I’ve been wondering about this question, why do I create? The only answer that came back to me was that I cannot not create. I don’t think I have a word to describe how that feels deep down or what how much it means to me that I keep creating. All I know is that I have something in me that wants to create and keep creating. You can call it a passion but to me, this word doesn’t really do the justice. There are times when I am feeling inspired to do writing and other times when I am feeling the itch to pick up my paintbrushes. I’m a multi-passionate and I have rebel tendencies which I think play very nicely together. It allows me to keep my motivation high while switching different tasks that I’m feeling being pulled towards in any given moment. There was a time where I avoided and denied this desire to create and things didn’t end up very well for me. I have shared more about that here.
I have been working on an idea of a membership community of creatives like myself who cannot not create. While sitting down and figuring out the nuts and bolts of this idea I felt a desire to learn more about how others feel about creating and why anyone creates. I decided to put up a story on Instagram and asked the community to share their responses. The answers quite literally blew my mind away. It is fascinating to see how so many of us feel the same way about creating and the need to keep creating. I wish I had a better word to explain this desire to create. It feels like a must to me. Here’s what the community had to say:
- To settle my mind and connect back to myself @tinygiantlife
- Because I feel off-balance otherwise and I’m just an easier person to be with if I create @parmeetarorabori
- To enjoy the creativity fun @thesimplechapters
- To be fulfilled. To express the art that’s inside my soul. To believe in myself. I do not feel myself without creation. Both in experiencing myself and being myself @athier.ps
- Because it’s a part of me and that needs to be expressed and I love it @apathofmyown
- It is an expression that bubbles within me. If I don’t express I get sick. It is my pause and self-care for me @reensarai
- To share my story and help others tell theirs @novelandkind
- To share feelings @lhudsonnc
- Because I cannot not (Sounds awfully familiar) @katiecripps.art
- I feel dead if I don’t create @katinkaponders
- It is something we all need to help us understand us/ our world. It is a form of play! @katharinewrites
- A) It makes me fulfilled and B) I want to support others through my work and sharing @kelseymech
- I don’t create every day but it gives me something to throw myself into and keeps life interesting! @brbethanyrose
- It makes me feel connected to people and brings me joy @yourenglishedit
- It’s a must, not a choice. Creating is like breathing for me otherwise I’d be a Ghost living on Grey street @jaski_pallet
- To try to make fleeting moments last a little longer (Photography + writing) @_melaniefontaine
- To keep myself sane :). It helps me let out those feelings that are sad and depressed @lovetocreateart
Isn’t it amazing to see how we all feel about why we create?
The understanding of why, your why behind whatever you choose to can work as a guiding light at the moments of despair, when you are too deep in and can’t find the motivation to keep going. Your connection to your why and your art makes the journey all worth it.
Everyone has a reason to create and one’s reason is not any less important than the others. This is precisely why I enjoyed learning and collecting those reasons in this blog post. It shows how different we are but how much similar at the same time. That diversity (of reasons) and the things it can create are beautiful.
I’m curious, why do you create? (whatever medium is it that you choose to express your creativity in)
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