Creativity: The Thread that Holds
Creativity, I’ve learned, isn’t just something I have — it’s, essentially, who I am. It’s the thread that’s woven throughout every piece of my personality and life since childhood, a necessary embodiment of hope, a purpose to cling to in those darkest of moments, and a foundation for self-actualized expressions of daily reality. Growing up in the shadow of anxiety and depression, creative thinking provided much more than a simple outlet; it bestowed the tools that ensured survival in a world that often felt unbearably heavy. And when I look back at my family, I am met with the clarity that this gift of creativity isn’t just a part of my story — it’s actually in my blood, and it’s what feeds my journey.
This pattern of creative survival manifests across the spectrum of human experience, though its expression varies through the prisms of culture, lineage, temperament, and lived experience. Whether channeled through visual art, craftsmanship, or conceptual innovation, creativity emerges as a universal language that truly transcends barriers — a way through which we are able to transmute chaos into meaning and transform the raw materials of our existence into acts of beauty and truth. Through the process of creating, we simultaneously discover and grow into who we are meant to become.
A Legacy of Makers and Dreamers
A little backstory: I come from a long line of craftspeople and self-sufficient makers. We weren’t financially well-off, so there were always self-started plans, side gigs, and independent ventures happening outside of the nine-to-five for every grown person in the family. My mom balanced driving, baking, and helper crew jobs with her creative talents — she crocheted, sewed, embroidered, and made beautiful quilts and seasonal wreaths. She sold her work through word-of-mouth in the community, and people would purchase her pieces for birthdays and other special occasions.
My dad was a highly skilled electrician, an incredible furniture restorer, he was a mirror re-silverer, and also a brilliant carpenter — a man who could build just about anything with his hands. My maternal grandfather was a Shriner who served children’s organizations as a clown, but his creative talents went far beyond that. In his career, he was a steelworker who shaped metal into both art and functional parts. He could play nearly any string instrument, was a wonderful painter, restored antiques, dolls, and watches, and could even sew. My paternal grandfather was an ambidextrous bricklayer and a master builder. Both of my grandmothers were incredibly skilled in hand embroidery, sewing, crocheting, and a variety of intricate crafts.
And really, these are just a few of the talents that come to mind — I’m barely scratching the surface. I only wish I were half as skilled as any one of them. But what I am most grateful for is the mindset of holistic creativity I inherited from them. While I’ve dabbled in many creative arts and skilled practices, I’ve never quite seen myself as their equal when it comes to pure craftsmanship.
Creativity as a Way of Life
That creative spirit didn’t stop with them — it evolved and grew within every member of our family. My oldest brother is a musician, a guitarist, and a master electrician — a perfect blend of technical skill and artistic passion. His ability to reinvent himself through music, effortlessly picking up new string instruments and creating soulful melodies, reminds me so much of both our grandfather and our father. My other brother, who is autistic, has an extraordinary gift for understanding how things work. He can fix anything with a motor and build almost anything from scratch — not just with skill, but with an intuitive sense of design and purpose. Watching him take a motor apart, identify each piece, pinpoint the weak spots, replace what’s broken, and put it all back together like new is nothing short of astounding.
You see, in our house, creativity wasn’t just encouraged — it was a way of life. It was how we expressed ourselves, how we solved problems, and how we connected with the world around us. Whether through music, building, crafting, or restoring, creativity was our family’s language. I can see now that it taught us resilience, patience, and critical thinking. It also provided the joy of bringing something new into existence. Our home was a living workshop of ideas and expression, where imagination wasn’t just welcomed — it was as essential as electricity and water.
An Anchor in the Storm
It’s no wonder, then, that I’ve embraced so many creative arts and skills over the years. I’ve explored everything from arts and crafts to furniture restoration, from spirit art to digital design, and every new skill I’ve picked up has felt like adding a new color to the palette of my life. But beyond any particular skill, creativity has been an anchor — a steady chain of reason and promise that held firm when the world around me felt chaotic and overwhelming. In moments of anxiety, creating something beautiful — or even just functional — gave me a sense of control and peace, a way to channel that nervous or negative energy into something tangible, positive, and meaningful.
When depression pulled me under and everything seemed gray and heavy, the act of making something with my hands reminded me that there was still light and beauty in the world — that I could still breathe life into something once thought lifeless… and that my own existence was something worth embracing. Every creative focus and imaginative act became an affirmation: I am still here, and I am still creating. And in that, I was able to recognize hope and uncover clarity — the kind that comes from taking what’s inside and giving it form. Through these explorations of skill, craft, and experimentation, I could make sense of my emotions and experiences, translating the intangible into something real and expressive. It was through creativity that I not only survived but began to truly understand myself and my purpose.
Creativity, for me, has never been just a task, a passing hobby, or a temporary distraction — it’s been the thing that calms the storm. I remember one particularly dark period in my early twenties when I thought my depression might truly overtake me. During that time, my creative sense became like the glue that held me together and the light that guided me through. I spent long hours alone, studying, taking walks through quiet natural spaces where my thoughts could settle and my spirit could breathe. I took up journaling and studied various types of therapeutic practices. I let music fill the silence, just like I had when I was younger, and I let movies carry me into new landscapes, offering a temporary escape and fresh inspiration whenever I needed it.
The busier my mind became with creative exploration, the more clarity I found — and that led me to experiment with new techniques in writing and art and, well, life itself. Creativity gave me purpose when everything else felt meaningless; it became a way to anchor myself when the waves of anxiety and depression threatened to pull me under…. yet again.
I created through the storm, and in so doing, I realized that creativity didn’t just provide comfort by way of busy-work and it was much more than just a way to fill the lonely spaces between contentment and joy. It was a rich and valuable resource, a second language — a versatile way of expressing emotions too deep and complicated for words alone, and a means of finding myself when I felt most lost. Through each new idea, exploration, and artistic endeavor, I uncovered more about myself and with that came a sort of peace — and in that space, I found a renewed sense of purpose that helped me to see my next step along the path (even if I couldn’t see where it was leading me).
The Creative Roots That Carry Forward
This sense of creativity and finding meaning through self-expression was, therefore, a lifeline that was gifted to me through familial learning. I couldn’t have known too early on how significant it would be — that it would at times act as a literal lifeline, a tangible reminder that even when everything felt completely out of my control, I could still shape something meaningful and precious into this existence. This sacred part of me has been both an anchor and a sail — keeping me steady when I needed grounding and pushing me forward when I was ready to move. It’s given me a way to express my truth, to survive, and at times even thrive.
Through it all, I carry the legacy of my family — a legacy of self-sufficiency, resilience, and artistry. In every new idea, every stitch or staple, every restored piece of the past, there’s a little bit of their memory — and a whole lot of what they instilled in me.
Though my family’s elders are gone now, their spirit lives on in every act of creativity, in the artistry passed down through generations (as I see it unfolding in my own children and their cousins). This legacy isn’t just about raw practiced skill — it’s about a way of thinking and processing, it’s a philosophy of making and mending, of seeing potential where others see ruin. It’s about using creativity not just to produce something beautiful or useful, but to find clarity and purpose when life feels uncertain. In every act of creation, I am continuing their story, shaping my own, and inspiring the next generation to cherish this process — this holistic mindset.
Helping Others Find Their Creative Voice
I truly believe that creativity is something everyone has inside them, though not everyone has been shown how to tap into it — how to bring that part of themselves to life. Creativity isn’t only about having natural talent or developing a skill through practice — it’s a way of thinking and living, it’s a lens through which we see and shape the world around us. Focusing on creative pursuits brings clarity and purpose in a way few other things can, giving form to the feelings and thoughts that often seem too abstract or too overwhelming to fully articulate. It teaches us problem-solving, resilience, and the art of seeing possibilities where others see obstacles.
That’s why one of my greatest joys is helping others find their own creative voice, guiding them to new ways of expressing what’s inside. I want people to know that there are so many avenues for finding purpose — whether through creating art, writing stories, designing spaces, crafting with their hands, or simply re-imagining the world around them in their own unique way. Creativity isn’t limited to any one medium — it’s an invitation to explore, to reflect, and to shape something meaningful. Each creative act becomes a step closer to understanding oneself. Because when we create, we don’t just make something beautiful, new, and thrilling — we actually discover parts of ourselves we never knew existed, and we connect more deeply with the world around us. And in that process, we often find a purpose we didn’t know we were searching for.
If you’ve enjoyed this glimpse into my roots and what fuels my creativity — and if you’re looking to cultivate a more holistic, inspired approach to life and self-expression — stick around. Follow my blog here on The Chill Factor Radio website, visit my personal site at HolisticFox.com, and check out my YouTube and socials. Be sure to subscribe wherever you find me — there’s so much more to explore, create, and share, and I’ve got a lot on the way. Let’s keep building something beautiful together.
