I was on a date recently, and the guy I had coffee with was absolutely fascinated that I was a working writer. “I don’t have a creative bone in my body,” he said. “I work in sales.” But as the conversation went on, he talked about how he loves cooking and doing his own spin on recipes he learns.

“So, you ARE creative,” I pointed out. He shrugged and responded with a dismissive, “I guess.”

When it comes to creativity, don’t dismiss yourself from it just because you haven’t tapped into this part of yourself—yet.

You don’t need to be an artist to be creative

There’s this misconception in society that one needs to be an artist to be creative and that couldn’t be further from the truth.

The arts are just one extension of creativity. All of the progress humankind has made over the last 300,000 years has been the result of our unique ability to create something from nothing—a precious gift that separates from all other lifeforms.

From business to engineering to chemistry to communications to mathematics, there isn’t a single field of study where creativity isn’t utilized at some level. And in our everyday lives, creativity just makes life more fun and fulfilling.

According to Robert E. Franken in his book Human Motivation, creativity is defined as “the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others.”

I firmly believe that the ability to create is part of every single one of us. But as we get older, there’s less time and opportunity to exercise it. And just as your physical body becomes weaker and weaker the less you exercise, the same is true of your creative muscle.

But necessity is the mother of invention and isn’t it incredible how creative we can be when we’re forced to solve a problem quickly? Whether it’s figuring out inventive ways to get the rent paid or having less than 24 hours to deliver on a big pitch, when you have to put that muscle to work, it works.

Now think on this for a moment: what would happen if you took your creative routine as seriously as your fitness routine?

How much more quickly could you come up with solutions for your business? How much more fulfilled would you be by all that you have in your life right now if you connected with your creative power on a daily basis? How could the relationships in your life improve with a daily creative practice?

I’ve found that the more I create for myself, outside of work, the better I know myself. And this helps my relationships thrive—one, because I’m not depending on other people to make me “complete” and two, I’m more empathetic with others being more attuned with my own emotions. And then at work, I’m just happier overall and able to think on my feet.

So how can you begin to explore your creativity?

I recommend starting with a journal. I love Penzu. It’s free and private. I can access it on my laptop or my phone and just jot down ideas that I have during the day. If you only write a single sentence, that’s a start.

Creativity begins by giving physical form to the random thoughts that cross our mind and then building upon them. It’s the plucking of an idea out of the air and putting it to paper. You begin with one sentence. And maybe it turns into poem. Or a novel. Or a business plan. Or maybe it’s just one original thought. Something you didn’t passively consume. But it could be the beginning of something extraordinary. Even the great oak tree began its life as a tiny seed.

Creativity is action. And the more you gather your thoughts, the more you get to know yourself, and the more creative you get with your own life, the more power you feel inside to take your ideas and actually do something with them.

The beauty about creativity is that it’s a process. And the results are out of our hands. All we can do is iterate on the process until we come up with something. And it’s up to us to decide how far we go with it.

Whether you’re making crafts, making a movie or making your life, don’t ever think you’re not creative. You’re creating new possibilities for yourself with every decision you make.

Don’t give up your creative power by simply going through the motions and letting others decide for you. For your own joy and fulfillment, embrace it. It’s your birthright.

So how does this post make you feel? Are you inspired to take small steps to work your creative muscle? Do you still think creativity is an ability that not everyone has? All responses are valid. Let’s talk about it in the comments below.