Creativity, Happiness, and Living a Good Life

You don’t have to be an artist to value creativity and use it to your benefit.

In a world of consumption and instant gratification, creativity is chronically undervalued. The irony is that without creativity, so much of what we enjoy wouldn’t exist. From your favorite TV shows, movies, video games, and music to apps that make your life easier and businesses that provide anything you could ever want, none of it could exist without creativity.

All these things are taken for granted; because they exist, their existence must be easy to bring about and maintain. But that isn’t the case. A lot of creative energy is needed to start something new and maintain its quality. This cost rises as the concept grows, whether by increasing quality or spreading out to serve more people.

We’re all born with a creative spark that’s often smothered by adulthood. Artistic expression is often painted as childish or not as important as “hard skills” like business administration, finance, or STEM, nevermind the fact all these fields require creativity too.

By harnessing your creative power again, you’ll notice your life improving as well. You’ll have a deeper sense of meaning and stronger connections with those around you. You’ll feel in tune with your work — or find the confidence to pursue your calling instead of withering away in a job you hate.

While this entire newsletter is dedicated to creativity’s practical applications, I want to start with the fundamentals: what creativity is, its benefits to your well-being, and how you can tap into it for fun and profit.

Made in Our Creator’s Image

I know that questions like “why am I here?” and “what is my purpose?” are intensely personal. Some turn to religion, others to science. Many people stop asking because they can’t find an answer worth believing in. Especially if you’re in the last group, let me provide you an answer mixed with spirituality and science that’s brought me a lot of peace of mind.

If you were to ask me about whether or not I believe in God, I’ve tied that notion to the concept of the Big Bang. Carl Sagan said it best on Cosmos:

Indeed, for all its chaos, the universe is a creative place and all living creatures create and destroy on a daily basis, even through something as simple as preparing (and digesting) our meals.

The creative difference between us and, for instance, a bird is that our consciousness allows us to direct that creative energy into things beyond survival — though, I’ll admit, I wonder if our urge to create and change is just as instinctive as a bird’s need to build a nest.

Unfortunately, too many of us have lost touch with the ability to create or, because of how easy it is to get what we need, fail to understand and appreciate its importance. The prevalence of AI and the emphasis of quantity over quality is the latest “innovation” that drives us further away from our creative nature, delegating that power to algorithms few of us understand with output quality you struggle to verify.

Happiness, control, success, achievement — all these life qualities people crave are kept out of reach because of an imbalance between production and consumption. Exercising your creativity is the only way to shift the balance in your favor.

While some might dismiss this as impractical, the compromise was always finding a stable salaried job for a large company and work there for the best decades of your life, cobbling together a retirement savings account you’ll hopefully live long enough to use. However, the COVID pandemic, the subsequent layoffs, and the ensh*ttification of goods and services all prove that stability is a mirage — all while we live with access to technology, resources, and collaborative people to create so much more abundance.

Creativity isn’t just our nature. It’s our calling, to make new things and birth new concepts whose value is greater than the sum of their parts. But to do that, we need to rekindle that spark. But it’s not just about earning a living. It’s about your health too.

Benefits of Being More Creative

Because creativity is bound so closely to your well-being, there are many benefits to practicing it that keep your mind sharp and your body free from stress. Here are a few to consider:

• Improved mental health: having a creative outlet helps reduce anxiety, stress, and depression; exposing yourself to other cultures, viewpoints, and ways of solving problems while exploring your own creativity broadens your perspectives and helps you learn how to better manage your emotions and responses to external stimuli.

• More control and confidence: completing projects and succeeding with your goals gives you more confidence and resilience, proving your capabilities; the sense of accomplishment also boosts your mood and drives you to greater heights.

• Improved problem-solving skills: looking at problems in creative ways improves resourcefulness; chaos and problems are reframed as worthy challenges and opportunities to grow.

• Have more fun in life: being creative allows you to reconnect with your inner child; discover hidden talents and engage with life more by trying new things, improving your sense of self and connectedness with those around you while resolving lingering trauma.

How to Practice Creativity

Now I’m not advocating for everyone to quit their job and become a wandering artist. Again, there are traces of creativity in everything we do, in every email, in every project, and in every relationship. Creativity comes as naturally to us as breathing but, like breathing, it’s not something we think about. However, learning how to control it is a tremendously valuable skill when applied the right way.

There are five kinds of creative energy everyone should practice:

Logical creativity: problem-solving that’s usually financial or business-oriented; the material creativity that provides a foundation for your life.

• Practice this by identifying problems and solving them, from things that need to be worked on around the house to balancing your budget and finding ways to improve your income.

Artistic creativity: arts like music, graphic design, fiber crafts, woodworking, or anything manual with your hands.

• Practice this by getting crafty, whether that’s putting together model figures, painting, or landscaping. Writing poetry or playing an instrument also satisfies this artistic urge.

Social creativity: loneliness is our hunger for human connection, so spend time building relationships and even pruning connections that have become toxic.

• Practice this by finding a sports team or interest group for hobbies or start your own. A book club, gaming group, or niche interest like LARPing or canoe-based soccer are all good ways to engage socially.

Physical creativity: your health and wellness, living in the body you’re comfortable inhabiting.

• Practice this by learning how to cook, find fitness routines you enjoy (maybe you like running or swimming, maybe you like lifting weights or steel mace fitness). Also take the time to consider your aesthetic, from the clothes you wear to how you style your appearance.

Spiritual creativity: while most people answer this question with religion, find a cause that feels bigger than yourself that creates positive change for as many people as possible.

• Practice this by volunteering with a non-profit, meditation or prayer (whatever you’re most comfortable with), gratitude journaling, and taking time to reflect on your life — where you’ve come from, where you’re at, and where you’re going.

If you’ve never thought about life like this before, trying to tackle all five at once can be overwhelming. Instead, start small. Find one thing you’d like to change (maybe a new haircut or learning how to meditate for 10 minutes each day) and practice that.

No matter what you choose, reconnect yourself with the innate power that exists in all of us. The more you practice your creativity, the more power and control you feel over your life, giving yourself what feels like the ability to shape reality. Granted, there’s always the randomness inherent in life and learning how to use your creativity isn’t about having complete control.

No, happiness and success are found by learning how to read and adapt to the ebbs and flows of life and the universe. Creativity is simply the means to do so.