The Creative Cure

by Jacob Nordby

with a foreword by Julia Cameron

"I'm not very creative!" or "I'm not creative enough!" are common statements in our society, but according to author and creative guide Jacob Nordby, nothing could be further from the truth.

Creativity, Nordby argues, is actually akin to the sap in a tree or the blood in our veins—it’s present in all of us and meant to flow through every part of our lives.

Whenever we feel stuck or stagnant, creativity is the key to restoration; and a source of profound healing. Yet many remain unaware of its full potential.

This book is an invitation to heal the vital connection to your inner creative self—and, in the process, begin to mend other areas of your life that need healing.

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Meet the Three Enemies of Creativity

EVERY HUMAN IS CREATIVE. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN UNCREATIVE HUMAN.

Somewhere along the way, we traded our natural, immersive creativity for logic, predictability, correctness, and responsibility. Our educational system, built at the dawn of the industrial revolution and largely unchanged today, churns out workers fit for factories, stamping out creativity on purpose. Perhaps someone told you “you’re not that creative” or “your art is no good,” and you believed them. You may also have experienced something traumatic, which understandably shut down your creative self, as you had to prioritize survival over imagination.

Socialization

Socialization – or conditioning – can be both a positive and a negative force. By the time we reach adulthood, our beliefs, behaviors, tastes, and personal goals often align with socialized norms and no longer feel like extensions of our true creative selves.

Traumatic Experiences

If we experience trauma, especially in our formative years, it can lead to patterns of:

Anxiety
Destructive self-talk
Inner criticism and Self-doubt
Procrastination
Perfectionism
Addictive behaviors
Or feelings of being not valuable or lacking a purpose

Rejection

Rejection sits at the intersection of socialization and trauma. Like it or not, violating the written or unwritten rules of our families, religion, or society at large can lead to rejection of all kinds, which is a traumatic experience in its own right.

What Readers Have to Say

I think this book serves as an entry way into deep creative waters – waters that the reader may find both bracing and invigorating. I share with Nordby a love of tools that “work,” and I found myself drawn to the simplicity and subtlety of the methods he suggests for unlocking a powerful and joyous self that we may have buried or forgotten.

from the foreword by Julia Cameron

author of The Artist's Way

This book invites you to find purpose, healing, and joy as the artist of your own life.

don Miguel Ruiz

author of The Four Agreements

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About the Author

Jacob Nordby is a writer living in Boise, Idaho. You might find him on a trail in the nearby foothills or typing away in the quietest corner of a coffee shop downtown.

He is the founder of The Institute for Creative Living Foundation 501(c)3 and other projects.

Jacob Nordby