A Wellspring of Creativity
“Inside every person I’ve ever met with ADHD is a wellspring of creativity — a creativity so integral to who we are and how we’re made, that our health and happiness seems to hinge on embracing and expressing it fully. When this creative energy is unleashed, it increases joy, satisfaction, self-esteem,and motivation. When this creative energy is ignored or suppressed, I have found, it can cause harm in some pretty surprising and significant ways. (O’Reilly).”
It’s been scientifically explained: ADHDers are often naturally extremely creative people.
O’Reilly goes on to say, “The same ADHD traits that make us disorganized and unfocused also make us divergent thinkers. Our wider-than-wide lens of attention, our hyperfocus, our willingness to take risks, our ability to make unobvious connections — these are the essential traits that make up the ‘neurology’ of the creative mind, and we have them in abundance (O’Reilly).”
Writing, drawing, digital art, knitting, cooking, designing…things I love to do, and I’m learning that my brain needs to engage in them regularly.
Colors really get my attention. I notice them throughout the day, in nature or on billboards, in digital art or in the sky. Sometimes, all I want to do is stop what I’m doing and reproduce the colors that I’ve seen all day long. I love to create color pallettes on my Mac for digital software such as Procreate and Adobe Illustrator.
Writing helps my mind think. Knitting calms my my mind into a meditative state.
However, this same overactive creative mind can also sabotage any work I try to do, when overwhelm creeps in. When I can’t seem to settle down to get started. My mind generates well-known ADHD pitfalls such as Imposter Syndrome (I’m not really an artist), or comparing myself to others. It’s executive command dysfunction and anxiety that sometimes paralyze me when I even think about picking up a book, writing, or starting to draw. And, honestly, everything seems to take longer amounts of time for me than for others.
I’ve found that having a regular creative practice of writing or drawing is important. Mine is in the morning, between 6:00 and 8:00 am.
I’ve also stopped worrying about never “finishing” anything. Creativity doesn’t “finish”’; it’s an energy that looks for beauty and expression that is interesting to your mind, especially ones of novelty. The point it to keep the creativity going!
There are all kinds of obstacles to actually DOING creative work, but ADHDers have to fight, be encouraged and exhorted to find this creative place where our minds light up.
Where do you find creative expression? Do you find challenges in getting started, being overwhelmed with all the possibilites, or comparing yourself? Do you have a creative community of people/artists/makers to encourage you? Please leave a comment!
Quotes from Dianne O’Reilly, Writer, ADHD Coach at dianneoreilly.com
