Everyone is creative. Everyone is an artist in their own right. The ridiculous societal belief that only some people are true artists; some can be creative in some way; and others are in no way creative is ludicrous. I’ve even heard people say “I’m just not creative.” This thought keeps people in small boxes feeling inadequate while envying a select few. This popular lie keeps us from experiencing our equality as inspired, imaginative and original beings.

I have always hated this limiting belief. I am creative in many ways and yet not driven to be famous and known to other people. I love the process. When I was studying acting, classes were the best part, where I could play all the really spectacular roles and fly. Singing has always been an avenue for release and expression for me. I’m not always on note and I can’t really follow harmonies. I do it for joy.

Related ridiculous societal concepts include 1) artists must suffer for their work; 2) if it isn’t easy, you’re not good at it; 3) it isn’t art unless others say it is; or 4) only certain endeavors are considered “artistic” or requiring of creativity. Nonsense. More drivel to get us to buy stuff, to pay ‘experts’ to do for us, to negate our trial and error while we learn, and always, always to keep us unsure and insecure.

Every act is a work of art in its intention, purity and simplicity. We are constantly creating. We live; we choose; we move our lives in one direction or another. We build who we are – the strength of our spirits and the quality of our character – through learning, trying, succeeding, failing, and getting up again and again. Accept it! You are an artist creating a life which can be viewed as a whole expressing who you have been, become and can be.

Stephen Sondheim has given us a beautiful description of how we create the art that is life in the song, Putting It Together from the musical, Sunday in the Park with George. Here are the beginning lyrics from Barbra Streisand’s version which she adapted with Sondheim to describe the process to bring her album concept to completion:

Bit by bit, putting it together; piece by piece, only way to make a work of art.

Every moment makes a contribution; every little detail plays a part.

Having just a vision’s no solution; everything depends on execution.

Putting it together, that’s what counts.

Ounce by ounce; putting it together; small amounts.

When you listen to the song, think of the process as it applies to the moments of our lives – putting them together to make an expressive whole of experiences, learnings, contributions, and relationships. If you watch the scene from the original Broadway show linked above, you will also recognize the critics, energy vampires and sycophants who might come in and out of our lives to challenge how we are living and the choices we make.

The musical revolves around Georges Seurat as he paints his masterpiece, A Sunday on La Grande Jatte (1884).

Talk about bit by bit, zoom in on the image and you will see Seurat’s technique of pointillism. Yes, this painting is a compilation of a gazillion dots of paint. It is difficult for me to fathom the vision and patience required to bring this image forward. Think of the commitment it took to keep painting – knowing each point had its place. Perhaps the intensity of vision and commitment is imbued in the painting and that energy is what captivates viewers and continues to do so, i.e., the question: “How did he do this?”

Living fully and independently requires courage to face what comes and move on with changes as needed. It requires being responsible for each bit by bit driven by a vision of who you are and who you want to be. The exciting potential to become kinder wiser dynamic human beings and greater energetic forces for good is always there for us to pursue. And yes, it takes a strong foundation, vision, discipline and an unyielding belief in oneself. And yes, sometimes we doubt and have to go back to shore up our foundation.

Being connected to Something Greater than Ourselves as a partner in life helps. I remember some of my best acting experiences came when I was fully in the moment as the character yet fully aware of myself. It is an altered state of consciousness in which I am in control of myself and what is happening yet know I am working with a force beyond myself in the moment. I remember one experience singing in a semi-professional choir – being together on the notes was transcendent. It was not about me.

I feel this way when I set a beautiful flower in the best place in my home; when I write a detailed, comprehensive email stating a problem and possible solutions; and when I decide to be quiet in a group so others can talk to find their voice on a topic. We are creating a tapestry of love when we take good care of our physical bodies and engage our senses fully in nature, music and dance. The life we create includes the good, bad, glorious and ugly of our relationships, and we decide how to make them better or to choose better ones.

We are responsible for how we create. We have the power to make our lives lovely or ugly. It is a great gift to be embraced. If we choose more good than harm, we add to the collective good. If we take on our tasks with honor, integrity and caring, we can overwhelm the lawlessness and neglect we face in many systems. And think of the beautiful tapestries we can share with one another. This is universal truth no matter if we participate with awareness or not.