About a year and a half ago, I was stuck. I was frustrated professionally. I felt hopeless about the future. I felt like I had no control over anything. And I really felt like I had become super, uncreative.

Around that time, several friends recommended the book The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. If you’re not familiar with the book, Cameron takes you on a 12-week journey of getting in touch with your inspiration, overcoming creative block, and finding your creative voice. The book is not a joke. It requires time and effort and a willingness to do all the exercises. It is also life-changing.

Ever since doing that program, I’ve been hooked on the subject of creativity. What is it? How do you get more of it? How can you live a more creative life? I’ve devoured books on the subject (some of my favorites include Big Magic : Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert, Embrace Your Weird: Face Your Fears and Unleash Your Creativity by Felicia Day, Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon – and I’m currently waiting on the arrival of such books as The Art of Noticing: 131 Ways to Spark Creativity, Find Inspiration, and Discover Joy in the Everyday by Rob Walker, Learning By Heart: Teachings to Free the Creative Spirit by Corita Kent, Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by David Bayles and Ted Orland, and Creativity: A short and cheerful guide by John Cleese), listened to podcasts, YouTube videos, and just about anything else I can get my hands on that talks about the subject.

You know what I’ve learned? No one really knows what creativity is. But it seems like there is an inherent desire within all of us to create. Whether that is through the arts, or creating a company, or creating a family, creating algorithms, or creating a cookie – it doesn’t really matter. There is something about the human existence that urges us to make something where nothing was before.

However, despite this innate want, people are afraid. Fear is, in fact, the number one thing that blocks people from giving in to their creative urges. We fear rejection. Disappointment. Of not being “good enough.” Of not being “successful.” Of people misunderstanding.

So I’m working on overcoming my fear. One action was to do the blog portion of the website. The other was to start an artist Instagram. Another is to send in lots of submissions. I can’t say that the fear has gone away, but it has become less of an obstacle.

Because one thing I have learned. Living a creative life is a lot more interesting than living a fearful life.