Why creativity isn’t just for “creative types”
And how you might be more creative than you think.
To some people, this looks like a bunch of numbers. To others, it tells a story.
You know the ones.
The "creative types."
They’re the people who painted murals in high school, always had the boldest outfits, made entire short films over the weekend for fun, or casually said things like “I’m just going to improvise something.”
We all knew them.
And if you didn’t feel like one of them, it was easy to assume, “Creativity just isn’t my thing.”
So you got really good at other things. Practical things. Organizing, planning, managing, parenting, solving problems, and keeping the wheels turning.
And maybe, along the way, you stopped thinking of yourself as a creative person at all.
But what if creativity isn’t a personality type?
What if it’s something you’ve always been doing, just in ways no one ever labeled “creative”?
I didn’t call myself creative for years
I used to believe creativity meant being artistic. But not just artistic. Visibly good at something. Like draw-a-portrait good. Or play-a-song-from-memory good. The kind of creativity people praise.
And that wasn’t me.
So I didn’t see that how I solved problems, how I arranged spaces, how I built systems or turned chaos into something more functional was me being creative.
I thought it was just me being capable.
But over time, I realized something. That kind of work is creative. It just isn’t loud. And it doesn’t always look like art.
Read: Reclaiming your childhood creativity as an adult
Creativity isn’t only about what you make. It’s really about how you think.
Let’s say two people cook dinner. One follows the same recipe every time, just to get it done. The other tweaks the ingredients, plays with plating, or adds a random herb to see what happens.
Same task. Different intention.
One is completing. The other is creating.
See, creativity shows up in the choices you make. It’s in the curiosity you bring. It’s in the way you solve, shape, build, or express.
I would feel so guilty eating this. For two reasons. One, it’s so fancy. Two, it’s staring.
You don’t need to be “talented” to be creative.
The belief (you know the one) that if you’re not good at something, it doesn’t count, is what shuts most of us down before we even begin.
But creativity doesn’t care about talent. It cares about trying.
Have you ever:
Rearranged your space just to make it feel better?
Designed a spreadsheet with color-coded categories and a little flair?
Created a playlist that perfectly matched your mood?
Told stories in ways that made people laugh, cry, or get it?
That’s creativity. Even if no one clapped.
Read: Make time for creativity without feeling guilty about it
So why don’t we see it that way?
Because we’re taught to value output over exploration. Because somewhere along the way, we were told what “counts.” Because life gets busy and we stop playing.
And because we internalized the idea that creativity is something you either have or you don’t.
But here’s the truth: Being creative is something you already do. You just don’t recognize it.
Read: How creative expression improves your mental health
You don’t need to “practice creativity”. You just need to notice it when you do.
You don’t have to change who you are. You just have to start noticing the creative choices you’re already making.
Take notice when you:
style your space. Are you making decisions based on how it will look?
make dinner. Are you experimenting? Adding different colors?
solve problems. Are you thinking outside the box?
You’ve always had a creative self.
Consider this your invitation to reconnect with it.
How have you unknowingly been expressing your creativity? Drop it in the comments.
New around here? Welcome.
At Intendify, we break life down into 12 key areas and offer guided paths to help you reflect, plan, and take action—so you can start living more intentionally, one step at a time.
It’s like having a life coach in your pocket, minus the awkward eye contact.
The Creativity life area can help you reconnect, experiment, and make space for joy. No talent or big projects required.