Creativity is a phenomenon whereby something new and somehow valuable is formed. The created item may be intangible (such as an idea, a scientific theory, a musical composition, or a joke) or a physical object (such as an invention, a literary work, or a painting).
Creativity is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others.
What does it mean to be creative?
It means changing your perspective. Being creative means taking risks and ignoring doubt and facing fears. It means breaking with routine and doing something different for the sake of doing something different. Most of us may throw away a plastic bottle after use, a creative person will see a possibility in it and turn it into a flower pot, say. These ideas that come spontaneously to people represent our creative side.
Creative people derive joy from such activities and are automatically drawn to it. Creativity can be nurtured and encouraged, however if one is not innately creative then it cannot be forced upon that person via classes on painting, sculpting etc. All of us are creative to some degree and in some areas, everyday life provides several avenues to display our creativity.
What is creative thinking?
It is a way of looking at problems or situations from a fresh perspective that suggests unorthodox solutions (which may look unsettling at first). Creative thinking can be stimulated both by an unstructured process such as brainstorming, and by a structured process such as lateral thinking.
Remember that creativity does not equate to the skill one has in accomplishing a task. A person may be very creative that does not mean that they will become a famous artist.
Enjoy being creative!