Have you ever felt like you were wearing a costume that didn't quite fit? E.E. Cummings captures something so profound when he says that growing into ourselves requires courage, and that creativity is simply that courage becoming visible. To me, this means that being creative isn't just about painting a pretty picture or writing a poem; it is about the bravery required to peel back the layers of who the world expects us to be so that our true essence can finally breathe. It is a process of unlearning the safety of being small and embracing the vulnerability of being seen.

In our everyday lives, we often choose the path of least resistance because it feels safe. We follow the scripts written by society, our families, or even our own fears. We might suppress our weirdest hobbies, our boldest opinions, or our most colorful dreams just to blend into the background. But when we decide to express ourselves—whether through a new way of cooking, a sudden interest in gardening, or speaking up for a cause we love—we are actually performing an act of courage. We are showing the world a piece of our true identity that we previously kept hidden.

I remember a time when I felt quite stuck in my own little shell. I was so worried about what others might think of my clumsy attempts at woodworking that I almost gave up entirely. I kept my tools hidden away, fearing that if I failed, I would be judged. But one afternoon, I decided to just let the sawdust fly. As I shaped a simple wooden bowl, I realized that the joy I felt wasn't just about the object I was making; it was about the permission I was giving myself to be a beginner, to be messy, and to be authentically me. That small act of making something was my way of standing up and saying, 'This is who I am.'

As you move through your week, I want to encourage you to look for those tiny flickers of creativity in your own life. Don't worry about whether the end result is a masterpiece. Instead, look for the moments where you feel a spark of excitement or a sense of truth. Ask yourself what small, brave thing you could do today to let your inner light shine a little brighter. Every time you create, you are telling the world that you have the courage to be exactly who you were meant to be.