In January we looked at a few basic questions regarding creativity, and this month the topics will be specifically about creativity in the home. So, first if all, why should you be creative at home? We’ve looked at why creativity is important and what it means to be creative, but why should we focus some of these creative energies at home?
The purpose of this blog is to work together towards a simpler and more creative life, to be content with what we have. In order for us to progress along that path, we need to understand why this is important for us. Without a why that we truly believe in, there’s no underlying motivation to keep us going. This will look different for everyone, and that’s a wonderful thing.
Ok, so let’s get going. Why should we then, be creative at home?
It’s a Safe space
Ideally, and hopefully for most of you, home is a place where you can let your guard down and be yourself without fear of people judging you or without a feeling of being “on” all the time. And true creativity needs vulnerability and honesty. Surely the best and safest place to be honest and vulnerable is at home, either alone or with those we love. We need to let our guard down sometimes.
At home and maybe especially alone, we feel more free to not worry about failures and mistakes and what other people think. Creativity is wonderful but it can bring a lot of pressure with it, especially if you’ve been branded the “creative one”. With others are around, you can feel like every creative act becomes a performance instead of being as natural to you as breathing. Removing the performance factor may help with creative block and pressure to make every single thing perfect and “worthwhile.”
Creativity flourishes in an atmosphere of inner security and confidence.
Felicia Bender
Productive Downtime
Whether you’re busy at work or at home looking after kids or other family members, it’s so nice to get a few minutes to yourself to process the day. By productive, I don’t necessarily mean that producing a thing is even the end goal of a creative session. It’s productive in the sense that it’s a mentally and emotionally beneficial time to unwind without going on the internet on as default and consuming excess information and numbing our brains through constant entertainment. These things have their place but it is not healthy to abuse them.
When we’re being creative we’re letting our mind loosen up and go through all our thoughts and feelings but without getting too stuck on one thing. Ruminating on things that worry you or anger you can sap your energy very quickly and it’s easy to get very stuck in this mind frame. If you’re like me, the apparent problem is often not the thing that is really bothering us, it’s either the principle or the root of the issue that we’d love to solve.
Sometimes we don’t know what we’re feeling and it’s just out of our grasp. For example, I often find myself getting “angry” when I’m really just anxious or frustrated. Being creative can help to free you up a bit and may enable you to figure out more clearly what you’re feeling or thinking.
Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.
Pablo Picasso
A Sense of Connection
By creating with others and sharing honest and vulnerable moments we create better and more genuine connections with those around us. There’s a lot of talk about making connections these days and doing creative projects together is a great way to build on our relationships. As parents we can model this to our children so that they learn it’s OK and even good to try new things and experiment. We can model diligence and a willingness to learn and improve without constant self- criticism.
Even if you are creating alone, there’s still a connection to home and place. In time, a connection and familiarity will arise with your tools and materials. They will become like faithful friends helping you in your creative endeavour. These could be as simple as your favourite wooden spoon to a craft specific tool that has moulded to your hand over the years.
If you have a good system in place, you can get going in your spot at home without lugging things about and spending the whole time settling in only for it to be time to pack up (like my experience in university). By being creative at home you can inspire others to do so as well and create connections together with a joint interest in your creative pursuit.
Creativity is a basic biological drive to engage in meaningful conversations with ourselves and the world around us…
Sara Saltee
Conclusion
We should be creative at home because this is where you, hopefully, feel safest and most comfortable to just be yourself. By practicing vulnerability and honesty it encourages and enables us to be more compassionate. We can use our downtime productively by creating physical things, but also by taking the time to sort through our thoughts with a physical process to help prevent us getting stuck in our thoughts. We also create a space for collective memories to be formed, a safe space for others to just be and a connection with our own home that cannot be bought. Home is where you can enjoy what you’ve made on a daily basis, along with memories of the experiences, thoughts and emotions that came alongside.
Kathelle x
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You constantly amaze me. Well done my sweet sunshine!💜👏💜👏💜👏💜
Thank you! 😁❤ x x x