When Did Being a Creative Become So Microwaved?

If there’s one word I see or hear at least once a day (whether I’m reading an article or in conversation with someone), it’s creative. The term, originally defined as having the ability to come up with new and imaginative ideas, has turned into a common factor in our society, especially when it comes to profession. Most people identify as a creator of some sort, which isn’t inherently wrong. After all, we were all made by the Ultimate Creator [God] in His image, so naturally, we each possess some level of creativity. However, it seems that the idea of being creative as an entity and quality has become so common that it’s limited — the opposite of what it is. Could it be that we’re so obsessed with being different that we only operate within a certain box of creativity? As free-flowing as creativity is, it does have a purpose. And could it also be that building such a mold of this concept causes us to not even know our “why?” 

We’re almost a month into Q2, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned from 2025 so far, it’s the power of time. While it’s something we’re not promised, time is also invaluable, which we can steward well. During Q1, I was faced with an unexpected transition that forced me to prioritize. As someone who works in digital media and creates content for my personal platform, being pushed to pay full attention to my life offline caused me to feel temporarily robbed. I endeavored to push out more content this year, not for anyone else, but for myself, and when life started lifing, all my plans felt so far away. 

Little did I know this truth: creativity doesn’t have to be rushed. While it’s defined by consistency, it’s also a reflection of who you are. If chaos is going on offline, it can easily spill over to your audience, no matter how perfect your content or what you’ve created looks like. I no longer viewed being forced to recalibrate as a threat to my creativity, but as a unique part of my journey. Taking a moment to pause brought all the questions. What is the rush for? Who am I competing with? And the answers came rather quickly: no reason and no one. After all, if I’m pouring from an empty place, what purpose does what I’ve created really serve? While this concept wasn’t exactly new to me, I had to remind myself that I can and should create at my own pace — even if it means being still sometimes.

The concept of creation is often rushed thanks to social media. Whether you’re a content creator, building a clothing brand from the ground up, or working for a magazine. Between deadlines and keeping up with public demand (that’s run by an ever-changing trend cycle), it’s pretty seldom to take your time with a creative process. This desire for instant results and quick wins makes it hard to keep being a creative, actually creative. And even when you’re given time to create, you have to be aligned with some specific framework, whether that’s directions from your boss or a creative brief for a campaign. This isn’t to say some projects or tasks can’t be accomplished quickly, but the need to keep doing and have fast output only sets us up for creative burnout and stress. We get so caught up in creative consistency that it takes away the very essence of what it’s supposed to be.

Yes, we use our creativity to sell, but we shouldn’t be selling ourselves short in the process.

In case you’ve found yourself in a similar situation or feel burnt out, I have really good news. Creativity isn’t defined by time. You can reinvent yourself as much as you want. There’s no cookie-cutter formula for being creative. It’s flexible, ever-evolving, and most of all, it’s a journey. Even God rested on the seventh day after six days of creating. Why can’t we do the same?

Here’s to keeping the creative in creativity, in all of its forms, complexities, and glory. 

Shop The Look (or similar):

Jacket: The Back Row

Skirt: AYC

Boots: Pretty Little Thing 

Bag: Diesel 

Sunglasses: Longchamp 

“He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time. He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]—yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end.”

Ecclesiastes 3:11 {AMP}

Much love and peace,

-Nay.