There is a strong parallel between gardening and creativity. Gardening has elements of design – color, placement, texture, size. There’s also a common element of surprise in gardening and creativity. We may plant the seeds of a specific plant, but we aren’t sure exactly how it will look until it blooms. The same goes for creativity – the solution or product or service we ultimately create may be very different from our first idea. There’s an even deeper parallel between gardening and creativity, one that we can and should intentionally, powerfully pursue.
A few months ago, I wrote a post about new ideas needing friends. Part of being a friend to new ideas is providing a safe place for them to be in their infancy, providing nourishment and space to grow. To be a friend to new ideas, we must act as greenhouses for them.
New ideas can cause disruption and inconvenience. They ask us to change and grow and alter our existing perceptions of ourselves, of others, and of the world around us. They can make us uncomfortable. They can scare us. Rather than shying away, we should pursue the ones that scare us the most. Ask why they stir our emotions in a specific way. That’s where the learning is. Ultimately, we may decide to put those ideas aside, and even if we do, they will have been great teachers for us by strengthening our convictions provided we give them a chance to show us what they’ve got.
Christa Avampato 