The Meaning of Creativity?

My thoughts are running deep tonight, guys.

Tis the season for Elf on the Shelf. Yes, everyone today seems to be doing the Elf thing. The message of Christmas probably should not be so Orwell-esque… but my soon-to-be 4-year-olds love our Elf, Dickie.

Tonight after the boys went to bed, I was moving Dickie to his new resting spot and searching the cabinets for something to add to Dickie’s pose to make the kids laugh in the morning. Social media has truly instilled a high expectation of insane-Elf-staging, and the pressure is getting to me!

I found some star sprinkles in the cupboard and got to work on making Dickie especially mischievous, and I heard my husband comment, “Ah Mrs. Creative must have a plan!”.

My immediate response was, “Oh my gosh dude, I am NOT creative”.

Without hesitation he responded, “Yes, you are”.

And his comment really made me think.

You see- I have never considered myself the creative type. Even in elementary school I would consistently attain straight A’s in all my subjects- except for art… I’d always get a B there.

 I am the type of person who likes to check things off my list- I do not spend a lot of time “doing” something, I just want it to be “done”. This mindset does not allow enough time to generate the all-elusive creativity. I consider myself highly productive but definitely not creative.

I was always envious of people that really knew how to take their time and produce high-quality works of ‘art’. People that could ignore the checklist and focus on a task for as long as it took to become perfect. I look up to these people and admire their clearly creative thought process.

I suppose in my head I have developed my own working definition of creativity to be along the lines of ‘people that take the time to essentially perfect their craft’. People that will take 6 months to find the perfect couch for their space; or people that coordinate their Christmas tree to perfectly match ornaments to tinsel to wrapping paper.

I am certainly not this person. I didn’t get an ‘A’ in art and I usually take the first thing available without thinking twice about other choices I may have.

But, am I creative? Do people see me that way?

My husband clearly does.

This little comment, “Yes, you are”, made a huge impact on my entire creative thought-process and I felt that perhaps my working definition was completely inaccurate. Maybe creativity is not about the amount of time you spend doing something. Maybe creativity is not producing the perfect product. Maybe creativity is not the prefect couch or the perfect Christmas tree. Maybe creativity isn’t defined by Elf on the Shelf perfection, either.

Could creativity perhaps be signified by originality? Thinking outside of the box?  Doing things the way you want to do them? Am I simply exhibiting creativity by writing this blog? Is ‘drive’ considered creativity? And thus, is anyone who is driven by their passion creative in some way?

My art skills are poor and my house decor was hastily decided upon. My Christmas tree is a mess of ornaments and regardless of my intentions, my Elf is simply sitting on a plain shelf today.

But the little comment my husband made, “Yes, you are” has completely invigorated me. It has given me more drive and more confidence and a discovering of my creative-being. When he made this comment he probably had no idea the thought-process he sparked in my brain, but maybe having new thoughts every day is a form of creativity? Perhaps my way of ‘checking’ things off the list is a form of creativity in itself?

This little comment from my husband is perhaps one of the greatest compliments I have ever received. I’ve always searched for my inner-creative self, and him giving me the attribute of ‘creative’, simply deemed by my drive to do as much as I can each day, to continually pour all my energy into my passions, is deeply rewarding.

Until next time,