Back in 2010, I wrote a post on my private family blog about what a tough year I'd had (because of a stressful work situation), and what I had leaned on to help me overcome that difficult year. My faith and my family have always been my rock in overcoming trials but that year, I began to prioritize creativity. I was creative to help me with moments of frustration and stress. I used creativity to find ways to make others happy. I used creativity to make home a happier place. I used creativity a year later, when I was asked to be a children's music chorister, to focus on making sure the children enjoyed singing and the songs that they were learning.
Many of my readers are children's choristers, since this is how my blog started. Some of these choristers don't play an instrument and some struggle to read music. Some of them don't like to make things. Some don't feel like they can sing. Some don't like to stand in front of groups and be the center of attention. Any one of these traits can make being a chorister tough. However, in the talk that has influenced me so much for nine years now, when Dieter F. Uchtdorft was speaking to women around the world (but this applies to men), he said, "No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before. Everyone can create. You don't need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty." (Happiness, Your Heritage, November 2008. Ensign.)
Uchtdorft goes on to say that to those who say they are not "the creative type," everyone can create. He gives examples of different ways that people can create, not just with a brush, a pen, or a piano, but by what we can bring with us, to our homes and other places; harmony, memories, and laughter, to name a few examples. We can all create, and it doesn't have to be perfect.
I have always loved the creation process, with the arts being my favorite topics in school, and various creative interests and achievements to back up that interest. However, in 2010, after hearing this talk, I began to give creativity the place of honor it deserved, instead of acting like it was a treat to be enjoyed rarely.
I started this blog in 2011 to document how I was using creativity as a new Primary chorister. I began to draw and write more. When it came time to move to a new job in 2016, I weighed my offers, then was inspired in prayer to choose the job that would allow me to be more creative. That same year, I sold my first children's book (and third book overall) to a publisher. I started an Instagram account called @iliketocreatestuff. The following year, I sold another children's book to a publisher. I continue to create, and prioritize creativity in my life. I garden, draw, cook, write, work on ways to teach from the scriptures that generates excitement in my students on Sunday, make hand-outs for students in church, and more. Last year, I worked with a couple of musicians to write the lyrics for two different songs. In short, I let creativity be a big part of my life. I do this because it brings me joy, and it can bring others joy.
I want to emphasize again though that you don't have to enjoy making the "obvious" things to create. I love being around someone with super dry wit. That is its own brand of creativity and always makes me laugh (when I get the joke ... easy to miss with particularly brilliant dry types, ha).
Creativity, as Uchtdorf says, is an opportunity to "improve not only the world around you but also the world within you."
Please take a moment to watch this short video called "Create," which features excerpts from the full talk by Dieter F. Uchtdorf. I recommend you watch the video, then read (or listen to) the entire talks. This video is less than 2 minutes of your time. I hope that like me, you'll walk away energized to make your life better, and the lives around you better, by focusing on what kinds of things you personally like to create.
Being Creative with Music
In Singing Time, one fun thing you can do is talk about being creative and even show this two-minute video. Then, sing some fun songs about creation and creativity, hopefully with a fun creative twist, like asking children to help make up motions for the song.
Some kids will make wacky motions so there's two things to combat this - either ask kids as a class to make the motion they think goes with the words and just pick one that makes sense to you, or if a child raises their hand and you choose them, and then they suggest something wacky, ask them why they chose it. They will often have a good reason!
All Things Bright and Beautiful
My Heavenly Father Loves Me
For the Beauty of the Earth
Many of my readers are children's choristers, since this is how my blog started. Some of these choristers don't play an instrument and some struggle to read music. Some of them don't like to make things. Some don't feel like they can sing. Some don't like to stand in front of groups and be the center of attention. Any one of these traits can make being a chorister tough. However, in the talk that has influenced me so much for nine years now, when Dieter F. Uchtdorft was speaking to women around the world (but this applies to men), he said, "No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before. Everyone can create. You don't need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty." (Happiness, Your Heritage, November 2008. Ensign.)
Uchtdorft goes on to say that to those who say they are not "the creative type," everyone can create. He gives examples of different ways that people can create, not just with a brush, a pen, or a piano, but by what we can bring with us, to our homes and other places; harmony, memories, and laughter, to name a few examples. We can all create, and it doesn't have to be perfect.
I started this blog in 2011 to document how I was using creativity as a new Primary chorister. I began to draw and write more. When it came time to move to a new job in 2016, I weighed my offers, then was inspired in prayer to choose the job that would allow me to be more creative. That same year, I sold my first children's book (and third book overall) to a publisher. I started an Instagram account called @iliketocreatestuff. The following year, I sold another children's book to a publisher. I continue to create, and prioritize creativity in my life. I garden, draw, cook, write, work on ways to teach from the scriptures that generates excitement in my students on Sunday, make hand-outs for students in church, and more. Last year, I worked with a couple of musicians to write the lyrics for two different songs. In short, I let creativity be a big part of my life. I do this because it brings me joy, and it can bring others joy.
I want to emphasize again though that you don't have to enjoy making the "obvious" things to create. I love being around someone with super dry wit. That is its own brand of creativity and always makes me laugh (when I get the joke ... easy to miss with particularly brilliant dry types, ha).
Creativity, as Uchtdorf says, is an opportunity to "improve not only the world around you but also the world within you."
Please take a moment to watch this short video called "Create," which features excerpts from the full talk by Dieter F. Uchtdorf. I recommend you watch the video, then read (or listen to) the entire talks. This video is less than 2 minutes of your time. I hope that like me, you'll walk away energized to make your life better, and the lives around you better, by focusing on what kinds of things you personally like to create.
Being Creative with Music
In Singing Time, one fun thing you can do is talk about being creative and even show this two-minute video. Then, sing some fun songs about creation and creativity, hopefully with a fun creative twist, like asking children to help make up motions for the song.
Some kids will make wacky motions so there's two things to combat this - either ask kids as a class to make the motion they think goes with the words and just pick one that makes sense to you, or if a child raises their hand and you choose them, and then they suggest something wacky, ask them why they chose it. They will often have a good reason!
All Things Bright and Beautiful
My Heavenly Father Loves Me
For the Beauty of the Earth
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