The Truth About Being a Creative: Emotional Highs, Chaos, and Magic

I’ve always known I was a bit weird (okay, a lot weird). And like many creatives, I once went to great

lengths to hide that part of myself. I tried to blend in, to seem normal — not mentioning the ideas popping into my head, the song I’d just written, or the world I was mentally constructing while sitting in a meeting.

But over time, I gave up the act and leaned into who I really am. Because the truth is, my weirdness is my superpower. Beneath the layers of day-to-day professionalism, social niceties, and adulting, there’s a bubbling cauldron of wild ideas, half-formed dreams, and bursts of creative chaos. It’s messy — but it’s splendid disarray.

From that chaos has come music, poetry, children’s entertainment acts, choral groups, school theatre productions, crystal light features (yes, really), and of course, stories.

Here's some truth about being a creative:

1. Creativity Requires Courage

Choosing to show up as your full, weird self is an act of bravery. Not everyone will get it.

It takes a certain kind of courage to share what lies underneath — the depth of your ideas, the vulnerability of your art, the strange sparks that light you up. These days, I often choose to keep that part of myself close. It’s just too much work to explain it to every co-worker or acquaintance.

But eventually, given enough time, it always comes out. That’s unavoidable. It wants to be seen.

2. Creatives Feel More

Being a creative means living with your emotional volume turned all the way up.

I feel intense joy, crushing self-doubt, wild curiosity, and inconvenient bursts of inspiration. And when I’m not creating, I feel like I’m failing — even if no one else notices.

It’s a blessing and a curse. But mostly, it’s just part of who I am.

3. Finishing Things Is Hard

For years, I bounced from one exciting idea to the next, rarely finishing anything. I didn’t really learn to complete projects until I hit 40 — and even now, it’s probably my biggest challenge (along with sticking to long-term goals).

Writing a book is one thing. Seeing it through editing, publishing, and promoting? That’s a whole other beast.

4. My Busyness Is Self-Inflicted

There are never enough hours in the day to do everything I want creatively.

I constantly feel torn between the life I have to live — jobs, obligations, adult responsibilities — and the creative life I want to live. I’ve been told I take on too much, that I put unnecessary pressure on myself.

And sometimes, I worry I won’t live long enough to bring all my projects into the world. (Morbid, maybe, but very real.)

 

In the End...

So, this is the truth about being a creative and I’ve accepted this is who I am — and honestly, I didn’t really get a say in it. Trying to squash down my creativity would have resulted in a stunted version of myself I don’t even want to imagine.

I feel like this path was chosen for me. And I’m at my happiest when I’m following it.

So if you’re a creative-type who’s spent years hiding your weirdness — maybe it’s time to let it shine. Because maybe, just maybe, the world needs more splendid disarray.