On Creativity

On Creativity

Creativity is a balance between order and disorder. It allows me to make new connections to things I don’t know but have to try. This path leads to a whole other set of problems to explore. Some are dead ends, others make unexpected right turns. When I have said all I can about the essence of something, it’s time to move on.

Creativity is not a straight process. Sometimes when I wake in the morning, I listen and quiet my mind, and answers suddenly come to me. Quietly exploring and finding my voice, I created hundreds—no, thousands—of small works. Some right over the top of others, some in the middle of the night, or when I wake first thing in the morning. Ideas come to me like a strike of lightning.

When I take an idea and expand it, exploring all the possibilities, I sometimes take it too far. I insulate myself in a self-created world that deviates so far from the center, it becomes out of balance. To resolve this, it helps to recenter and return to the basics. Seeing myself as insignificant in the grand scheme of life and letting in childlike wonder, making me receptive again. It’s all about harmony and balance.

Sometimes things don’t go as planned. But that’s okay. I can change, adapt, and find space for growth in new directions. The best opportunities are often the ones I don’t envision. I need to be willing to tear it all down to build it back up. The more I fail and keep the pieces torn and tattered, the better the piece becomes when I take on the challenge of improving it. The more I grow and learn.

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