C is for Creativity and How to Unlock It
Today I am going to talk about what creativity means to me, the impact it has had on my life and how you, too, can harness your creative energy. Everyone has creative potential; you just need to know how to unlock it:)
Creativity is a beautiful thing. A matter of transcending tradition, altering perspectives and bringing new ideas to life. My mind has always been overactive, imaginative and colorful. A tangled bundle of pink sparkly neurons firing left and right forming a chain of art projects, dance routines, and floor plans. Now, it is one thing to have an idea, but actually planning and executing it in real life is an entirely different process. Creativity often sparks, but without passion this fire can fade. In order to unlock your creativity you must identify what fuels your fire and hone your craft.
Here is some background regarding my sparks/passions:
My love for dance sprouted from my first ballet class when I was three. From then on, my tiny-toddler self was hooked. For the next eight years, I trained in ballet and tap. I loved wearing the intricate floral hairpieces, fluffy tutus, and feeling like a fairy princess. As you can probably guess, I was never the traditional sporty girl growing up. I played soccer for a few years but I was more concerned with my game day hairstyle and snacks than the game itself. During my soccer and surfing phases, nothing compared to dance. I loved performing as a kid; playing dress up in my living room with Barbie and the 12 Dancing Princesses on loop. I would rummage through my costume bin for the perfect dress, slide on my little ballet shoes and prance around the living room for hours. Toes pointed, chin up, and smiling big on my carpet stage for my glorious audience of three (Mom, Dad, and Delaney). Even at a young age it just felt right, as if no one could hurt me if I was dancing. That is a powerful state of mind for a little girl to be in and I wanted more. I began to chase this feeling of freedom, expression and joy like crazy.
Soon enough, this passion tripled in size when I started singing and acting. The combination of dance and elementary school choir was my theater kid pipeline. Theater was my shit. By age 8, I thought I was a full blown Broadway prodigy. The rush of adrenaline I would get as I glided onto the stage, feeling the warmth of the spotlights, and the contagious energy of the crowd was liberating. I loved being on stage, becoming a character, and being a part of something. I stopped doing theater at age 14: right before starting high school. I switched school districts after 8th grade so high school was a whole new group of people. I was nervous, excited, and eager to craft my new identity which was, “ Varsity Dancer Girl Who’s Mom Works at Her School.” I made the Varsity Dance Team as a freshman and I was ecstatic. I knew no one at my new school and then I met Bianca who was on dance team with me. (I know you are reading this, hello!) She is still one of my best friends/ role models who I love so much. Together we navigated high school drama, hormones, AP Classes, and so much more. Dance helped us escape our, at the time, life altering teenage problems. We were able to express ourselves through movement. Dance is powerful; for both the dancer and audience. It can open your mind, change your perspective, help you cope in new ways, and grow for the better. I also did studio dance where I met many talented friends (Hi Tess and Chloe!) who grew alongside me as well. Was there drama? Yes. Was it competitive? Yes. Was I tired during 6am practice? Yes. But, nothing worth your time and energy is ever easy. P.S: Hi Maddy, no I did not forget about you! And Shosh!! Love you both xoxo.
In addition to performing arts I have always had quite the love for visual arts as well. I grew up very crafty; painting, scrapbooking, sewing, etc. My obsession with HGTV sparked my interest in interior design early on as well. This blog also served as a creative outlet for me:) Even though I no longer dance like I used to (don’t worry I can still get down in a frat basement) I have started utilizing my other creative outlets more. I started playing guitar and songwriting during covid which helped me to exercise my artistic abilities and now I play all the time:) I also started getting into graphic design and content creation on Pinterest and Instagram in college.
Now that you have read my Creativity History: let’s talk about how to bring these passions to life.
#1. Find your spark! Figure out what makes you creative, what you are good at, or sets you apart from everyone else.
#2. Your sparks can change! I may not dance regularly anymore, but I have found new sparks like playing guitar to fulfill that creative passion. Our interests/lifestyles change as we age and that is okay!
#3. Practice! The more you pursue your passions the better you will feel, understand yourself, and be able to articulate your authentic self to those around you.
#4. Don’t hide from your imagination. The mind is meant to be explored, challenged and celebrated. Our ability to think and create is a gift. Use it.
#5. Share your sparks with fellow creatives. Find people who have the same passions. Surround yourself with their inspiration, motivation and support to fuel your creative fire. Whether that is dance, singing, playing an instrument, designing video games, writing short stories, making TikTok videos you name it.
#6. No one can take your passions away. That is the beauty of creativity, it is yours to use, own and share. Do so wisely because your creative endeavors are valuable.
I hope you enjoy this week’s blog post and are feeling inspired to unlock your creativity. So much love as always! xoxo, HAGO.
