To create things is to be smart

Creation, most bare and in its ugliest form, is creative.

Like a child holding up their monstrous drawing— a dog with stub legs or perhaps of their family, all strangely the same height, with boxy hair, standing on waves meant to portray grass— I sit here staring at my shabby little website for ghostwriting and design services.

Don’t fret. I’ll cram some keywords in here to hit the quota. Unfortunately, that’s not what is motivating me to write tonight. (it’s 11:59 pm.)

Tonight, I’m writing for the creatives that follow me. Sure, prospective clients, I hope this single publication urges you to work with me. But to my fellow creatives, hi. I see you.

Connection

Why does it feel so hard to connect with ourselves? I ask hypothetically, as there are many reasons, but I’m not listing any. Often, which is more or less an embarrassing admission, I feel paralyzed as I stare at my screen. I feel desperate to write or scribble, but instead, I hum melancholy tunes and fester in the noise of my brain.

Why? I’m not sure. There are days when I can easily overcome this and am proud of what I create. The other days, I stew with irritation and tolerate what I’ve given.

It’s easier to create for others, I think. And possibly, creating for others allows my creativity to flow more naturally. It keeps the rigs oiled, I suppose.

For me, creating a thing is a form of creative storytelling.

Why should we create?

🪴 Expression

Creating a thing is a form of expression. It helps us process what we’re feeling or even our numbness.

🪴 Problem-solving

When we’re not in the proper headspace, we may struggle with cohesion, or the words we need evade us. Working out these kinks through our work is a form of problem-solving, and problem-solving often keeps us sharp.

🪴 Control

When we feel out of control, we should focus on the (healthy) things we can control. Creating is a healthy form of control.

Fun fact: Creativity predicts lifespan. If you create often, you become immortal. 🧛‍♀️

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So, tonight, I create pieces of my website. I’m working on my web design and website copywriting because I want my website to be perfect for you. I’ve iterated and tweaked for months, refining my creative strategy, and every time I get to a place where I’m happy, I find another way to improve.

Maybe some of you should hand over your website or blogs as a distraction. Let me focus some of this obsessive energy on building your brand with digital resources or a revamped website.

Creation is a part of who we are and means something different for all of us. I spent a very long time believing I wasn’t creative even though I’ve been a professional ghostwriter for 3 years because I didn’t fit the hipster mold of my hometown. I didn’t draw or paint, neither did I want to pursue a photography career.

But that simply isn’t true. Creativity shows up in the kitchen or through woodworking, singing, enjoying a niche film, and writing about it.

It’s about showing up for yourself when it feels impossible to.

🪴 Thanks for reading, verdant leaders. Want to stay sharp in ghostwriting and digital design, and learn how to navigate ownership with chronic/mental illness? Subscribe below.

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