Through all my years of school, only at one stage did I fake being sick to avoid school. That was to avoid art class in third grade. I was honestly horrible at art. Not only was I incredibly slow, no matter how hard I tried my artwork looked like a disaster. Rather than have everyone laugh at my artistic monstrosities, I thought it was easier to fake a stomachache. I thought that I was unfairly shortchanged when it came to the “creative” gene.

Since those days, I have come to think of creativity differently. I believe creativity is fundamental to being human.  I believe every person is creative, even if the form of that creativity is not immediately obvious.

I learned in my role as an entrepreneur that building a company’s culture and vision was as an implicitly creative exercise. Later, in my role over the years as a communicator, I reveled in finding creative ways to express my thoughts. Now, I am enjoying a new season of creativity in writing.

Why is this important? Because we experience the best in life through the expression of our innate creativity. Creativity evokes joy. Creativity is inextricably linked to purpose. Creativity gets at the core of our unique wiring and giftedness.

If you are one who does not see yourself as creative, think again. You are human. You are creative. Finding your creativity is the challenge and the great priority. Here are a few hints to discovering your creative gene.

• Look for where you experience joy. Places of joy give clues to the unique ways that you see through creative lenses.
• Consider creativity in unexpected categories. Artists are not the only creative people in this world.
• When you find places of creativity, feed those places. While we may all be creative, we all need to develop and grow the skills associated with our creativity.
• Embrace your creativity. Stop telling people you are not creative. Creativity comes in many colors.

Here are a few expressions that creativity can take.

• Creative gardening.
• Creative problem-solving.
• Creative organizing.
• Creative photography.
• Creative serving.
• Creative strategizing.
• Creative worship.
• Creative woodwork.
• Creative team building.
• Creative caring.
• Creative hospitality.
• Creative visioning.
• Creative marketing.
• Creative encouragement.
• Creative teaching.

I deeply believe that creativity is a gift of God. Creativity arouses joy and soothes suffering. Immersing ourselves in a creative endeavor enlivens us and is a gift to others. Don’t let another day pass without embracing your creativity.

What unique expression of creativity have you discovered?