PQTD #116 podcast- Be Creative!

This might seem like a rather strange subject for a Paleo Quick Tip of the Day, but nevertheless, it is a crucial topic.  To be a balanced paleolithic or ancestral type of person, creating things is a big part of being successful.  Men and women are born with a need to explore and develop their talents, to nurture them along and create; if you don’t do so, you are setting yourself up for unhappiness. 

If you have never seen the magnificent cave paintings of cave dwellers, you should take a look online!  The elaborate, detailed paintings of animals of that era are so well done, so lovingly crafted, as to almost look real.  Think of the effort expended in doing this artistic labor, and realize that these paleolithic people had a compulsion to create, just as we do. 

All through history, from Egypt and the pyramids through ancient Greece and Rome, beautiful statues and paintings were produced constantly.  Surely their music was wonderful as well, although we have never actually heard it ourselves, they enjoyed it very much!  Clothing, tools, weapons- everything had to be created, and the very act of creation was a big part of the experience of being human.

Only in the modern era have people even had the option to not create!  There are those who work, and then just want to be entertained.  Television, mindless computer games, whatever.  This is the path to unhappiness, and ultimately not being fulfilled.  We all need to create, things that we love to do that fulfill us and our lives. 

You don’t need to be a professional, in fact you will probably love something even more if you don’t rely on it for your living.  Making music and writing are two of my creative endeavors, but so is exercise, lawn and garden care, woodcutting, and old vehicles.  You can choose your favorites, whether woodworking, knitting, drawing and painting- the list goes on and on. 

Through exercise and a proper paleo diet, you can literally create a better body.  Reading is wonderful to explore different worlds and learning, but be careful not to overdo it- too much reading can interfere with your own creative endeavors!  I fell into this trap early on- it’s like exercising too much- it can turn a positive endeavor into a harmful one.  Always put your own creative efforts first. 

You don’t necessarily have to spend lots of time at any one thing.  When I write, I usually set a time limit of about an hour and a half.  Same with making music, and sometimes the actual time is much less.  Once you are in the habit of creating on a regular basis, you really miss it!  Although sometimes it is hard to sit down and write, or to go into the basement and start work on my gymnastic rings, or pick up the guitar- once I get going, I usually don’t want to stop!  (But I do, because I know I will do all of these things again tomorrow).

So go thou and do likewise.  Choose a creative endeavor, a hobby if you will.  Choose more than one- paleo people were multi-talented folks, they had to be to survive.  Pour yourself into it, enjoy the effort.  You are now exerting yourself not just in creating something, you are making yourself fully human!

“Creativity is intelligence having fun”  Albert Einstein