Category: Creativity

Be Creative.

As a creative, it’s tempting to do rather than be.

It often goes like this: The muse plants a seed of inspiration in our mind and we push the pedal to the metal to translate the dream into a tangible creation before the moment is lost. I know all too well … and have lost many “genius creations” to the wind. But let’s stop for just a moment and examine the process. We can either spend our life chasing creativity, or being creative. There is a distinct difference.

How many times have you spent all day (week, month, year …) working on something that just never quite turned out the way you initially saw it in your mind? At the end of a creative project, it’s easy to fall out of love with it if we compare the final product to our initial potential of the creative spark. I am guilty of this … very guilty. As visionaries, we see the unseen; we are driven to bring the dream to life. But here is the thing … our creative projects will likely never be as glorious as we first imagined them to have the potential to be. Reality can’t compete with the spark of creativity in the mind. That might sound pessimistic, but I think it is healthy.

Art and Nature ... Being. — Art and Nature … Being.

As visionaries, we can see the finished product.

Our mind can dream and imagine things that aren’t restricted by lack of resources or the broken world in which we live. This is a blessing … but it can also be a curse. It depends on how we respond.

If we create solely to animate a “pixel by pixel” clone of our initial creative spark, we might set ourselves up for a never-ending journey of obsession that leads to selfishness and destruction. Chasing creativity kills the creative, because we eventually run out of energy.

To sustain creativity, we must hold it with open hands and invite others into the process.

We must BE creative. Being creative is sustainable because it is a journey, not a destination. Being creative is sustainable because it has healthy limitations. Being creative is sustainable because it is content to be in process instead of needing to be completed.

When we invite others into the creative process, our initial creative spark creates life … for us … and for community.

It is initially more difficult to collaborate than to venture out alone, but it’s worth it …. the lone explorer never gets very far and often dies alone in the wilderness.

Invite others into your creative journey … and be creative together.

Are you chasing creativity or being creative?

Define the (Creative) Relationship

As creatives, we pour a little of our soul into everything we create. Over time, this will either develop us or destroy us.

Healthy creativity is a harmonious relationship that generates and multiples life through creatives and their creations. We invest life into our art, and it reflects life to us with compounding returns, giving us a greater capacity to create over time. But if our relationship with creativity is unhealthy, our art can feed on us like a cancer, demanding more and more without ever giving back. We don’t realize it at first, because as creatives, we love to create – it’s what we were “born to do”. But it’s easy to lose focus and get pulled into destructive obsession. Unhealthy creativity breeds insecurity and mistrust that ultimately disconnects us from community. If we’re not careful, the thing that once gave us life and purpose, can become the enemy. Unbridled creativity will imprison our minds, crush our hearts, and exhaust our souls. So how can we protect ourselves against this negative spiral?

Like all relationships, creativity needs to be defined and continually evaluated through the lens of truth to thrive.

Our art reflects our story, but it does not define our identity. As creatives we must know our true identity. Who are we? Why do we create? Where does our creativity come from? What are our strengths, weaknesses, dreams, and nightmares? The answers to these questions lay the foundation of our relationship with creativity. Without a solid foundation of truth, our relationship with creativity can be destroyed with the slightest bit of turbulent untruth:

“Your work doesn’t matter”
“You have no talent”
“You’re wasting your time”
“You’re a fake”
“You need to make it perfect”

These are some of the lies that creep into our minds if we allow our creations to “define the relationship”. Creation never defines its creator. As creatives, we must define our relationship with creativity on what we know is true. We all have baggage, but it doesn’t have to weigh us down. Identifying our wounds can strengthen our creativity because they serve as a map to guide exploration on our creative journey. These trigger points illuminate difficult terrain in our lives so we can better prepare to navigate safely through them, while creating art that helps others on similar journeys. It’s not just about us. Our relationship with creativity impacts our relationships with people – either drawing us into encouraging community or driving us into isolation.

Guatemala Peace Memorial - Photo by Scott Owen Moore

Healthy creativity enables us to evaluate and release our afflictions through a process that helps repair the broken pieces of life.

Here are some truths that lay the foundation for my relationship with creativity:

I am broken, I live in a broken world, and I cannot repair any of it on my own
My creativity comes from God the Creator as a gift that flows through me, not from me
I am valuable to my Creator and my life is a reflection of His greater story, despite my often inability to see the bigger picture
My Creator does not require or expect me to be perfect, but I often wrestle with perfectionism
I am a hard worker and often find it difficult to rest, so I need to “build it into my schedule”
I have freedom in my creativity to explore without fear of failure and rejection
I often have visions of creative projects that are larger than I can accomplish on my own, and am called to trust others in the creative process
I am an introvert, but I need (and thrive in) community
I create to help me process my journey and help others process theirs
We are all at different points on our journey

What about you? How is your relationship with creativity?

Creativity is a Journey

Creativity Is a Journey—Here’s How to Walk It Well

Creativity isn’t just about having good ideas—it’s about knowing what to do with them. Inspiration is everywhere, but if we only collect ideas without applying them, we risk creative clutter—an overwhelming library of unrealized possibilities.

The key? Balancing chaos and structure. Creativity flourishes when we learn to:

✔️ Store ideas with intention – Keep a sketchbook, voice notes, or a digital archive to capture insights, but don’t hoard. A system like the Zettelkasten method or a simple “Swipe File” can help.
✔️ Filter inspiration wisely – Not every idea deserves attention. Ask: Does this excite me? Does it align with my creative goals?
✔️ Process through practice – Creativity isn’t passive consumption; it’s active experimentation. Try combining old ideas in new ways or setting creative constraints to force innovation.
✔️ Recall and remix – Revisit past ideas and connect them in fresh ways. Many breakthroughs happen when we revisit unfinished work with new eyes.

When we stop fearing failure and see creativity as a process of discovery, not perfection, we move forward instead of staying stuck.

💡 Try This: Today, take one unfinished idea and do something with it—write a paragraph, sketch a rough draft, make a prototype. Creativity thrives on movement.

Creativity Is a Paradox—Here’s How to Embrace It

Creativity is fluid and structured, wild and disciplined, profoundly personal yet universal. It flows like a river, giving life to those who engage with it, but if trapped in self-doubt or overthinking, it stagnates.

The truth? Creativity must move. It must be released.

Why tension is necessary:

It must be practiced, but not over-rehearsed—too much control kills the magic.

Creativity exists between the heart, mind, and spirit. It’s emotional, but it must be shaped by skill.

It thrives on contrast—knowing when to trust intuition and when to lean into discipline.

Enjoy the Journey.

We never fully master creativity because it isn’t a destination—it’s a pilgrimage. Every time we think we’ve arrived, a new horizon appears.

💡 Try This: When was the last time you created something just for the joy of it—without an agenda or expectation? Set aside 30 minutes this week to create something that feels free, experimental, or even absurd. You might surprise yourself.

Enjoy the journey. Keep creating. Keep discovering.

🚀 What’s one creative challenge you’ve overcome recently? Share in the comments!

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