Hi

Diagnosed ADDer here, my problem is that I can't find an outlet to be creative, I've constantly felt a desire to be creative, its like I am full to the brim inside and have no way to express my creative urges.
All I yearn to do, is something creative, but I have no idea how to release it, except to get frustrated and angry and depressed.
I'm a typical ADDer, start so many projects, never finish them, cos I get bored really easy and am looking for a next fix for something more creative and exciting, but most of the time, I can't find anything creative/challenging/interesting to do.
I just don't know what I want to do :(

What helped you to find your niche.

I don't know if I can say this is my 'niche' but I began to draw a couple years ago when I was going thru a particularly stressful time and needed something to take my mind off of my problems. I used to like to draw as a kid and teen but had not drawn since then. I started out with something simple- a flower or a bird. I liked coloring it with colored pencils. It was relaxing. I started to do more. I tried other mediums and really just played. I was surprised to learn I had what some people would consider natural talent.

I just got done reading 'Delivered From Distraction', a book about ADD. The author recommends a creative outlet and I can definitely see how it would help me to develop this newfound interest. When I draw or paint I get to use a part of my brain that just 'works' for this type of thing. It is such a wonderful feeling and on top of that what some people would consider difficult (being creative) comes easy for me.

I am not saying I am anything great, mind you. I am just saying my brain, and probably yours too, is put together to work this way and when you give yourself a creative outlet you no longer have to fight against what comes easily. Ah, relief!

I think if you just open yourself up to try different things- and so what if you don't finish everything! See what direction it takes you in. Have fun and play with whatever you are interested in. Don't worry about making mistakes or doing it the 'wrong' way.

Where are your strengths? Are you good with your hands? Do you like to write? Are you good with computers? Do you enjoy sports? Just be open to what may come your way.

Have fun and let us know how it goes! I think this is a great question because its something I want to explore more fully too.

Hi Paul,

I agree with Fly...just try out whatever takes your fancy. Afterall, the point is to simple find outlets for your creativity and the end result is, IMHO, not important. I have a multitude of projects including music, painting, paper maché, dance, costume design, gardening, sewing, quilting. Obviously I am not doing these all at once but spring from one to the next. Sometimes the interest sticks and it goes further. Other times it was fun, I learned something, but it's not for me.

I can recommend a good book called "The Artists Way" by Julia Cameron. Described as a Course in Discovering and Recovering Your Creative Self.

Kim

Why does everyone assume we have to have one outlet? I have many interests that I not only want to try but am fluent at.

I love to sew on days were my mind has been overstimulated. The feel of the fabric, the soft hum of my machine as it makes its boring stitch after stitch. It's calming and relaxing.

I like to cook, food is a toy to me...I love to play with and invent new recipes on cold days.

When I'm angry or anxious I work with wood. I found this hobby completly by accident I was in high school and just got dumped...I know I know who in their right mind would dump me right? :p I was in my dad's shop and for some unknown reason picked up his drill and clicked it on, poking it at the air what I found was that the vibration from the machine relaxed and stimulated me, so I started looking for tools that made a louder more destructive noise, that vibrated with more power...Argh Argh Arghhh the power of it all!!!! :D I started taking woodworking classes in high school but didn't get serious about it until a couple of years ago. Sometimes when I'm really angry I'll just go into my husband's and my shop and just hold the tools or cut wood in half lol.

I write poetry when I'm hurting, some is posted here in the forums but most I just hide them away in a hole in our closet.

I redecorate my house and rearrange my house almost every other year. Just cause I wanna and my taste's change.

I love to garden, the dirt and the smells love it love it love it

There are so many hobbies, I refuse to choose just one.

Excellent point, Nucking Futs! Really, there's so much out there.

(clap clap clap clap)

Rather than waiting for inspiration to strike, why not just try anything that comes to mind? Chances are, if it's crossed your mind, you probably want to try it. And so what if you drop it without finishing? Noooo worries! Jump around (as we ADDers do) until you find something you want to stick with. No sense sticking something out just to make a point.

My absolute favorite stress-release is karaoke. Naww, not in front of a bunch of strangers, but in a small room (they call 'em boxes here) all by myself. I suck at it, but so what? Crank up the echo on the machine, and croon away!

Look at it this way: we have certain areas where we think we are talented, and so expect a lot of ourselves--and there are other areas where we don't think we are very talented. The fun part about choosing something we DON'T think we can do well is there are no expectations--we expect we'll do poorly at it, so we don't mind if we don't do it well--thereby increasing the chance that we'll just enjoy it!

So! No need to finish if you don't like it, no commitments, no need to do it well, no need to have talent. Take all the pressure off, and nibble from the great salad bar of life.

(ooh, got corny there. sorry! but you get the idea.)

Futs, or should I call you Mrs. Taylor! hee hee Your a hoot!

I like tha way your mind thinks. What a wonderful way to explore many creative ideas, and tie them into emotions. That was a wonderful ananlogy!

Have you ever worked with a torch. Turning metal into liquid is quite liberating!!!

Only when working with certain projects and only in small bits never quite thought up how to make an entire project out of it...but, I'll come up with something.

More then anything I hate losing control of my emotions...I was raised in rural Nebraska where we must all act as proper young ladies :rolleyes: but now if I can be destructive and constructive at the sametime...nothing is wasted...right? RIGHT!!!!!

Karoake lol my daughter and I get so silly with her machine...its great fun...poor son, poor hubby they just don't get belting out old Aretha Franklin songs at the top of your lungs can be Fun!!!! They are such whiners.