Creativity needs time; just listen to Ira Glass
The process of creating something meaningful and creative is one of the hardest and most rewarding things you can do. Expressing your creativity can de-stress your body, refocus your mind, and revitalize your focus. Ira Glass, hosts a syndicated radio show “This American Life.” He also speaks about the power of creativity.
For inspiration, start with the video above in which Glass speaks of the “gap” between what you want your creative work to be and what it is. Especially tailored for the beginners, you begin with great taste, an idea of exactly what you want it to be, but you cannot quite get your finished product to be as good as you envision it. It takes time. And it is perfectly acceptable and normal for it to take time. It actually needs to take time for it to get better, according to Glass.
To further tap in to your creative side, set aside time each day to focus on your art, whether it is writing, painting, sculpting, or something else entirely; you have to make time for it. Next, you need to believe fervently in what you are doing, not necessarily that it is “good,” especially in the beginning, but rather that it is worthy of doing. It is worth your time. To believe, to create, to dream and fantasize, takes you out of yourself and allows you to create or become anything you want; there truly is no greater power.
Inspirational quotes to get your creativity flowing
Certainly this is worth a few minutes out of your day and here is some more inspiration to get your creativity flowing:
“Creativity takes courage.” – Henri Matisse
“The chief enemy of creativity is good sense.” – Pablo Picasso
“To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its beauty; you want to bring a little more music to it, a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it.” – Osho
“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.” – Sophia Loren
“Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.” – Stella Adler
“The inner fire is the most important thing mankind possess.” – Edith Sodergran
“The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. For Heaven’s sake: sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell Stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can; you will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.” – Kurt Vonnegut
No matter what your chosen art form is; make time for it. Nourish it and believe in it. You mind find that a few minutes a day spent nourishing your creation will also nourish your soul, help you recharge and focus on other tasks, and uplift your spirit. So, take a few moments every day and see what you can create and do not be afraid to fail.
As Ira Glass said, “You will be fierce. You will fearless. And you will make work you know in your heart is not as good as you want it to be.”
