Here's how creativity is the sure shot way to freedom

"Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things". ~ Steve Jobs Creativity is just connecting experiences. Yes, absolutely! But to allow ourselves to constantly look out for new experiences and experiment with innovative ideas need courage. We need courage because we burden ourselves with the expectation of perfection. And perfection is not real. To protect ourselves, we usually tend to take the safer path that gives us the luxury of maintaining status quo. But will that lead to happiness or growth? I have, in my own personal experience and work with others, seen that allowing ourselves to learn a new skill is immensely useful in breaking the barriers that prevent us from exploring life's fullest potential. It is especially exciting and valuable when we experiment with art, colors or anything creative.

With artificial intelligence and machines threatening to take over ours and our future jobs, being creative and more importantly, being human is what will enable us to stay relevant.

Creativity unlocks new ways of thinking. It frees us from self-limiting beliefs that prevent us from experiencing joy. 1. Freedom from the 'Perfection' bug As little children we all took to coloring and drawing so easily. However, we run out of courage to creatively express ourselves as we move along with our journey of growing up. We start measuring our creativity with the trophies we did or did not win or the appreciation we got or did not get or even the comparisons we made of our work with others. We soon forget the joy with which we began. We allowed these external factors to crush our creative spirit. We start believing what we created was not perfect, hence not worthy. This belief slowly percolates in to us making us believe that we are not perfect and therefore, unworthy and not good enough. I have observed that doodling, for both the young children as well as the adults, opens up an opportunity to step out of this vicious cycle of perfection. It helps to concertize in us the reality that perfection is a myth and that there is beauty in all creation. 2. Mistakes are not all bad

I have been doodling for a few years now and it has allowed me to understand that I don't have to freeze the minute I run into to shaky line or a crooked circle. I also now know that these shaky lines and not-so-perfect circles add that extra drama to my art and sometimes it gives me an opportunity to create something entirely new. May be mistakes are those surprises that make our life interesting. 3. Respect for self and others As we realize that perfection is a myth, we free ourselves from this huge weight we carry on our shoulders. When we do this for ourselves, we give the others around us the permission to be themselves and not pressurize them to try and be unreal versions of them. We learn to respect ourselves for who we are and gain the ability to respect and acknowledge the uniqueness of others.

4. Freedom to be

Art or anything creative allows us to ‘be’. It gives us the freedom to truly be ourselves and express ourselves fearlessly. When we draw, paint, doodle, learn a new skill or even do gardening, it has the potential to completely engage us. “Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way”. ~ Edward de Bono

Let’s break out of our old patterns, and allow ourselves and our future generations to explore, experiment and enjoy the possibilities that are out there, fearlessly!