yes, you are (a) creative
and you don't need to feel good to embrace it
I don’t know where I’d be without creativity. Creativity is my companion on my best days, and my refuge on my worst days. Creativity doesn’t require perfection; it only requires a commitment to be seen by myself as I truly am.
The last four years of my life have been marked by moments of intense grief, pain, and isolation. And they’ve also been marked by moments of pure joy, unadulterated authenticity, delightful self-acceptance, and deep connection to my divinity as a living being. Opposites coexist, don’t forget it.
When I pause to show myself gratitude — and you should pause to show yourself gratitude regularly — for how gracefully I’ve navigated the turbulence of the chronic illness life, I am so thankful that I took the initiative to reacquaint myself with my innate creativity.
three tips to reconnect to your creativity
Integrating creativity into your life can feel daunting when it hasn’t been a dedicated practice. But if you’ve been thinking about it, and something tells me you have, I’ve written here three nudges to get you going.
Commit to 5 or 10 minutes of creativity each day. Start small. Stay within your limits. Build your creative muscle. Stir the pot that has been dormant for too long. There is time. There is energy. Creativity is healing. Creativity is self-discovery. Creativity is worth it.
Release the need to be “good” at your creative pursuit. Life demands enough of you. Illness or pain demands enough of you. Let creativity fuel your energy, do not require your energy to fuel your creativity. Use creativity as a conduit to joy, not an excuse for self-criticism.
Own that you are a creative. Don’t be like me. Don’t wait for someone to give you permission. And if you are waiting for permission, I am giving it to you now. Here’s what it looks like, using myself as an example: I am a writer. I am a musician. I am a jewelry maker. I am a content creator. I am an artist. When you start claiming the “I ams,” something shifts in your subconscious. These “I ams” translate into: I am worthy. I am worth it. I am enough. And if you’re reading this and thinking, “Well I’m not creative! I don’t do any of those things you listed, Talia.” I would respond confidently that yes, yes you are creative. You may need to allow yourself to release into playfulness, to find your bespoke medium, to redefine what creativity means to you, but creativity is part of you. Don’t confuse talent (and who gets to define talent anyway?!) with creativity.
watch the magic happen
Creativity breathed life into me when doctors didn’t know how to treat me. Creativity kept me grounded when illness made life feel unrecognizable. Creativity nurtured me by allowing me to accept my full self, and reconnect to purpose. No matter how I’m feeling, I now know that I can always choose to be creative for five minutes. And in those five minutes, I reunite with myself.
I’d love to hear how creativity has fueled you, or your thoughts on starting a creativity practice. Will you take the charge?
Sending lots of love for joy and healing always <3.
Dr. Talia
Additional reflection for you: What blocks do you have that get in the way of connecting to your creativity? How do you feel when you’re engaged in creative practice? What’s one story you can release about creativity today?
Want to work with me 1-on-1?
I specialize in supporting you to live in harmony with your body, embrace and accept your authentic self (illness included), access daily joy, and cultivate deep self-trust.
send questions to chronicallythinkingphd@gmail.com.
book a 15-min consult call here.
Want to find me other places and support my work?
buy me a tea; on instagram; talia’s lists of helpful things; meditate with me on aura health
Some previous posts you may enjoy:
on “worthy” time while sick; other things about me; 5 ways internalized ableism silently erodes self-acceptance; where art thou, ambition?
"Let creativity fuel your energy, do not require your energy to fuel your creativity." Wonderful advice. I've never quite thought of it that way. Creativity - whether problem-solving at work or painting at play - definitely fuels my energy.
i was actually just dissociating one scroll away from this article, thinking about how to start painting when i’m not sure what to paint. thank you!