Every person, at some point in their life, is faced with the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Often, this invokes anxiety and uncertainty in any stage of life and particularly during the teenage years when the path forward is anything but clear.
It's a question that is not only about your "JOB" but also touches on a deeper quest for identity and purpose. It's a question that highlights the role of creativity in navigating life's challenges.
Creativity is often misconstrued as merely an artistic endeavor—a domain reserved for artists, musicians, and writers. However, creativity is far more encompassing.
It involves
Problem-solving
Exploration
Challenging oneself in diverse aspects of life
Self awareness
Imagination
Communication skills
"Experiences, even those that are uncomfortable or seemingly negative, can significantly fuel creativity and personal growth."
They push individuals to find solutions and improve, often beyond their preconceived limitations. This personal journey started for me when I wasn't entirely certain about what to pursue in college. Despite receiving discouragement from my guidance counselor who doubted my abilities, I persisted and was accepted to art college.
During the first year, I encountered a pivotal experience in a drawing class. The teacher, though well-meaning, consistently drew on our paper to correct mistakes, diminishing the learning process in my eyes. One day as the frustration came to a head I gathered the courage to ask the teacher to stop drawing on my paper but to show me how to do it on another piece of paper. I was asserting the need to learn through personal effort. My teachers response was " I do not think you are good enough to do it on your own."
This moment, though uncomfortable and upsetting proved to be an unknowing milestone in my creative and professional growth. This transformative moment not only shaped my artistic skills but also ingrained in me as an Art teacher to not touch another students work without asking.
From this experience, I learned the invaluable lesson that true education and personal development stem from doing. It's through engaging directly with challenges, exploring possible solutions, and exercising problem-solving skills that one learns and grows. I understand this seems simple but sometimes the simple is the most eye opening.
Creativity thrives on such experiences.
It is the grit and resilience to face obstacles that forge innovation and improvement.
Challenges present opportunities to see beyond the immediate discomfort and imagine better ways of doing things. They compel us to question, to experiment, and to continuously seek understanding and mastery.
Moreover, creativity is inherently tied to exploration
Whether it's venturing into new academic disciplines
Trying different artistic techniques
Even moving out of one's comfort zone to engage in unknown experiences
Exploration fuels creativity
It exposes individuals to diverse perspectives and ideas, fostering a broader understanding and deeper insights.
Challenges also play a critical role in prompting creative problem-solving. It’s in the moments of difficulty where the mind is pushed to think differently.
When a familiar method fails, creativity finds alternative solutions.
This adaptability is essential not only in the arts but across all fields, from science to business to everyday life. In essence, embracing creativity is about welcoming the entirety of human experience, the easy and the difficult, the known and the unknown.
Uncomfortable experiences, while challenging in the moment, are often the catalysts for significant personal growth and creative breakthroughs. They teach resilience, innovation, and the importance of practical application of skills and knowledge.
Ultimately, the journey of life demands us to be creative problem-solvers, explorers, and challengers of the status quo.
Each uncomfortable experience is an invitation to grow
Each problem a puzzle waiting for a unique solution
Each exploration a chance to discover new facets of our potential. By embracing this approach to creativity, we not only enhance our personal growth but also contribute to the broader connection of human innovation and advancement.
Get comfortable with the uncomfortable!
Creatively yours,
Hollis
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