Growing Your Creativity

Farmers can’t depend on weather but they can control what types of fruit and vegetables they plant. By knowing their soil and plant hardiness zones, they sow the types of seeds most likely to thrive on their land. We can’t control our environment either, but by knowing yourself — you can find conditions you need to grow.

As farmers would be foolish to bet their harvest on crops not suited for their zone, being creative isn’t about leaving your comfort zone, it’s about finding your comfort zone. When you are most comfortable and doing what you prefer – you are most engaged, most willing to take risks, and most creative.

Shopping at your farmer’s market, you may come across a mushroom tent, bakery, stand with organic produce, vendor selling jams — and also stall-after-stall of the same produce: cherry tomatoes, multicolored squash, and peppers. How do you compare apples with apples when they all look the same? Who do you buy from? What can merchants do to stand out?

They can stand out by being creative and so could you. The way for us to do this is to understand how we are unique. We all have unique experiences, special skills, and our own personality type. There is an infinite amount of creativity that can sprout when you find the conditions that are right for you. And, your greatest strengths and most creativity come from being yourself. In what conditions do you find yourself to be most creative?