It was a conversation that I had with a friend, that was the trigger for this blog.

We hear ourselves or others saying any or some of the below –

  • I am not creative
  • I am not adventurous
  • I am not bold
  • I am not strong
  • I cannot take risks

And the list can go on..

Where is this ‘not’ and ‘cannot’ coming from –

Our expectations from ourselves..

What we have read, heard and understood of each of these words – creative, adventurous, bold, strong..

How we compare ourselves with others, on each of these aspects..

or something else..

Do we look at each of these from one area and not from others?

Quite unfortunately, this ‘not’ and ‘cannot’ also has the ability to lower one’s own esteem and confidence.

Creative means using skill or imagination to make or do new things or having or showing an ability to make new things or think of new ideas.

There are some or many of us who think that creativity is in the aspect of art (in all forms of art – music, dance, drawing) and craft (presenting something in an artistic manner – again art in any form :-))

Going by the meaning of creative – we are creative when we do something new that we haven’t done before. We may have borrowed a part of the idea from someone but it is newly and differently done, from what we have done before. The idea is new to us; and that’s being creative.

Adventurous means liking to try new things or have adventures. Adventure is an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks.

Deep diving in the sea, deep diving in the stock market and investing in stocks could be considered adventurous. Being an entrepreuneur can be considered so as well.

Trying anything new that we haven’t tried before is being adventurous. It is taking unknown risks. Going solo on a trip somewhere is also an adventure and so maybe going with a group unknown to us. We maybe petrified of water and deciding to learn to swim is adventurous. That’s pushing our own boundaries. So long as we are within the boundary, we think we know what awaits us. Beyond the boundary, looks hazy and ambiguous and at times frightening. Going beyond our fears to do something new and different, is being adventurous.

Bold means to be fearless and confident and strong means not easily broken and damaged.

We have heard of people who have survived many an odd and made a life for themselves. We call them strong and bold. There are many others we may know, who seem to have a battle with life on a daily basis, because each day presents itself differently. They live life everyday in the best way they can and that makes them bold and strong; despite their fears and a shaken confidence. I would even go on to say that they are adventurous because they travel a journey of unknown risks and creative enough to try different ways to live their life.

Each one of us is creative and adventurous and bold and strong in some aspect of life or the other. We don’t need to look at life as an entirety and call ourselves ‘not so’. The yardstick is ourselves. The moment is now.

If I think differently now, from what I have thought of before, I am creative..

If I take a step now  in a  direction that I havent taken before, I am adventurous..

If I confidently undertake a step now in whichever way I can, I am bold..

If despite a crisis that has hit me, I am now able to move on, then I am strong..

In this moment, I am this attribute..There is then no question of ‘I am not..’ or ‘I cannot..’

 

References to the meanings of these words (from online)

  1. Brittanica
  2. Google Dictionary
  3. Merriam Webster