for mental clarity and focus. And her art is improving!

If you don’t know where to start, look outdoors for one thing that makes you happy. Or search the Internet for inspiration by typing a word and browsing images. Try drawing that one thing. I prefer working on smaller pieces of paper. They don’t feel as daunting. Just get something down on paper. No judgement. No worries about perfection. Or watch some YouTube videos and try your hand at painting, or scrapbooking or knitting or crochet. Whatever it is…I encourage you to just TRY It!

That should be my official motto for this time in my life.  “Just try it”. Don’t let your creative dreams stay forever a dream. Take one step toward that dream. One step at a time and you just may get there.

I believe that everyone should discover what makes their heart sing, and I have discovered that creating beautiful things does that for me. I believe creativity is a healthy part of a well rounded life. If knitting and painting aren’t your thing, maybe you could be a creative cook, or gardener, or find creative ways to enrich the lives of co-workers. Being creative is about expanding your world and adding joy to life. That’s something everyone can benefit from.

And I believe we should exhaust ourselves in this life, chasing the dreams God has put in our hearts. We all should be in the business of discovering every bit of who God made us to be. You are uniquely and wonderfully made. You look just like your Daddy in Heaven and He is creative and so are YOU! He wants you to fill a special role on this earth that only you can fill. He wants your heart to fly and soar. So don’t emulate anyone but the Creator and who He made YOU to be. His life for you will always be the best life possible!