cale livingston

Inspiration: How Can We Raise the Bar?

I’ve read a few blogs and articles lately that talk about creativity and how it relates to us in our daily lives. One of the things that keeps come up is whether or not everyone is, or has the potential to be, creative. I’ve always taken the position that everyone can contribute something in the realm of creativity. I would say one of the biggest limitations to this school of thought is people are consciously aware of their supposed “lack of creativity.” And even though “creativity” is such an ambiguous term, we throw it out there for people to either embrace as a passion or avoid like the plague. The problem is we, the self-proclaimed artists, haven’t taken the time to show the rest of the world how to embrace creativity. Which brings me to my main point.

The general public is so used to having it mentally re-enforced that they’re not creative that they no longer try. They just throw their hands in the air in surrender. They’re ill-equipped for the task. So what’s the difference between them and us “artists”? I think it’s that artists actually pursue new, unique things. If we only surround ourselves with the same generic wallpaper and carpet we’ll be hard pressed to think outside of the box. Artists, on the other hand, are constantly immersed in the culture of creativity. And that, my friends, is the key. As soon as you realize that anything is possible you suddenly raise the bar for yourself.

The Christian subculture specifically has such a hard time with this. It’s so insular and shallow compared to the rest of the world. It seems ironic that the religious Christian community tends to favor stagnation over innovation. They’re afraid to keep moving forward. Or rather, they become complacent with where they’re at. But when you break out of this bubble you’ll realize there’s so much more to experience in medium of art.

So my challenge is to surround yourself with fresh, new expressions of creativity. That might mean dissecting the editing and cinematography of the next movie, tv show, or even commercial you watch. Or it might mean that you subscribe to a blog like Inspire Me Now! There are daily, practical steps you can take to expand your imagination and expectations for creativity. Why would you be content with living in black and white if you knew there was color? I think it’s about time people take off the blinders and see the beauty of the world as it was intended to be seen. Life’s too short to settle for mediocre.