Creative people are driven by a zeal to express their inner dreams.

All of you who are blessed with a creative gift or talent, you would know how prevailing our emotional side can be and to be honest, most of the time, that is the thing which makes us great at what we do.

Let me break it down in simpler terms for you.

Have you ever felt frustrated or confused after expressing yourself in a creative manner? Do you feel disappointed at the outcome of that work?

All of those which I have said, I have also experienced.

I have been tossed about by such feelings and emotions countless times. In fact, I have chosen to let those emotions take the reins of my life several times. For so many times also, I have sat in that depressing corner, some days it lasts for a few hours, other days it can extend over an entire month.

I believe, all of us are born as creative people, at varying degrees.

The usually more widespread among creative souls include musicians, writers, singers and painters (designers, dancers, composers, the list is endless...) who are often labelled as moody, intense, passionate, fragile and in touch with their feelings.

Having alone time is a valid need for creative people, I myself am not excluded.

I like solitude, I treasure it.

Those are the moments where I can be alone to write, play, sing and communicate with my artistic side.

However, if I am not careful, I tend to yield myself to solitary confinement.

This happens to so many creative people - Withdrawing from the rest of the world, severing ties of communication with people, heading for a road of destruction with their bottled and pent-up feelings.

Something I would like to term as 'emotional comatose' - where they become unfeeling and nothing touches or excites them anymore. What a disastrous testament and waste of gifting!

Truthfully, I am guilty of wallowing in discontentment, burdened with unfulfillment.

It has resulted in me being hostile or venting out my frustration to those around me.

But, as I grew older and as I also blossomed with maturity in my walk with my precious Lord, I learnt that all these negative feelings are not worth the effort to entertain.

When such melancholic emotions try to worm it's way into my mind, I immediately shut them off, cut them loose.

It will be difficult, yes, but it is not impossible.

I've also discovered and unearthed some pointers which might be of help.

1. Develop a sense of humour.
   
   It really helps. Let me share with you an incident.
   
   I was leading a song in church one day, when I signalled to the band for a key transpose. For some reason or other, my mind went blank all of a sudden.
   
   When the defining chord was played, I didn't catch it. So while the song has already been modulated to a higher key, here I was singing, still singing it in the previous key. How embarassing!
   
   The congregation had a good laugh and I couldn't help but chuckle over it as well.
   
   In situations like this, it helps to be able to laugh at yourself and not beat yourself up over minor mishaps.
   
   
2. Contentment is the condition of the heart.
   
   Through my journey, it has not been smooth-sailing all the way, there were occasional valleys.
   
   But, if I were to quit every single time I come across a valley, I would be stopping myself from catching a glimpse of a breathtaking view waiting for me at the other side of the valley.
   
   Too many times, we rile ourselves into false humility, where we would relate to others as to how 'untalented' we are, secretly hoping for them to contradict and praise us.
   
   Right now, being where I am today, I am comfortable and contented in my own skin.
   
   
3. Take constructive criticism to heart, discard fake praise and destructive criticism.
   
   -There are some who genuinely mean well, giving us tough love and hard truth because they sincerely want the best for us, because they believe we are capable of much more.
   
   - Then, there are those who are just giving praise for the sake of making conversation.
   
   - Worst, there are some who are just jealous sods who look forward to dampen others' burning passion with a bucket of icy-cold bitter comments.
   
   
   For the first group, sincerely thank them.
   
   For the second group, ignorance is bliss.
   
   For the third group, avoid them.
   Unfortunately, if you are caught offhand in a room with them, just stare blankly at the wall while their mouth is in operative mode. In about 10seconds or so, they should get the drift.
   
   
4. Surround yourself amongst the right people.
   
   I am so thankful to have parents who are honest (blunt is a better word) to me, especially during the times where listening to their comments would be the last thing on earth I'd want to do, they will let me know when I am doing things in a rut and raising my weak points whereby I have to work on.
   
   I am blessed too, to have friends whom I can go to, expecting nothing less than absolute honesty.
   
   Being around people like that can actually give you a taste of how you really are, depict the accurate view of your position.
   
   In short, choose your confidant company wisely.

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NOTE: This post was updated on August 17th, 2010 at 2000 hours.