By ALICIA WOODWARD, guest columnist
On a cold January day, I trudged into our patch of woods holding a hand saw. At this time of year, I could trace the delicate shape of the saplings rising from the ground. I was looking for one about 12 feet tall with an inch-round trunk and several pretty limbs branching out from its center.
When I found it, I cut it down and dragged it through the woods to our house, through the front door and into our home. The tree was taller than it seemed outdoors, so I cut off another foot and firmly planted it behind our bed frame.
I spent the afternoon making little origami birds to hang from the branches, while my husband, who is almost always amused by my quirkiness, safely secured the tree to the wall.
I realize my natural, minimalist aesthetic isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. After careful consideration, my daughter decided it reminded her of “The Blair Witch Project,” demonstrating that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. In my mind, I’d brought the whimsy of nature indoors. I felt a surge of accomplishment, joy and creativity.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]In his book, “The Courage to Create,” Rollo May wrote, “We express our being by creating. Creativity is a necessary sequel to being.” We were created to create.
Our desire for creativity is seen in the popularity of television programs featuring ordinary people being creative. Watching other people bake cakes, plant gardens and build tree houses may make good television, but it doesn’t garner the same positive benefits as doing it ourselves.
So what stops us from exploring our creativity? Here are my top excuses and what I tell myself in response.
1. I don’t know how. You learn by doing. You’ll figure it out.
2. I’m not good at it. You create for your own enjoyment. If it turns out great, that’s just a bonus.
3. I’m uninspired. Go outside. Nature holds all the inspiration you’ll ever need.
4. I’m lazy. Girl, get up and carpe the heck out of that diem.
Get rid of your excuses. Even if you haven’t made anything since that diorama for your seventh grade reading class, you are creative. Unapologetically answer your call to create. Paint. Dance. Weave. Sing. Bake. Carve. Invent. Cook. Design. Sculpt. Fix. Plant. Decorate. Sew. Draw. Write. Act. Quilt. Build.
Research shows being creative can improve happiness, stress, confidence, focus, problem-solving, authenticity, anxiety, confidence, self-expression, sense of freedom, resilience, open-mindedness, risk-taking, decision-making and mental clarity.
Julia Cameron, author of “The Artist’s Way,” wrote this beautiful and motivating quote: “The creator made us creative. Our creativity is our gift from God. Our use of it is our gift to God. Accepting this bargain is the beginning of true acceptance.”
Alicia Woodward and her husband are empty-nesters who live on Sweetwater Lake in Brown County. She taught middle school literature and language arts for more than 25 years and writes a weekly blog, The Simple Swan, inspired by the wisdom, beauty and simplicity of nature. Subscribe at thesimpleswan.com. She can be reached at [email protected].
