“Creativity is nothing but a mindset free.” – Torrie T. Asai

What is creativity?

In definitive terms, creativity is the use of imagination and original thoughts and ideas to come up with a new creation. It can also be called INNOVATION.

There are so many skills that humans possess. Our work, our ideals and our beliefs are what make up our lives and constitute our personal development. Humans are known to be the superior species on this planet. We have created so many objects that have made our lives easier and made us well verse with our surroundings. All credits for this go to our creative instincts

This is what creativity is.

All our artistic, and objective instincts falling into place to generate a great idea that can be worthy of being called a CREATION. An innovation, a movement.

Do you think the telephone, the smartphone or even a simple cupboard could be built without creativity? Absolutely not. It is the key to every innovative invention that now shapes our life and makes things easy for us.

 

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Is creativity related to mental health?

Imagination is a train that can only be boarded when the mind is in harmony with the body that is in possession of it.

Creativity and mental health go hand in hand. Many great artists have been able to come up with their greatest works because of their STATE OF MIND.

Van Gogh would have never painted his starry night if it weren’t for his chronic mental illness and Bazzi wouldn’t have written Renee’s song if he wasn’t in love.

Thus, our mental health and our state of mind is a great factor that contributes to our creative instincts. It could be positive or negative, but it does play a major role in the content that we tend to create.

Does creativity contribute to good mental health?

What is the correlation between the two?

Let me give you a personal example.

I am someone who absolutely loves art. Any form of art and I find myself diving straight into it. This is why I love writing and painting so much.

It’s always been a thing for me, you know- art being a stress buster. Whenever I find myself straying away from myself and my goals, when my mental health seems to be deteriorating, I pick up my pencils and brushes and start spilling my colours on my blank canvas.

As a result, I create beautiful pieces of art that I can treasure and look back upon. And oh! the JOY after seeing the final product is unmatched. Nothing beats the satisfaction of finishing a piece of art and then realising that you put your thoughts and emotions together, in colours and splurged them on a blank piece of whiteness.

It is surreal.

I stay up pretty late at night, and thus, my thoughts get the better of me. I tend to overthink and it becomes difficult for me to gather my thoughts and keep them aside and sleep. And so, I open my notepad and start writing. I write and I write until I have spilt everything that bothers me. I make sure that there is no sceptical left within me and that I can have a peaceful night’s sleep.

This has led to the creation of some really good poems and write-ups- thus improving my mental health because I can now vent, and my rants turn into beautifully heartfelt pieces.

It is indeed a beautiful feeling to be able to go back, read your work and reflect upon your growth as a person.

This is how creativity has impacted my mental health and has helped me improve it and grow in my creative spheres.

 

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Stages of creativity.

PREPARATION

The creative process begins with preparation: gathering information and materials, identifying sources of inspiration, for example, if you are creating a painting you can look up for inspiration on Pinterest or Tumblr, and acquiring knowledge about the project or problem at hand. This is often an internal process that takes place within you (thinking deeply to generate and engage with ideas) as well as an external one (going out into the world to gather the necessary data, resources, materials, and expertise).

INCUBATION OR EVOLUTION

The ideas, thoughts and information gathered in stage 1 marinate in the mind. As ideas slowly simmer, the work deepens and new connections are formed.  While the conscious mind wanders, the unconscious engages in what Einstein called “combinatory play”: taking diverse ideas and influences and finding new ways to bring them together.

ILLUMINATION

Then comes the elusive “AHA!” moment. After a period of incubation, insights arise from the deeper layers of the mind and breakthrough to conscious awareness, often in a dramatic way. It’s the sudden “Eureka!” that comes when you’re in the shower, taking a walk, or occupied with something completely unrelated. Seemingly out of nowhere, the solution presents itself and there you have the perfect idea generated in your mind, all set to be executed to the best of your ability.

Verification

Following the “AHA!” moment is the “VOILA!” moment, the words get written down, the vision is committed and cemented to paint or clay, the business plan is developed. Whatever ideas and insights arose in stage 3 are fleshed out, executed and developed. The artist uses critical thinking and aesthetic judgement skills to hone and refine the work and then communicate its value to others.

 

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Do these stages always work in such an orderly fashion?

Of course not. These stages don’t always play out in such an orderly and linear fashion. In fact, the creative process tends to look more like a zigzag or spiral than a straight line. These stages don’t often come together in a straight line of perfection, but they can offer a road map of sorts for our own creative journey, offering a direction, if not a destination. It can help us become more aware of where we’re at in our own creative process, where we need to go, and the mental processes and framework that can help us get there. And when the process gets a little too messy, coming back to this framework can help us to recenter, realign, and chart the path ahead and deliver the best possible outcome.

Does creativity lead to success?

DEFINITELY.

If our ideas are put together in a well-mannered form, we can create wonders. Creativity is the greatest way to attain success. The world is in constant need of new, original ideas and thoughts executed to create innovations for a better tomorrow. Every single innovative and original idea counts. Every creative process is about discovering something new within ourselves and then bringing it out into the world for others to perceive, experience and enjoy.

The work of an artist is to create a bridge between their outer and inner worlds, to take something that only exists within their our mind, heart and soul and birthing it into concrete, tangible form.

Any creative process is a dance between the inside and the outside world of the creator of the artist; the unconscious and conscious mind; dreaming and doing; madness and method; solitary reflection and active collaboration. Psychologists describe it in simple terms of inspiration (coming up with ideas) and generation (bringing ideas to life).

Incorporating this 4-step model will help you in your own creative process.

The more you master this balance, the more you can tap into your creative potential.

We all have our personal preferences, and by becoming more aware of our own natural inclinations, we can learn how to optimize our strengths and weaknesses.

Source: wework.com

 

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Conclusion

I’d like to say that creativity is a gift. Everyone has it in them, some just know how to use it to their advantage. Be creative. Be original. But most importantly, love your work.

Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life.