When creativity is more than just escapism

Hello Creative QB’s,

2 minute read.

It is not fair for me to say my creativity is a form of escapism, whilst it certainly can be and is also a great healing process, the term escapism sells creativity short, for it is a much more beneficial tool that we can use to empower ourselves.

Do you have that one activity, the one that takes your mind into a moment of calm and control, where we can block out the hurriedness of everyday life, take a breath, and slow down?

In a world where we face a barrage of information that is being thrown at us every day, overloading our senses and confusing our minds, I find calm and a sense of control in creative pursuits. It doesn’t still my thoughts like losing myself in a good book can, it isn’t what I turn to in moments of exhaustion, but it is what I turn to when I’m feeling restless, when my self esteem has taken a hit or when I am trying to work through a dilemma.

It is not fair for me to say my creativity is a form of escapism, whilst it certainly can be and is also a great healing process, the term escapism sells creativity short, for it is a much more beneficial tool that we can use to empower ourselves.

For each creative pursuit I undertake, I can break the process down into distinct parts that comprise the creative pathway to a happy and healthy life.

First is the challenge- It often stems from something I see that triggers the little light bulb and voice inside your head that says- ‘I bet I can do that’. So I set about researching my idea, gathering supplies and starting the planning process.

Once planned and equipped, what follows is a whole lot of nothing. Procrastination, self doubt, internal monologue- ‘you’ve bitten off more than you chew’, and frustration- ‘when do I have the time to do this’ moments. Sometimes this phase can last an extremely long time, and is the least enjoyable of the entire process.

And then it happens, inspiration strikes and I go into action, what I call my implementation stage. This appears out of nowhere, like the flick of a switch, when I inherently know that I need to get stuck into this project right now! This is the stage of the process that my husband dislikes the most. I’ll often be told that I have my priorities wrong. The house will be a mess, with piles of washing everywhere and the kids are hungry, but I have to jump on board the creativity train in that moment. If I don’t, it may not come around again soon enough. Once on board and in my ‘state of flow’ I find the process cathartic, and all consuming.

Very rarely is the implementation a smooth process. For me there are times when the project becomes completely derailed and I have to go back to planning phase, and every once in a while, it’s best to abort the mission, but usually it only requires a little critical thinking to get that creative problem solving process happening, remind myself that creativity takes risk and then it’s back on board until I’ve arrived at my final destination- where the perseverance has paid off and I’ve arrived at stage completion. The perseverance is developing my grit, and it’s own reward.

Once completed, the rewards of the entire process appear. A sense of accomplishment, self fulfilment and self recognition of my capabilities. Self esteem is restored to healthy levels, and I’m ready to dream bigger with a set of new found skills under my belt.

The benefits to be gained from embarking on a creative journey are endless, and the possibilities it opens up is limitless. Creativity is so much more than escapism, It is a journey like any other, occasionally with setbacks, but for the most part, is a self fulfilling process that leads to a happy and healthy life.