Jackson Free Press

Back in my last life, I worked as a professional marketer, writing and designing advertising and materials to sell stuff. It used to make me totally nuts when people would look at what I did and then bemoan the fact that they were not creative.

To me, that's like saying: "You breathe well. I wish I could breathe."

The truth is that every one of us is already, always creative. If you plan a meal, that's creative. If you plant a garden, that's creative. If you put an outfit together, choose paint for your living room, settle an argument or figure out a new budget with less money, you're creative.

Creativity isn't necessarily about paining the Sistine Chapel, writing the great American novel or playing violin with the symphony. Every one of us, every time we make a choice, is performing a creative act.

How many choices have you made today?

Writing on ZenHabits, Jonathan Mead of Illuminated Mind takes that concept even deeper:

You're creating all the time simply by being alive. Every decision you make, every time you move, breathe, or speak you are creating. In fact, you couldn't not create even if you wanted to. It's simply impossible.

Just think about it: you're the main character in your life story. Each day you develop and further the plot of your masterful performance. You interact with other secondary characters in your story that support your role. These are your friends, your lover, family and coworkers. They're the supporting actors or actresses in your drama, and they also help mold your life's narrative.

You can change the course of your story at any time by making new choices and walking down new paths. You can drop a secondary character and choose new ones, if they're not supporting the story you'd like to create (except, perhaps, family members).

Mead goes on to target several life areas where your creativity can shine. Here are two at the top:

• Work. Are you making choices to further your deepest desires? Are you moving in the direction of your dreams? Much of our lives are spent working, so it makes sense to be conscious of the career we create. Find a career that pays you for being you. You may have to create one if it doesn't exist.

• Money. Take a close look at where your money is going. Are you spending your money unconsciously? Are buying lattes and chasing trends keeping you from those yoga classes you've been meaning to take? Reevaluate how you spend to live by your own design.

If you think you're not creative, or wish you could be morecreative, this column is well worth a read.