Did you think of yourself as a creative kid? What does creativity look like for you these days?

When I was a kid, my brain didn’t divide the world into creative or non creative activities, let alone people. Exploring and imitating artists was my mission. I actively looked for anyone willing to do the messy work of curiosity with me. Luckily I was a kid around other kids, so my creativity partners in crime weren't hard to find. We spent recess creating additional scenes, songs, and games inspired by all of our favorite things in pop culture. Saved By the Bell became awkward because someone always had to be a boy. Same with our moms’ soap opera Days of Our Lives.

One thing that turned me self-conscious was when I was called “creative” by my well-meaning elementary teachers. The word seemed synonymous (or euphemistic) for something negatively coded in me - troublemaker, daydreamer, slow to follow directions, wrong side of the tracks. I wanted to be called smart. My friend was called smart. I don’t know why I pitted “creativity” and “smart” against each other on a hierarchy. And I don’t know why “smart” came out on top. This miscalculation evolved into a long journey that messed me up for quite awhile mental health wise as a teen. I write more this journey in an article titled When The Creative Instinct Rivals Traditional Success here.

With my first songs and stories written under ten years old, I didn’t think I was creative. I thought I was stealing. I remember taking ideas from a few songs I liked and slamming them together. I thought someone would notice. I thought someone would call me out on it. Only as an adult formally studying creativity, did I realize some of the best inventions in history involve improving on old inventions. Some of the best stories are inspired by templates like the “hero’s journey”. It wasn’t plagiarism as a kid. (Who is talented enough to plagiarize properly anyway?) I was carefully using role models and clever works of art to build my own inner world and pull towards some form of personality development.

As an adult, I write songs based on true stories from history. It’s a deepdive form of writing pulling from the outer world. It’s a place to mix and match much the same way I did as a kid. I feel really alive while doing it. (Plus, now I know I’m not stealing.) In the summer I play shows at local festivals. I hope to eventually have a better online presence showcasing the songs and stories.

These days, however, I don’t have much time for songwriting. I’m expressing a lot of my creativity by creating classes and launching my own education business. I’m certified in talented and gifted education. Helping others understand and unleash their own creativity is incredibly rewarding. That being said, I wish I had more lives! I need to make time for my own creativity and freelance writing again. Once the education business feels securely launched with systems and routines, I’ll make room for writing again.

What’s inspiring you outside of your own genre?

Learning about multipotentiality while studying creative psychology was good for me and my self-concept. Instead of feeling like a scatterbrain, I started to view my broad and deep interests as assets to be combined. For example, as both a musician and educator, I started to see how my songs could be education-based. This led to unique keynote concerts and opportunities I never expected. I was never striving to “be unique”, but it’s feedback I get a lot. It arises from the absolute need to combine my loves because lifes too short to do it all.

In a similar vein, I absolutely love writing articles. At one time I thought I’d be a freelance writer. I dabbled with it a bit on the side until I realized copywriting was a skill I learned for myself! Writing the copy for my classes on Outschool and understanding SEO has helped my education business be successful. I’ll be honest. I hope to have a second career as a writer someday (maybe in the next decade or two)? But for now, writing is a skill that helps me with my other businesses. And journaling/blogging is a practice to help with my mental health while increasing mindfulness.

If you could give everyone a small treat, what would it be?

A cocoon hanging chair. Here’s why. I have this odd vision of me “making it” involving owning an epic reading hangout. Inside my head is an incredibly inefficient mission some may find backwards. I could simply go read right now in a tiny house, on a bench, near a river… basically anywhere. But instead I am working really really really hard to build an epic deck with a cocoon hanging chair. Then I will buy myself several hours to read on it in peace. I wish I could give this treat to everyone without them having to play the weird head games I do. Deck construction starts next summer.

Michelle is a creativity focused educator with a background in gifted psychology and bibliotherapy. She’s also a musician (@savvyhistory on Instagram where she writes songs about historical people), creativity coach, and an online teacher students who are profoundly gifted (@creativebiblio on Instagram). You can find her teaching youth on Outschool as well. She’s currently on a sabbatical working harder than ever. She has two toddler boys who enjoy singing with her in their downtime. Interested in learning more? Please check out www.savvyhistory.com

The Sidewalk Chalk Talks are inspiring interviews with mothers who are making space for creativity and finding ease and joy in the process. The women I admire are bright, visionary creatures who love their work and their families. The different dimensions of their lives enrich each other and the world we share. I hope these conversations will inspire you and your work!