Before the age 11, I didn’t think I had any hobbies or interests. I’m not saying I wasn’t good at anything, but I just couldn’t find anything that gave me inspiration.
In high school, I was given an assignment in religion class where I wrote a story about how the world was created by a painter. After writing this, I felt so proud of myself , not because the assignment was stressful, but because I had so much fun while writing it.
That is why writing now has had such an impact on my life. Whether it’s a poem or fictional story I’m writing, I feel unstoppable.
I feel as if nobody can tell me what to do or how to think. I can tell all of the truths that I’ve been too afraid to say.
When I’m in the process of creating something, my mind feels like a castle. Walls are covered in so many different colors and textures, characters with complex backstories are walking around and overall there are so many emotions.
There’s not only fictional characters in the castle. My family visits too. My father always offers to edit work, my brother reminds me to never limit my emotions when I write and my mother is there for everything. Everything I do and write from now on is for her.
The castle sits on a hill of healthy grass, covered in blooming flowers. Above is the sky so bright, but not too powerful. There is peace in the air. I sit at a desk, in a room full of so many ideas and words. I look at the walls, searching for inspiration. The second I have the idea, light seeps through the windows, letting me start a fanciful journey.
When I feel unmotivated with no ideas, it becomes very quiet, even sad sometimes. The castle is dark, quiet and cold. The feeling of comfort and peace becomes lonely and I doubt every little detail of what I create.
All the characters I’ve conjured up run away in fear that they’re not good enough. That’s my issue when I‘m blocked from creativity. It’s unfortunately because I become stuck in a mindset that tells me none of my ideas are valuable and reasonable.
However, that’s the refreshing thing about creativity. It doesn’t have to be reasonable. Step out of your comfort zone a little bit each time and you’ll find what you love.
The beautiful thing about creativity is that it comes in so many different forms. Every process is different and you can use different skills. I’ve spent so much work constructing my castle and I don’t regret or dread any of it.
For the people who struggle with finding their creativity, I understand you and I want you to know that it will all come to you at one point. When it happens, the feeling you will experience is amazing.
Go build your castle and let your imagination live there. They’ll love it. If you ever feel your creativity slipping away, don’t worry, it will come back.
