Are YOU creative? Usually, when asked this question, a person replies with quite a black or white answer of yes or no. It's an answer I'm always interested in because so many people don't think of themselves as creative while from the outside, others see the creativity oozing out of them. It's an interesting question on a number of different levels so why don't we explore it here together for a bit...

In our family, my sister Debra was the creative one (although she says she didn't know this herself; isn't it fascinating the way we see ourselves?). For me, it felt like I didn't really need to even try because I knew I could never be as creative as her. I remember loving to draw when I was a kid. I remember even winning a little art contest in 2nd grade. I was proud and still, I remember telling myself that I wasn't really artistically gifted -- I wasn't creative since Debra was the creative one. I remember absolutely LOVING these monthly kits that my mom subscribed to for me. A new kit every month and I got to create it. I loved the creation process, I loved the building, the new-ness, the using my hands, the end product that was created by ME. It was a highlight of my month every time that little box came.

And still in my mind, I wasn't creative. I often hear clients and people around me saying they aren't creative. And this is part of why the whole creativity question is so interesting. Often, we have a certain definition of creative and since we don't fit THAT definition, we decide we aren't creative at all. Also, when people say they aren't creative, I know that at some point in their lives, that creative spirit must've been squelched in some way. All we have to do is look at a child to see how creativity is a natural part of ourselves. Look at how they make up games, make up people and friends, make up rules, makes up roles to play, draw, make forts, etc. They are creating constantly.

Somewhere along the line, creativity often takes a back seat to practicality, to what needs to be done, to all those rules that we are given. If you aren't deemed 'creative', creativity is often just left by the wayside. Unless you make a conscious effort, creativity is something many of us stop focusing on. And of course as children and moving into adulthood, we do need some guidelines - we need consistency and some structure. AND still, what happens to that creative juice? Think back on your own life and answer for yourself: 'Where did your creativity go?'

Are there some areas where your creativity has survived? Do you like to decorate or put together unique outfits or make fun new recipes or go new places? Do you like to write or sing or draw things with your kids or try a new route to work or do craft projects? There are so many ways to be creative. It doesn't have to the most creative of all, but just getting the creative juices flowing can change our days in a huge way.

Another aspect of the creativity question is that creativity is actually a conscious choice. One of the ways to keep being creative is to be conscious of what you are doing - all the time. It's when we put ourselves on that automatic pilot that the creativity disappears. We get into a routine (which can be great and efficient to a certain degree) and then sometimes....we just get lazy or we stop paying attention. We start listening to what others say is important, to what we 'should' be doing, to the way it is 'supposed' to be. We stop listening to what calls us, to what fuels us, to what feeds us, to what excites us. That's when the creativity gets lost.

My creativity has come back fully a bit gradually or actually, I have become more and more aware of it gradually. I'm organized and like routine and structure. AND I love to shake things up, to find new solutions, to think outside the box. For many years, I forgot the latter (or didn't focus on it, at least) and just followed the stream & focused on doing this. It seemed easier somehow. That's the thing with following the stream - we think it's easier until we reach a point when we realize that it's not easy at all. We realize that actually, it's taking all our energy and leaving us feeling empty & unfulfilled.

So for years, I followed the stream in many ways. I see now that there were plenty of other ways in which I was being creative - doing things MY way - even when I didn't know it: I've made big international moves and I went back to school and changed careers. I've made conscious choices about relationships. I've found new ways to challenge myself and to re-define myself. I see now that this is the ultimate creativity - to live my life in a creative way, without 'shoulds', without following the stream. It's the most fulfilling creative journey I've ever encountered and the more I tuned into it, the more I honored and nurtured it. And I now see myself as the very creative person I am.

I support clients with this now. I support them in seeing their own creativity. We find creative solutions for finding their dream job or new career. We find creative solutions for communicating with their partner. We find creative solutions to get clear about what is most important to them, about what they are passionate about, about how to define themselves as a person, a wife/husband or mother/father, etc.

It's rewarding and fulfilling to accompany my clients on a journey about getting clearer and clearer about who they are and where they are going. Again, this is the ultimate creativity. It revolves around being creative about the decisions we are making, about how we are living our lives. It entails being conscious and truthful - with others and mostly, with ourselves. It comes down to restructuring our lives in a way that makes sense to US - no one else, just YOU. It's about restructuring your life creatively - so that your life is YOUR life of conscious choices.

So, how are you doing with creativity? I'll ask you again...Are YOU creative? Do you see the creativity in yourself? Are there areas in your life where you'd like to be more creative? Are there places you are feeling a bit stagnant, a bit stuck?

As the end of the year approaches, I invite you to start reflecting on this. Think about the role of creativity in your life. And think about HOW you are living your life. Are you making conscious choices? Are you clear about what is most important to you and living in alignment with this? Are you saying one thing and doing another? Are you finding ways to feel contentment, joy, fulfillment on a regular basis? No matter where you are on YOUR journey, I can guarantee you there are some creative solutions to explore, uncover & experiment with. And remember, you can start slow. Small shifts are all that's needed and sometimes these are the most creative of all.