On rediscovering our creativity

How has your March been? I'm writing this on?the fourth Saturday in March, three hours into?London Writers Salon's 24 hour?3rd birthday writing sprint. A 24-hour version of the daily?Writers Hour?that started way back when we were in the thick of the first lockdown, remember that?

I joined late morning to find a familiar screen full of people writing from around the world. Some had been writing for hours already so I strapped in, got out my notebook and pencil and let my hand and brain take over.?

Because, honestly? There's nothing like hanging out with a bunch of creative souls to spark something rather beautiful and special.?There's an energy that lifts you,?even in a virtual room. It's infectious, in a good way.?

We're all creative

Creativity seems to be my go-to word right now, what with having been a tad?obsessed with?The Great Pottery Throwdown?and?The Piano,?I’m a sucker for regular people showing how exceptional they are and I defy you not to cry, smile and laugh during an episode of either programme.

I don't think I'm particularly creative but I know how being around creative thinkers and do-ers makes me feel. Uplifted, full of hope and wanting to have a go. It sparks my imagination and helps me to disconnect and reconnect with the world around me.?There's something rather lovely?about finding ways to harmonise the brain, body and heart.

All the creative feels

Creative was even one of my 'feeling' words for the week, a new thing I'm experimenting with. The idea is that?I spin the?emotions wheel?on a Monday morning and choose how I want to feel during the week ahead. Creative leapt out at me that first experimental Monday along with thankful and hopeful.

If you haven’t tried it, give it a go. I downloaded this?one?to give me a headstart and wrote the words on a stickie that I kept on my desk as a reminder.

It was an interesting?exercise, and one I'll repeat because as the week unravelled with its usual heady mix of work, dog walks, conversations with teenagers, washing up and doing the laundry, every now and then the word creative would pop into my head. A little reminder to step away from the routine and give my brain space to breathe.

Weaving the creative spark into the everyday

I guess the trick is to find ways to?weave creativity?into the everyday because isn't being creative?all about giving the brain the chance to breathe, explore and tap into the senses??

I know 'being creative' doesn't?(always) come naturally or easily for many of us, but I love the practice element of being creative,?in fact that's one of its joys. It's the perfect way to learn how to get comfortable with?making mistakes, because there really?is joy in the practice. We?do learn from the 'what didn't go so well' (I hate the word failure and all its negative connotations), even if it isn't immediately obvious.

Practicing scales on the piano might not?fill the heart with joy, but there's definitely a sense of satisfaction as the fingers run up and down the keyboard with increasing fluency and the knock on effect of being able to tackle a wider variety of music. It's the same seeing words fill up the page, even if they don't immediately make sense and seem disconnected.

Have we forgotten how to be creative?

The trouble is,?creativity can?give way as the grind of daily life takes over. Too easily?pushed into the optional extra category and seen as a luxury when it’s anything but. I am?hopeful though, because I feel a not so quiet revolution growing around me.

It gives me total joy when a colleague reminds me she can’t make a Wednesday morning meeting because she has her piano lesson. I love seeing another friend share artwork on Instagram?from the art class she’s recently joined. I love it when my 17-year-old's friends make a bee line for the piano before they order pizza.?And the friend who came round to help him paint his room this morning told me that they’d written a short story last night on their phone on?the back of a text exchange they'd had with him. And there are so many more examples out there, you'll have yours too.?

I know?I'm probably preaching to the converted. I mean you're not here for my (lack of knowledge) about quantum physics, but spending more time in the big bad?corporate world (and as a result?LinkedIn)?these past few months has reminded me how quick and easy it is to?lose touch with our creative streak when work and life takes over.?

And while being creative does foster great things like?curiosity, open-mindedness, acceptance and it helps problem-solving, it’s also about fun, expression and joy. Surely that’s reason enough to put it to the top of the to-do list?

So, let's harness our collective creativity and start exploring this world of ours. As ever, thanks for reading and have a fabulous Easter.

Thank you for reading, Harriet

PS?I ended up writing for almost six hours on Saturday, which looks bonkers written down. But I did have food, drink and toilet breaks and honestly, it didn't feel that long. The alternative was getting grumpy with the rubbish weather outside and cleaning the house...so no competition!