I read an insightful blog post on turning suffering into creativity by Dr. Eric Perry. I find I resonate and learn from many of his posts. The link to this particular blog post is here.
I wrote the following in a comment to this blog post: “I have gone through suffering and have also come to the conclusion that suffering and pain can be channeled into creativity—in fact I think that is what they are meant to be. It is when we remain repressed with that negative energy/experience that true suffering comes. My greatest point of creativity and self-expression came in my 20s after my father suddenly passed away when I was 21. Following that I had several unhealthy relationships—and in the end, the way I coped with it all was coming back as a more self-expressed, creative version of myself.”
More details on this:
A year after my father passed away I started writing. First it was Torah-themed, biblical texts, then it evolved into pondering my life experiences (major or minor).
After one break up I did stand up comedy for a few months. This was a creative outlet and one in which I challenged myself and felt much personal fulfillment—doing something I had always dreamed of doing, but had only then actualized. (PS, it’s way harder than I thought. It was fun while it lasted, but I will stick to writing).
Then there was visiting the beach every weekend, which wasn’t as much creating as it was letting go and being embraced by the delicious breezes on the delightful sandy beaches.
Soon after that I decided to make dance videos. That lasted more than a summer—two years and beyond.
These creative activities were my way of giving expression to the emotions I was feeling for which words simply couldn’t do justice. They were my way of fighting back from the negative voice inside my head—which attracted the negative people in my life—and embracing who I was while enjoying who I was becoming.
And I realized that not only did creativity come out of my suffering, but the reverse was true as well. If I could proactively engage in creative pursuits, my soul would be nourished and I would be less likely to seek unhealthy methods of entertainment/distraction.
That was my lesson in the importance of creativity.
What activities help you connect to your higher self?
Mindful Nuggets 