Thrive with Creativity
by Jana Peterson
A series in which I write about some of my favorite quotes
As an Mdiv student, everything strikes me as a theological conversation…But some of the most powerful voices in my life around personal and spiritual formation in recent years have been people who have a wide message to share with the world that is not grounded in theology at all, but rather in what it means to be human. When I think about spiritual formation, I think about the transformative power of creative play. Creativity is life. It is an essential part of being human. For this insight and for other sage insights I’ve gleaned from engaging with his work, I need to thank Chase Jarvis.
I first discovered Chase Jarvis a few years ago when I was looking for a way to learn more about Brené Brown’s work. After a quick google search, I discovered his incredible long-form, black and white, video interviews on YouTube. Soon afterward, I found his podcast, Chase Jarvis Live. After building a career in photography, Chase turned his attention toward supporting budding creatives. Most recently, he published his first book, Creative Calling, to offer practical tools and irresistible motivation to anyone who wants to courageously step into the world of creativity.
Each one of us has experienced some form of trauma in our lives. Among other things, trauma stunts our imagination. It fragments us into unrecognizable pieces until we hardly feel safe with ourselves.[1] But trauma does not need to be the final word. The journey toward wholeness and healing is a journey that ultimately unlocks the possibility of creativity and sparks life within. Chase writes that, “Creativity is as essential to health and well-being as exercise, proper nutrition, and mindfulness.”[2] Or said another way later in his book, “Your creativity is not an indulgence or a luxury; it’s required in order to thrive.”[3]
There is so much that could be said about the beauty of creativity no matter what form it takes. I love to dabble with art, build things in the garage, convey ideas with words, and much more. Anytime I pause long enough to put unique things together to form something fresh, vibrant new life gurgles up from within. So, what are you creating today?
[1] Peter A. Levine and Maggie Kline, Trauma Through A Child’s Eyes, (Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 2007), 4 & 17.
[2] Chase Jarvis, Creative Calling (New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 2019), 3.
[3] Ibid., 27.