Here’s a good question: Do you think you’re creative? I have always doubted that I am. I’ve struggled with calling myself creative because I can’t draw or paint or make crafty things. God forbid I call myself an artist! This block has held me back for most of my life in creating “art.”
The truth is, I am a perfectionist– I never thought I was good enough to be a photographer. Or, if I was praised for doing something well, I would feel pressure to keep up with my own high standards. I put down my camera for many, many years because I wasn’t the “best” in my eyes. Even though I won competitions, awards, and accolades, I felt like I wasn’t good enough. I compared myself to others and would just give up on something I loved because of the self-imposed pressure to be perfect.
According to Picasso, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” Yes, all the baggage we pick up throughout our lives creates fears, insecurities and doubt. The truth is, creativity is not an innate quality that someone is born with or without– it’s a skill you can develop with practice.
Everyone is creative, everyone has vision, and everyone can increase their creativity, just as everyone can increase their musical or athletic ability with training and focused practice. Making something is deeply satisfying: you become a creator, not just a consumer. Creativity can be like a peak experience: the same highs can be felt by exploring new places or falling in love. When engaged with something creative, worries and cares fall away and are replaced playfulness and a sense of bliss.
I use the art of photography and my connection with nature as a spiritual practice more than a production of content. I try hard to stay present and focused on what I am seeing and feeling when I am outside. What is most important is the ability to enjoy the process of creation. Every photograph I make has a piece of my soul. By slowing down and being present, I begin to search for more beauty in the world which helps me connect to joy and gratitude—a wonderful tool for healing and shifting out of stress.
I try so hard to leave perfectionism and self-criticism at home and remember it’s not about taking the perfect picture: it’s about having fun, putting my mind at ease and just be inspired by the beauty around me. Even though I ambient creative, it’s the heart part, more than the art part.
