Sharing our truth and connecting with others.
I keep coming back to the notion of telling our truth when it comes to our creativity. For me, creative work that doesn’t tap into that can feel very shallow, and I’m always looking for the idea, meaning, or message behind the work whether I’m watching a movie, looking at art, or reading a book. “What is this person trying to say?”
Go Deep
We might have gotten into creative work at first because it seemed cool to be able to draw or play the piano or throw on the wheel, but at some point we have to start asking ourselves what we’re trying to do with our creativity and what we’re trying to say, especially if we want to go beyond the surface level. Now you may be thinking, “Eric, I’m just a cook, and I just like to cook food and feed my family. I’m not trying to get at any truth.” Or, “I’m just dabbling in painting flowers, and I’m not trying to make any deep statements.” Really? I’Il bet if you look really closely at the reasons why you make and create, you might just see that you are really trying to say something or do something pretty significant. Providing sustenance for yourself and for your family or painting because you love the beauty and serenity of nature are both great truths. If you take a deeper look at what you create and why you create, you may just see that your creativity isn’t as shallow as it first appears to be.