I was speaking to a friend this morning, a musician and songwriter who has been experiencing some depression. For her, this type of depression has been a long-time burden and she is taking some steps to get better. But, she pointed out, she is deeply afraid of losing her creativity to happiness. I knew exactly what she meant.
Do you have to be unhappy to be creative?
A few nights ago, Craig Ferguson on the Late Late Show asked Ben Kingsley the same question. Kingsley responded:
“I think we all accommodate to what we have. We all go through periods of wilderness and I’ve been through mine. I think most men and women, when they are adults, have earned their adulthood, have earned their humanity. It does involve some bleak times. I do think we create better when we are happy. I honestly do.” — Ben Kingsley
Right now Kingsley says he is really happy. Recently married, raising a chicken, building a life in rural England. And, according to IMDB, he has something like four movies to be released this year and five more in production or recently completed. So I believe he knows something about it.
For me, I’ve learned that happiness, like creativity, isn’t a destination. It’s more of a process. So I just show up every day, do the best that I can, make something, try to be helpful to other people, and use the gifts I was given.
