Nurturing the Creative Soul

  Truly creative people are indeed a gift to the human race. 

Think of all the beautiful things and unbelievable ideas that have come down through the centuries.

These, artisans and creative thinkers should never be taken for granted however. The people that I've met that fall into this category share a few things in common, which must be acknowledged and paid attention to by the world.

1. Because they go outside of the normal everyday thinking, they are often considered "quirky or eccentric". That's because from a normal perspective they are, and more importantly I think they need to be. It is the very characteristic that helps them to be so creative in the first place. Don't ask them to conform to normal. Rather enjoyed their difference and learn from them.
   
   
2. Their life is likely to be more complicated, as they try to figure out who they are. They may come at things from a very different perspective. This "figuring out" stage may last a long time or perhaps an entire life. Again they are exploring. Give them the room to do that.There may not be as socially acceptable role model for them. They may have to blaze a new trail and create a model for themselves.
   
   

   

   Image generated by Ideogram AI.
   I had to post this 😀. It resulted from simply
   inputting he first paragraph of this article.
   Quite amazing! **  (See end of article note.)

   
   
3. They may not be politically correct (and honestly this is a trait I admire). They may say things directly or point out things that are are uncomfortable. Why?… Because they see things in a different and often broader perspective. They themselves are feeling the pressure of society asking them to be normal. They are willing to rock the boat, both politically and socially.
   
   
4. They may seem abrupt, or outwardly not care about things that the rest of us do. To some extent depending on what you're talking about this may be true but it is also likely that it is just not part of their focus. One of the things that makes a creative soul so great is they are incredibly passionate about what they do and that can mean that anything outside of that realm falls off in relevance quite quickly. For example a friend of mine who is an absolute networking and computer technology genius, but has a very limited range of interests outside of their field. Not because of underexposure but rather because they sincerely don't see the relevance to them. They will deal with other things outside of their realm when they need to but such appearances will be brief and they will hand off whatever the issue is once it is fixed to someone more acquainted with whatever the topic is.
   
   
5. Especially now days, when there is so much going on and so much feedback from everything. Creative souls may need to pull back and spend time alone or doing exclusively what they like to do. Consider this a mandatory recharge cycle, except that it may not happen on a regular basis. When you see this happen to your dear smart friend take it is a signal to pull back a bit and give them some room. Let them know that it's okay for them to do whatever they need to do.
   
   
6. There is a tendency for creative souls to get overextended. That is because they see so much, understand so much, and up helping out everywhere. Or at least can feel like that to them. They can be a prime candidate for burnout, because they really to care about what matters to them. They feel a responsibility to see things through. So they have a habit of not stopping and resting when they should. (I speak from experience.)
    
7. They may change. The very thing that makes them unique may also mean that at some point in their lives they may turn a corner and entirely embraced something new. "Standardization" is not in the vocabulary. Remember, you may love them because they are "out there", but be prepared for that definition to change. If they are a musician for example they may abruptly all of a sudden one day decides to take up pottery and put down music forever as an activity. They frequently are explorers and this is just part of their life.

Now to be clear. -- I am not saying that creative souls should be able to act or do anything absolutely they want. If you see someone who's obviously in trouble or avoiding issues they need to deal with then obviously have a talk with them. But also understand their issues may be complicated and take some time to work out.

Finally, while there are no absolutes or hard guidelines here. The rest of us need to embrace the differences the creative souls portray, because discovery is often the result of being unique. The world will always need this and so will you manage. If you have a quirky creative friend in your life count yourself lucky. Appreciate them now, and don't take them for granted.

Take care Patrick 

** NOTE: The picture "Image generated by Ideogram AI" displayed midway through this article is from the service Ideogram AI.  As a layperson, I have read their relevant "terms of service" and determined, to the best of my ability, that the image may be viewed by the public.  However before any reuse, please review fully their terms and if necessary contact the company for more information.

The use of said image does not imply any affiliation or endorsement.