Rise Above Adversity

Rise Above Adversity

Undoubtedly the best possible way to rise above adverse circumstances is through creativity, so are we not fortunate to be one of the thousands of creatives that are vital to this country’s economy and wellbeing? Society cannot survive without the skills of makers.
It was a brief piece on Radio 4 about the latest projects of the V & A (Victoria and Albert Museum) that gave me pause for thought.  He was remarking on how museums are “just a collection of stuff” but actually visiting them is a way to enable reflection, and is also a source of inspiration.
It was suggested in discussion that when you go to a museum you will be close to the creative process of artists of 5000 years before – and earlier.  That idea appealed to me for in one’s imagination one can create the motivation that was had by these makers.  That alone can be a source of amazing inspiration.
Things are not easy in the world currently, but we can choose to see our lives through ‘the frame of making’.
In history there are countless examples of people who have continued to be creative despite quite dire circumstances.
Apelles from Greece in 4^th century, know to be one of the greatest painters of antiquity, was imprisoned by Ptolemy 1 yet continued his work.
The renaissance artist Michelangelo, nearly executed and living in hiding, continued to create his masterpieces.
Vincent van Gogh (self portrait above) had severe mental health issues and lived in poverty, yet he continued to create, producing almost 1000 works.  Salvador Dali also suffered mental health issues and continued to be creative.
Humanistic psychology argues that creativity is the peak of human experience and contributes to positive mental health.  People like Csikszentmihalyi (who I have quoted previously regarding the benefits of ‘flow’ when being creative), Fritz Perls and Jean Piaget are all people who consider creativity to be the antidote to mental health problems, and their work helps to understand creativity as the key element in mental wellbeing.
I could name so many people who have suffered poverty (another adverse situation) and yet have risen above it, but my purpose here is to illustrate that if you are creative, you can use your craft as a way to overcome the problems in your life.
By letting yourself be completely involved in the ‘Flow’ of your creativity you will not only have a massive sense of satisfaction but will be lost to all the external concerns that you have, for as long as you choose to.