When someone says they are an Artist, its natural to conjure up images of someone painting in the garage or reading slam poetry at an open mic. What we don’t always consider is that an artist is defined as any person skilled at a particular task or occupation. That means the beautiful cakes you make for your kids birthdays, the way you conduct a meeting, the knack you have for finding stylish clothes at goodwill, all qualify you as an artist. Its time to start considering yourself as such. By identifying as an artist, you will experience many benefits that come with having an artist’s mindset.

Take a moment to consider what you create on a daily basis. You likely create meals, solutions for problems at work, create connections with family and friends, the list goes on. Creativity is not limited to the “creative arts”, just like being an artist is not limited to those who create within the confines of fine-arts mediums.

By knowing you are an Artist, you be able to lean into your creativity and find joy in common activities. Take cooking for example, which most of us do on a daily basis. If approaching this task as a chore, you might rush through it with your mind elsewhere. If you approach it as an Artist, with a creative lens, you may be inspired to find a new recipe, tweak one of your go-to meals, or even just put on the Rattatouie soundtrack and enjoy the process. Most of our opportunities to be creative get missed because we aren’t seeing them as such.

Embracing life as an Artist also puts you deeper in touch with yourself. Being creative is a chance to express yourself, and leaning into your artistic side validates the importance of your ideas and emotions. It can help you find opportunities to connect with your desires. For example, when the holidays come around and you dive into gift-making, instead of thinking of a crowd pleasing gift, ask, what would I enjoy making? Do I want to spend a weekend natural-dying hand towels, do I want to build cutting boards, would it be fun to paint? By asking how you want to spend your time as an Artist, you will get in touch with your passions and know yourself better.

As Artists, we have an amazing reason to keep learning and indulge our curiosities. Its all creative research. Artists are always learning and growing. Adopting an artist's mindset encourages you to embrace a growth-oriented attitude, continuously seek knowledge and skills, and remain open to new experiences and perspectives. This can mean traveling more, reading more, or deep-diving into how-to videos online. Anything can be a source of inspiration.

Engaging in creative activities and thinking of yourself as an artist can also enhance confidence. Think of the last thing you did you were proud of. It was likely something you made, organized, or accomplished. Creating, whether it's through traditional art forms or not, can enhance your pride. On top of that, creating and sharing anything takes courage and vulnerability, so practicing that skill will enhance your ability to be bold in other areas of your life. When you see yourself as an artist, you're more likely to embrace creative challenges or failures. Over time, this builds confidence.

My favorite aspect of being an Artist is being a beauty-seeker, always noticing the beauty in the little things. This is a critical part of being an Artist, and being human. Of course, we can see through an artist’s eyes, but I also like to try to smell with an artist’s nose, feel with an artist’s touch, listen with artist’s ears and taste with an artist’s tongue. Beauty is meant to be experienced with all our senses, and finding beauty in every moment is a valuable skill to practice.

Being an Artist isn’t pretentious or exclusive. It’s giving yourself credit for all the things you create, diving deeper into the things you love, and finding ways to be more in touch with yourself and the beauty around you. I love being an Artist, and I hope you’ll join me.