Many of us need to have some sort of a creative life to be the kind of human beings we are meant to be. The creative life will look different for each of us: it may be doing art or crafts; it may be music; it may be inventing something electronic or digital; it may be restoring antique tools. The list is endless because, well, we are discussing creativity.
I have a particular interest in exploring creativity opportunities for the poor and working classes in the United States. I include middle class folks who, to remain middle class and not lose their house, must subject themselves to working long hours in corporate jobs doing work doing work that does not make them happy for other people. About 57 percent of Americans live paycheck-to-paycheck, and the percentage is higher for millennials and gen Zs. (Source: MarketWatch.) If you are one of these (and I was for many years) you are familiar with the constant anxiety.
I am a reasonably hopeful “never give up on your dreams” type of person, but this world system wants to fling endless obstacles in the path between us and the freedom to do the creative things we want to do. Of course, I believe we should take responsibility for our lives and not blame “the system” or “the world” or “them” for things that keep us from fulfilling our dreams. But it’s undeniably true that a small mistake like a bad investment or a misfortune like illness or accident will affect you more severely if you are poor than if you have a healthy bank account. You are in survival mode and creative dreams must wait.
I’m not a health expert, but my intuitive sense is that prolonged periods of not doing something you long to do is going manifest itself itself in physical or mental health consequences. If you are an artist not doing art, you are not getting to be who you are. You may suppress it, talk yourself out of it, or drown it out with substances or escapist entertainment, but a thing like a creative dream is part of your heart and soul and does not just go away.
Many of us, being creative by nature, do eventually find a way to express ourselves in a satisfying way. It may be be simplifying, moving to a more affordable area, or changing our expectations of life. If you have been fortunate enough to do what you love either as a hobby or as a job, congratulations. I’d love to hear how you did it! If you are on the creative path, even if you are still in the dreaming or visualizing phase, I’d love to hear about that too. In the next post, I will share a bit about my early life so you now where I am coming from. Let’s just say, if you entered your adult life with less than $50 in the bank, I can relate.
Scribbleflowers Journal 