What is "Creativity"?

Creativity is the paradoxical integration of doing and being. It is the assimilation and integration of polarities to find new directions, new solutions, a fresh viewpoint. It is an adventure into the unknown.

In my specific case, creativity also has a great deal to do with the natural human love of aesthetics (Concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty; of pleasing appearance.)

I'm driven by having all things beautiful around me and creating beauty for others; and even better if that beauty can be geared with specific meaning and intent.

So often I hear people saying to me "you are so creative, what you do is so amazing, you are lucky to be so gifted."
The truth is, yes, in part, it is a gift, however, it is not nearly as easy and does not flow as easily as most people may think. Creativity and the exercise of being consistently creative is actually something that requires a great deal of hard work and introspection. 
Creativity is about diverging from familiar patterns and converging on new solutions. It's about knowing the laws so as to break them, to remake them. Creative people make hard decisions about what to include and what to eliminate. Creative people innovate, aiming toward newness.

To do this, a clear mind that is open to intuitive insights while not loosing sight of the end goal, as well as being aware of the rules, is required. It is about knowing oneself completely; the good, the bad and the ugly - and then embracing all of this and knowing the place and reason of each within yourself. This is a constant journey as life has a way of always shining a new light on new elements of yourself. Constantly growing and discovering the intricate depths and fascinating revelations of all the wonders that makes you who you are.

Creativity is a gateway to self exploration and the resulting expression of what you find there. It is one of the hardest and yet fulfilling disciplines one can venture into.

This is where I find myself daily and this is who I am. Creative Carmen.