WHERE DID YOU GO? BY ERIN FREEMAN

For as long as I can remember, I have thought of creativity as something you either have or don’t have. I thought that to be creative, you have to be a very special kind of person and create something mind-blowing. I associated a creative mind solely with people like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerburg. What I wish I knew earlier, is that creativity is in everyone. It’s in the way we live, how we dress, complete assignments, the foods we eat, and how we express our talents.

I never thought I was special enough to be considered creative. Creativity is about finding your passion and being uniquely you. Looking back, my 5-year-old self was fearlessly bold and unapologetically herself. I didn’t ask my friends what I should wear each day. Most of the time, I wouldn’t even ask permission to do anything. What happened to her?

Over the years, the friends I have asked for advice, my parents’ opinions, and teachers’ instructions have become obstacles in my creative ability. Their vision is limited to what has always been done and what they have experienced.

Why would I want to do what has always been done or wear the same thing as every other girl in the room? This is the question I’m now asking myself. I’ve learned to channel my inner 5-year-old imagination, confidence, and decisiveness. I’m not settling for a boring and basic life. Why would you?

Be the person that 5-year-old you would be happy to see.