I have always seen myself as a creative person. I’ve been obsessed with all things liberal arts since birth: dancing, coloring, singing, writing. I’ve never really had an aptitude for science or math or any STEM subjects at all, really. (When I say that, I mean I am truly the worst at anything involving numbers. Ask me to balance a chemistry equation or find X and you might as well ask me to go to the freaking moon.)

Creativity is defined as the use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work. Creativity is being original--making something that is completely unique in the world.

We can apply this definition to creation to say that in order to truly create something good or worthwhile, or to be good at creating, the end result should be new and unique. Whether it’s from an entirely new perspective or about a completely new concept, you’re giving the world a gift. You’re opening, or even just cracking, a door or a window into your mind and asking the world to gaze in. The scary part about letting people in is that people can look and not like what they see.

Unfortunately, creators often bolt that door shut because of this. They become homebodies, never allowing anyone to see the beautiful master pieces that cover the walls of their mind in fear that their masterpieces aren’t as beautiful as they think.

But if you truly have something new to tell the world, isn’t it your responsibility to do so? If you have been blessed with something so pivotal and important as a new outlook on the world, is it not your duty to share it?

I ask these questions like this is an easy choice. It absolutely is not. Life is messy. It is very unlikely that you have walked along this earth completely and totally alone. It is very unlikely that everyone in your life would accept whatever it is you’re sharing with complete and utter loving hearts. It is unlikely you want your creation to be judged by every single person on this earth.

What happens when what you want to create is about someone else? Is it still your responsibility to share it? What if you’re saying something about your past that no one knows about but you? What about when you create something so personal and lovely that you can't imagine sharing it with anyone else?

The conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but only altered from one form to another. To create means to lose. To truly make something new, it requires a part of you, whether it's time, a painful story, an unpopular opinion, attached baggage. Opening your door doesn’t come without a cost.

It is up to the creator if the trade is worth it.