What is Creativity?

Something Whitney George said at a Dream Conference I once attended has stuck with me for the past several years. He said we are all creative. We were made in God’s image. Although I had heard that before it didn’t click until that moment. I can be creative. No, I am creative.

What exactly is creative? Definitions of creative on the Web:

* having the ability or power to create; “a creative imagination”
* promoting construction or creation; “creative work”
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

How is it that I put creativity in this little box? Everyone is creative. Your sense of creativity may not be the same as mine but you are still creative.

Some forms of creativity that I use are:

• disciplining my children. Each of my children are different and the same forms of discipline may work for one child but not the others. I am constantly observing my kiddos so that I can learn from them. That way I can praise them when they need praised yet I can also effectively discipline them when it’s needed.
• making meals for my family. I get tired of eating the same thing all the time. I have to get creative when cooking so that we are not always having the same chicken recipe night after night and also so I can try different recipes. There are also times when I should have gone shopping and didn’t feel like it. Those are the times when I have to search the kitchen looking to see what I can throw together and still be something the family will want to eat. We now have a favorite soup from one of those times.
• housekeeping. I don’t want to spend all day cleaning house because there are other things I’d rather be doing. Yet the house still needs to be cleaned. I reward myself for the work I do and I also take breaks. I am not one who will be a slave to my home.
• reading. Yes, it’s a form of creativity. when I read my mind isn’t just taking in the story line. It’s dissecting it, relating it to my life and trying to learn from the characters. I learn from what I read.
• art. I like to experiment with different mediums of art. I have my sketchbook, watercolor pencils, oil pastels, chalk pastels, and charcoal pencils that I hide from my kiddos. (They have enough art supplies I don’t think I have to share my stash.) Do I have talent? Nope, but I’m not going to let that stop me.

What about you? How are you creative?