Somewhere along the way, many of us were taught that creativity comes with rules. That it has to look a certain way. That you need to be good at it for it to count.
I was never encouraged to be creative when I was young. Drawing, knitting, anything artistic — I was terrible at it. And because no one told me otherwise, I stopped trying. I quietly decided I just wasn’t a creative person.
Years later, I went on a retreat at O Jardim. And something shifted. I learned that creativity is not about skill. It’s not about talent. It’s whatever you want it to be — whatever feels alive to you in the moment.
When I came home, I found doodling. I bought a few pens and just started. At first, I wasn’t good at it. But I liked it. And that was enough. So I kept going. I still look at examples for inspiration and then add my own twist. And surprisingly, I prefer bold, colorful designs over the delicate lines you might expect from me. It’s not what I imagined I’d enjoy — but that’s the beauty of it.
Creativity for the Sake of Play
Creativity doesn’t need an audience. It doesn’t have to be pretty. It doesn’t need to earn its place by being useful.
It can be messy, strange, unfinished. It can exist purely for you. The act of creating is enough. And sometimes, the process — the road to the end result — is the most important part. Those moments of focus and flow can be calming, almost meditative. They soothe the mind and create space for stillness.
Making Space for Your Creativity
- Start small. A single sketch, a few words, a short melody.
- Release the outcome. It doesn’t matter if anyone sees it.
- Experiment without expectation. Try new tools, colors, or styles.
- Make time for it. Ten minutes is enough.
- Let it surprise you. You might discover something you never thought you’d love.
Why It Matters
Creativity isn’t about producing. It’s about expressing. It’s a way to connect to yourself, to notice what you’re drawn to, to let something flow through you without judgment.
If you’ve been waiting for permission to start, here it is: You don’t have to be good. You just have to begin.
And if you’d like to explore creativity in an even more expansive way, I can’t recommend O Jardim enough. It’s a space that invites you to redefine what creativity can be, to embrace the process as much as the result, and to discover how making something — anything — can be both grounding and transformative.
If this post resonates with you, you might also enjoy The Joy of Doing Nothing — a reminder that slowing down, in creativity or in life, is valuable all on its own.