Lately I have been thinking about what it means to live a life that feels energizing, productive, and personally fulfilling. Three books, each with its own style and message, helped me explore the question in new ways. They touch on courage, creative practice, and the unique working of the brain, and together they complimented each other by offering practical encouragement for anyone trying to carve out space for meaningful, value-based work.
In her book Big Magic, Creative Living Beyond Fear, Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love, emphasizes that ‘creativity is the hallmark of our species. We have the sense for it, we have the curiosity for it. We have the opposable thumbs for it.” And for anyone who thinks they don’t have a creative bone in their body, she reminds us that “if you’re alive, you’re a creative person” and that we are “descended from makers – storytellers, builders, growers, explorers, problem solvers” and thus we are “makers by design.”
When we are older, it is likely that we already possess everything we need to live a more creative life “except the confidence to actively do your creative work” but, be assured, “the world needs your creative work to enrich and inform our lives.”
If you are concerned what others might say or think about your art, she also reminds us that “the results of our work don’t have much to do with us. We can only be in charge of producing the work itself”.
One of the concepts I plan to discuss in more detail soon is what Einstein called ‘combinatory play’. This is the act of opening up one mental channel by immersing ourselves in another. For example, when Einstein got stuck on a difficult mathematical problem, he would play the violin. By opening the creative channel in his brain, he was able to make progress in the areas that were otherwise giving him trouble.
Sometimes we have ideas that never seem to get off the ground. According to Elizabeth, it is important that “if you can’t do what you want to do, that you go do something else because any motion whatsoever beats inertia and inspiration will be drawn to motion”.
And this part, I loved, too, especially for anyone who lacks the confidence to share their creativity. If you do feel inspired, and you find the courage to create something, and put it out into the world, “never apologize for it, never explain it away, never be ashamed of it – you did your best with what you knew and you worked with what you had in the time you were given”.
I think about this because I know so many talented and creative people who doubt themselves or are so self-critical that it feels almost impossible for them to ‘put themselves out there’ – if this is you, it was me too, this book is a must read.
My takeaway…if you sense an inkling of inspiration, follow it and bravely share it with the world!
In her book, Find Your Unicorn Space – Reclaim Your Creative Life in a Too-Busy World, Eve Rodsky says that if we want to avoid burning out, “we each need to find the time to step back, cultivate our curiosities, interests, and passions and remember who we are apart from our jobs and our family roles”. She insists that “creativity is essential work” and that “creative self-expression is essential to physical and mental well-being”. Your unicorn space is an activity “you lose yourself in. That you crave to go back to when you’re away from it. It’s something you do just for yourself and because it brings you so much joy, you want to share it with others.” This is much more than a hobby, vanity project or distraction. “It is the active and open pursuit of self-expression in any form, and which requires value based curiosity and purposeful sharing of this pursuit with the world.” Something you enjoy doing so much you feel like you have to share it with others.
I’ve always considered myself a creative person but I was never comfortable sharing beyond my immediate circle. The higher I climbed in my corporate role, the less time I spent on artistic, creative activities and I suffered for it because burnout crept in. Once I took a step back and allowed myself to explore creative activities again, I started feeling better.
I am not sure what my ‘unicorn space’ is yet. As a multi-passionate, I love to do lots of different things. I enjoy experimenting with different art forms and I do not particularly care if I master any one of them. In the past year, I have spent time painting, writing, making hot glass sculptures, gardening, coloring, designing my home, flower arranging, and practicing calligraphy. I do not think I am particularly good at any of them. And I really believe that’s okay because it is more about the process too art than the finished product.
In fact, most of the people I’ve encountered in art classes seem to feel the same way. I don’t think I have ever heard anyone say “WOW! I am an amazing artist”. Most people I have met are genuinely surprised to receive the many positive reactions from others in class. Point taken, we don’t always see in ourselves what others see and its not unusual for us to be our own worst critic.
My takeaway…my community is anywhere that allows for creative expression, promotes self-discovery and inspires purposeful connection. And, investing time in your creative pursuits is essential for a healthy life.
Last but certainly not least, Faster than Normal – Turbocharge your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain by Peter Shankman. Peter fully embraces his super powered ADHD brain and stresses the importance of understanding the way your brain works so you can harness it.
If you have ADHD you are in great company! While we cannot say for certain, similar traits such as exhibiting “different ways of thinking, failure to sit still and be like everyone else, and pushing forward regardless of what anyone else said” were exhibited by some of the most amazing creators and innovators in human history – Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Walt Disney, Benjamin Franklin, Sir Isaac Newton, Louis Pasteur, Leonardo da Vinci, Stephen Hawing, Henry Ford, and Steve Jobs.
According to Shankman, “ADHD has made you creative! Embrace it for all it is worth! It’s who you are and it is one of the things that makes you great.” “Having ADHD allows you to supercharge your brain when you need it, letting you hyper focus on tasks, solve problems in unconditional ways, and come up with ideas that haven’t been thought of before.”
People with ADHD are “keen observers and able to process many ideas simultaneously with minimal effort”. The concept of lateral thinking was coined by Edward de Bono. De Bono contrasts lateral thinking with vertical thinking, which is traditional step by step logic. Rather than relying on this traditional way of thinking, people with ADHD thinking laterally. They solve problems “using an indirect, creative, unconditional approach where the reasoning is not immediately obvious”. They combine imagination and intuition.
Lateral thinking is important at work because it drives innovation, enhances adaptability, and improves teamwork by encouraging open mindedness.
This is an incredible superpower because people with ADHD can think backwards, forwards and side to side which means we can identify gaps others will miss. These qualities drive innovation, enhance adaptability, and improve teamwork – we are champions of brainstorming!
If you have ever felt repeatedly misunderstood, and internalized the pain that comes with it, reading this book will help you appreciate this was not your fault, you were simply thinking much faster than those around you. Sometimes they caught up and sometimes they didn’t. That is on them, not you.
It was also very helpful to read that traditional productivity hacks don’t work when you have ADHD – that’s not your fault either. And once you learn how to work with your brain, your potential is limitless. Shankman recommends: “eliminate choice whenever possible, eat well, sleep well, and exercise (outside as much as possible)”.
My takeaway…the ADHD brain is a powerful forces and when you can learn to work with it instead of against it, it is your superpower. Harness your natural strengths and surround yourself with people who value your insights. Don’t be afraid to “challenge the status quo; listen to advice but not to haters; and keep pushing forward following your dreams because you know you have something more to give”. And it is essential to rest because people with ADHD can do more by doing less.
So there you have it. Creativity shows up in our lives in ways we might least expect. Sometimes it is a gentle whisper and sometimes it is a giant burst. Sometimes it shows up as a challenge to rethink how we move through the world. I will continue to look at creative living with fresh eyes while sharing discoveries along the way. So if that speaks to you, please do continue to follow along.
