Publisher - October 2024

Photography by
Cassidy Dunn Photography

“You can’t use up creativity.
The more you use, the more you have.”
— Maya Angelou —

Some people just seem to ooze creativity with every breath they take. Usually, it’s easy to detect from the outside in; there’s an air, like a scarf strategically worn in a way most of us could never pull off. There are a litany of ways to live creatively well beyond donning a scarf, however, most of us can’t get out of our own way to do so.

The first blocker of creativity is the perfectly paired dance of negative self-talk between the brain and mouth. Your brain declares you are not creative—the phrase may be “I don’t have a creative bone in my body”—and your mouth tells the world over and over again, solidifying your lack of creativity into oblivion until your brain can think no other way.

The fact of the matter is everyone is creative because each of us spend our days living a life that we uniquely create. No two lives are the same. So, here is the starting point, establishing that everyone is creative no matter what the mouth may say or the brain believe.

Creativity may just be the spice of life—the secret sauce. It can add flair and fun to the otherwise mundane. Being creative doesn’t have to mean you are an artist, a writer, an expert at expression, it can simply mean you have a way of doing things that are solely you.
There is a phrase that hit the colloquial verbiage scene a few years back: “You do you!” Ironically, you doing you is the foundation of creativity. You are an original, and this is a reminder to unleash your creativity, bask in your originality, and add some spice—color, laughter, depth— to your life. It’s time to discover your secret sauce and spread it on everything!

Life without allowing your creativity to flourish is one dimensional—living in first gear, void of color, somewhat robotic, definitely confining. Creativity is the soul’s way of saying “Let’s party!” It gives you permission to make mistakes and experiment, which is the whole reason many so-called non-creatives shun their creativity: They. Are. Scared. Scared to make a mistake, scared it won’t be perfect, scared it won’t be good enough, scared someone will make fun of them, and so on and so forth. I completely understand—been there, done that, still fighting off fear daily.

However, even the most rudimentary creativity, such as potting a plant, adding an extra teaspoon of garlic to a recipe, or throwing a bath bomb into your bath water, just might spark the permission you need to dip your toe into creative waters. And as most of us know, once you’ve have a toe in, it’s easy to jump on in and make a splash.

There are benefits to adding creativity to your life. Did you know it can help reduce stress and anxiety? It makes perfect sense because stress and anxiety occur when we feel bound up with life—when we are not living congruently with who we really are. Creativity can help loosen the chains we put on ourselves, which take a mental toll. Most of us don’t even know we’re doing it.

Giving yourself permission to add creativity to your daily tasks can also increase positive emotions, reduce depressive symptoms and anger, and boost the function of your immune system. It hasn’t been proven, but creativity may also induce grins, smiles, giggles and laughs.

Creativity is simply expression. There is no right or wrong. Let me repeat myself—there is no right or wrong! Imagine your body’s inner creativity crew on lockdown just waiting to be called up to take a deep breath, feel free, and fly its flag that relishes in a little weirdness, fun and fantasy. (I’m already taking deeper breaths!)

If you don’t know how to get started, baby steps are always a good idea. In this case, it involves your ears, your body, and your favorite song. Now dance. Nobody is watching, I promise. Just move. Move your arms, take some steps, wiggle your butt. Now try to do them all at the same time. Let it out, be silly, purse your mouth like Mick Jagger, sing along—you can even make a microphone out of your fisted hand. Most songs are a mere three-minutes; you can do anything for three-minutes.

Here’s another baby step to cranking up your creativity, especially if it hasn’t been started in a while. (Some of you may have your creativity up on cinder blocks in the backyard. It’s OK. There is hope!) Take a ride in your car with the windows rolled down—all the way. Music is recommended but not required. You don’t need a destination, life is your destination on this trip. Feel the wind, let your hair blow, momentarily throw your cautious being to the wind. I’m not saying to go full Thelma and Louise—I mean we barely have a place to drive more than 35 mph in the Lowcountry, nor do we have cliffs. I’m just beckoning you to open up to the elements that you normally keep out. Wake up your body, wake up your creativity!

One huge, wonderful thing that is abundantly available in our beautiful Lowcountry is spending time in nature. When we immerse ourselves in nature, we shut out the rest of the world, especially all the digital chaos that arrests our time, hearts, and souls. According to diversushealth.org, “Disconnecting from technological devices and going out into nature has shown to increase performance in creativity and problem-solving by 50 percent. Nature provides emotionally positive stimuli for enhanced creativity. The next time you are stumped by problems that need solving, step away from the computer to take a walk in the garden, on the beach or just sit in a park.”

I hope I’ve convinced you that not only can you have a relationship with creativity, you need one. And for all you creatives out there, take these words as a reminder to not take yourself so seriously. Try to never lose the frolic in the creative process. Let’s all remember to put the happy in Halloween, the thankfulness in Thanksgiving, the Merry in Christmas and the love, laugh, live in life. That’s the power of creativity.

WELCOME: We are excited to introduce “Lowcountry Lookbook”, a new fashion article brought to you by childhood friends and locals, Haigler Woods Butler and Jacie Elizabeth Millen. They are the perfect pair to bring you the best of the local fashion scene, how to apply it to your daily style, how and where to shop, Lowcountry trends, and how to get creative with what you already have. You’re going to love it! Click here to read more >>

Think Pink,
Elizabeth Millen