Creativity is defined as:
[kree-ey-tiv-i-tee, kree-uh-]
1. the state or quality of being creative.
2. the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships,or the like, and to
create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods,interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination:
3. the process by which one utilizes creative ability:
Many things can be considered creative, they don’t necessarily have fit your or my definition of creativity. Creativity can be writing a blog post, or a chalk drawing on the driveway. Creativity can even mean a messy room. Finding items in that messy room can be a creative process. First we look under the bed, then we look under the covers… Creativity is in the eye of the beholder.
People with ADHD are known to be creative and using the analogy above you can see how super creative people with ADHD can actually be. Knowing this about yourself and making peace with your own creativity can be a huge weight off. Accepting that you are who you are and finding people around you who accept who you and your messy room is the most important therapy you can give yourself. Self-awareness and teaching your kids to be self-aware is one of the best gifts/life lessons we can offer. Knowing who you are, what you’re good at, what you’re not good at is a necessary progression for anyone but some are afraid to admit their short comings and essentially this can hold us back.
So, how do we find our own personal creativity? Look at what you love to do! You will find it there. If you look at some of the most successful people who have ADHD and have made it work, you will see they have found their own personal creativity. They have found their creative niche and just rode it all the way down that path of success. For example, many people with ADHD are musical. It is a known fact that many musician such as Adam Levine and Justin Timberlake have expressed their own personal experiences with ADHD. Many people deal with stress in general by listening and performing music. Find the creative place in you or your child. Pick them up a guitar, sign them up for some lessons, or better yet go on Youtube and teach yourself! Classroom Guitar sells easy to follow instructional books on learning to play the guitar. You never know, you might have the next Justin Timberlake sitting right beside you.