Some people are “naturally” creative. They seem to be able to pick up a paint brush and paint masterpieces. Of course, we forget that they’ve studied and trained for years to hone their skills.

We appreciate the skill, agility, and beauty of dancers, who also spend years practicing to be able to perform the intricate dance moves that we so admire.

What about musicians? How many of them sit down at a piano and begin to play without any training? How many of them can read music without training and serious practice? And it’s not just training and practice. They have to feel the music inside of them to really create the sounds that touch us all.

The same goes for any creative endeavor. It takes practice and training to create. Like anything worth doing, you have to understand the process and feel it inside you. If a singer doesn’t feel the song, the song won’t touch the hearts of the fans.

Do you have to be an artist, singer, musician, or dancer to be creative? Of course not. You just have to appreciate some of the art forms and have an open mind.

Do you like to read books, magazines, etc.?

Do you like to listen to music . . . any music? Do you remember the Charlie Daniels Band singing “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”? I could listen to that song over and over again.

Do you like to dance or watch others dance? Do you remember what a phenomenal dancer Michael Jackson was in his prime? I loved to watch Michael dance.

Do you appreciate art? Do you like to paint yourself?

Do you like scrap booking? Decorating your house for the holidays?

Do you play a musical instrument?

Do you enjoy writing stories or articles?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, you’re creative. You don’t have to create in order to be creative. You just have to appreciate what others create.

To learn how to think creatively, you have to change your thought processes a little, which is what we’re doing with this 12-step program. You have to learn how to think with the right side of your brain, the fun, illogical, creative side, rather than the left side, which is the logical, rational side.

The creative side dreams and comes up with ideas galore. The creative side doesn’t worry about how something is going to get accomplished–it simply bounces ideas around until the ideas shine like the brightest light on a Christmas tree. Then the creative side passes it off to the left side of the brain, the logical side, to determine how to implement the idea.

Without the creative side, there would be few ideas, and certainly very few ideas that truly shine. And without the left side of the brain, there wouldn’t be the logical, rational aspects to implement those ideas. Working in tandem is what’s truly necessary in a company.

Today’s Assignment

Let’s get creative today and color or paint something. I have no artistic talent whatsoever, so no one should feel bad after looking at MY picture! I call it “A Hodgepodge of Yellow Flowers.”

Color a picture in your coloring book, or draw your own picture. If you bought finger paints, have FUN! Hilary Rinaldi, who created my Thanksgiving hat, suggested that I let my English Bulldog finger paint with me. What a cool idea! I may do that later when it isn’t so chilly here. I’m not sure I want to finger paint with Oscar indoors!

If you bought sidewalk chalk, color a picture outside on your driveway. Play hopscotch with your kids. Now THAT would be fun!

I wish I could draw. What a talent that would be. But I had fun giving it a try.

Now YOU give it a try! And have fun.

Robin