Creative Drive Derived from Connection: We are not Solitary

Many creatives feel alone in their creativity because we often create in solitary conditions. To be fair, our creativity feeds our soul, which is predominantly a solitary pursuit, a moment of peace amidst the chaos of life. Yet, when we have a new idea or are facing a challenge in a creative project it can feel isolating to think we have no one to turn to, to share our challenges and triumphs with as they happen. I have a secret for you; we are not alone in our creative endeavors. Creativity cannot happen in isolation. It happens because of connection; that is where the drive originates -either as a result of connection or a desire to connect. 

I will be brief: humans are not solitary creatures. We are ever in search of belonging, of connection. Creativity is a way we can fulfill that desire.  It helps us forge friendships, community, find like minded people with whom we feel safe discussing ideas, expressing our innermost selves with the hope of connecting to one other person, that they too may feel less alone, more seen, understood. 

I myself have a drive to create, one that is enhanced when I share ideas and engage in discourse with others, particularly those within my creative community. These blog posts are often derived from a snippet of conversation, an idea sparked first in discourse and explored further in my journaling practice before being distilled on the blog. I discuss my fiction with my family, my trusted friend and cousin with whom I have frantic phone calls, one off texts and sharing of drafts back and forth to further generate drive and output. 

Sometimes we create in isolation because we feel alone, but it is important to note that we do not actually create because we are alone, we create to connect, to feel seen, to be understood. We are not solitary! We are beings of infinite capacity and interconnectedness. Creativity allows for that interconnectedness to become tangible. Our drive to create is not derived from a source of loneliness, it is derived from a place of longing to be part. I see you, I hear you, I am you. Thank you for connecting with the world through your creativity. We need more of it. We need more of you.