Is thinking creative? Are we creative just because we’re human, more than animals but less than gods? Is there anyone who doesn’t consider herself a creative person? “I’m just an accountant – it is what I do and who I am and when I am not crunching numbers, I just sit and stare.”
Here’s a theory: If you are doing anything, you’re creative. But apparently, even passive activities contain seeds of creativity. Riding on a train and looking out the window while writing a story or a poem in my head is one of my favorite pastimes. I consider myself a creative person. I write, I dance – though I don’t know when I could say with confidence, “I am a writer” or “I am a dancer. I like to arrange things prettily, to decorate, to curate books and objects on the shelf. I wish that I were a visual artist, but my drawings never look on paper the way they do in my mind. I do like to take photographs, though I often worry that every frame is a cliche, already done, revealing nothing new about myself or the world. I would love to be able to play music and sing. I have vowed that this is the year I will learn guitar, an instrument my dad plays and which he wishes one of his daughters would at least pick up.
I believe that cooking is a creative endeavor. And during this first year of being a mother, it has become an outlet for expressiveness, a means of meditating, and a way to demonstrate, with tangible results, that I am still me, interesting, imaginative, so in love with life that I want to make more: more babies, more food, more art. This blog has been a lifeline, connecting a new version of me with one that I recognize/remember and staying in contact with the outside world, during freezing weather when she was a newborn who napped all day and I was a barely holding on, deprived of sleep and sanity. Considering myself creative has been almost enough, so that even if I can’t get to a dance class or am too exhausted and brain-dead to work on an essay, I know that the liberating ability is there, somewhere. I’m a blogger. I cook and create content around what I’ve made. But what if I take a test and it tells me I’m not a creative person? What if it says I’m a bank teller, an insurance adjustor, a garbage man (lady)? I suppose we’ll see. What can a test tell that me that I don’t already know? Will it influence future decisions? Do we become who we think we are or who we’ve been told to be?
I’ve been intrigued by the website ArchetypeMe, which promises to help sort my personality type into one of their pre-defined “archetypes.” Will the results from taking the personality test there reveal traits about myself that I don’t tend to pay much attention to, or will my own sense of self be reflected in their test results? I’ll reveal the results and more about what ArchetypeMe thinks about my personality soon.
What’s your archetype? Discover now by taking a short quiz on: www.ArchetypeMe.com
BONUS GIVEAWAY ANNOUNCEMENT!
We’re giving away a $50 Visa gift card and a copy of Archetypes: Who Are You? book, signed by author to (1) lucky From Away reader. Entering to win couldn’t be easier. Here are the rules: No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
- Leave a comment in response to this question: Why do you think it’s important to really know who you are?
- Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry #whoareyou” ; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
- Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
- For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random drawing, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 01/22/2013-02/12/2013. Be sure to visit the ArchetypeMe brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts and find more chances to win!
About the Author: Jillian Bedell
Jillian grew up in Connecticut, went to university in Boston, college in New Haven, did some post-grad soul searching in New York, exiled herself to Mexico, married her longtime sweetheart, and lived in a house on the ocean. She suspected Maine might be the perfect place to raise a family, so she came back home to New England two years ago. Now a mom to Violet Maeve and living in Rockland, where she hopes to settle for a good, long while, Jillian reads, writes, walks, and practices Nia, when not watching Malcolm photograph sandwiches.
fromawaymaine
fromawaymaine
We're Jillian and Malcolm. We cook comfort food from around the world, designed to make you feel right at home, wherever you are. Join us as we explore Maine's vibrant food culture and cook New England's classic dishes, as well as our favorite recipes From Away. 
{ 97 comments… read them below or add one }
I need to know who I am to be a better parent to my girls!
It’s important to know who you are so you can achieve what you want in life and to make yourself happy. Also, if you know yourself, others can know the real you, too, and relationships, of all kinds, are better.
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com
2nd entry tweet – https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/293789367489679360
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com
I took the quiz and it said I’m 45% intellectual, 31% caregiver, 20% other, and 4% athlete. I think it’s important to know who you are so you know how to prioritize things in your life and how to get along well with others.
tweet–https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/293797551667281921
It’s important to know who you are so you can get along with and love people in your life.
tcarolinep at gmail dot com
https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/293815007504920576
It’s important to know who you are to make the right choices in life and to be happy with yourself
https://twitter.com/ElenaIstomina/status/293815881945976832
Knowing myself well helps me to better navigate life’s ups and downs.
tweet – https://twitter.com/rusthawk/status/293817076026589185
it keeps you focused and not as easily pushed around by others
thismomwins@gmail.com
tweeted https://twitter.com/thismomwins2/status/293828268862345216 thismomwins@gmail.com
I think you have to know who you are before you can make changes ~ changes for the better and also changes in your attitude toward yourself. We cannot improve anything we don’t acknowledge, and we often don’t give ourself credit for our abilities.
Thanks for a chance at the giveaway!
https://twitter.com/Theresano/status/293843929579810816
I helps to have guide lines for who I am, but the rules keep changing and so do I. Some truths stay the same honest, loyal and loving.
I’m not sure I think it is important to ‘really know who you are’. I really can’t think of a reason why it would be, unless it would be to be able to really pursue what is important to you. I wish I knew more about myself at 18, but who really does? All I can say is that I have trouble fitting into someone else’s categories.
Then, you can know how to improve yourself or others or your spouse or significant other can know more about you. . it’s like knowing your love language.
I think that without knowing who you are, it is easy to get caught up in other people’s ideas of happiness and how your life should be lived. When you are in touch with your authentic self, you can let these opinions roll off you like water off a duck’s back and focus on what truly brings you joy.
I think it’s important to really know who you are because that’s the only way to become fulfilled as a person. You must always search for your real passion and be ready to adjust your lifestyle to fit your changing needs and desires. It’s the only way to be happy.
I tweeted about the giveaway: https://twitter.com/carlrscott/status/293956888180174848
I would blog about the event but, alas I have no blog. Thanks for the cool idea though, it was fun!!
I think it’s important to really know who you are so you know what you want out of life. Knowing who you are and what you truly value helps you make decisions. If you don’t know of yourself, how can you really know what you want out of life.
Tweet
https://twitter.com/CouponTammy/status/293972652878622720
being yourself is the best way to be in life!
tweet: https://twitter.com/akronugurl/status/294062419821600768 .
It’s important to me to know who I am in order to help better myself.
It helps us know where we’re flawed and how we can improve — or least it does for me!
If you don’t know who you are, then influences from others (often bad) and your desire to be like someone else (this trait, or owning that, etc…) will dictate your life choices.
I think it’s important to understand who I am so I can learn how to become better- a better mother, family member, friend, etc.
then you can be a better person and more happier
then you can be a better person and more happier.
https://twitter.com/HappyTina0115/status/294182355290181632
It’s very important to know who I really am so I know what makes me happy and what makes me unhappy!
Thanks for the giveaway, my tweet here: https://twitter.com/lilysheng/status/294214839646167040
I think it’s important to know who I am because so others around me can know me better. By the way, the quiz was pretty fun.
Amy [at] utry [dot] it
tweeted:
https://twitter.com/uTry_it/status/294364438453182464
Amy [at] utry [dot] it
it helps give you confidence
It’s important to know who you are, as it provides direction and happiness in your life.
Probably none of us really know how other people perceive us. Knowing my personality type is compatible with specific other personality types makes for fascinating research. Knowing personality traits are important to me because I love reading fiction writing craft books. Writing about characters means you have to know them inside and out. Knowing their specific personality traits helps you keep the character true to their core as you write.
so that you will be a happy beautiful person inside and outside
amramazon280 at yahoo dot com
https://twitter.com/pinoysugarplum/status/294495542908698625
I think it is important to know who I am because then I can enjoy life more as a person and as a wife and daughter and sister and friend.
Everything you do is based on who you are. It is hard to form good habits or correct bad ones if you don’t know who you are or why you do what you do.
It’s so important to know who you are because it defines how you work with others and how you approach what life brings to you!
tweeted! https://twitter.com/jfong1130/status/295039251102445568
I think it’s important to know who I am because it makes me aware of why I choose the friends I do. It makes sense that people with the same interests will be attracted to each other.
For self improvement.
I subscribe via email.
I like to analyze why I’m stressed and angry at some situations and improve my ability to prepare for them. My archetype is caregiver.
songyueyu at gmail
tweet: https://twitter.com/syytta/status/295304025266593792
songyueyu at gmail
I think it is important to figure out how to better yourself.
https://twitter.com/catholicfanatic/status/295325604910338048
tweeted
It’s important to know who you really are because then you will have direction in life, and find activities and company that you really enjoy.
tweet
https://twitter.com/kellydsaver/status/295729629166194689
I think it’s important so you know your limits in life.
https://twitter.com/mendyd/status/295744211251253248
Until you know who you are, you don’t know who you can become.
I think knowing who you are is a process that goes on throughout your life. Who I am now is not who I was at twenty (thank goodness). Life experiences, good and bad, change you. I do think that maybe your “moral core” is pretty constant, but if you are not learning and opening yourself to what life offers, then what’s the point?
It’s important to know who you are because the more you know about yourself the greater you will feel and the better you will be at dealing with situations. If you don’t know who you truly are then how will anyone else? Thanks!
ashleygatewood1(AT)gmail.com
https://twitter.com/shuggysmommy/status/296630443288182784
because it helps to make decisions that are right for you and prioritize for your life!
https://twitter.com/DesMoinesDealin/status/297157532768677888
i think its important to know who you really are so you can be truely happy
i tweeted here:
https://twitter.com/bellows22/status/297197439167909889
To impove myself, I need to know who I really am.
It’s important to know who you are to make the right choices in life and to be happy with yourself and the choices you make.
https://twitter.com/susan1215/status/297869889492893696
So others will like me.
It helps you to understand what you need and, ultimately, allows you to relate better to others, to be a better person, a better spouse, better parent.
It’s important to know who you are so you can be happy instead of wasting time and energy trying to be something else.
Knowing yourself is how you develop self worth! And besides, if you don’t know who you really are you will just become what others think you are or want you to be.
Almost always, knowing yourself is a progression. One is always learning and growing and grasping what it is to be herself. This is a perpetual process and not a destination at which one arrives. Isn’t the pursuit of self one of the reason’s for life??
I think it is important to know who you are in order to better plan for the future and utilize your personal strengths.
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 @ gmail dot com
tweet–https://twitter.com/WildOrchid985/status/299150797210546177
Happiness is achieved in different ways for all of us. Some people are happy in solitude and some in groups. For some people the perfect afternoon is a rainy day reading, while others prefer a day spent in the city exploring hidden pockets. Until we know ourselves, it’s impossible to find our own unique happiness.
This book looks fascinating! I have it on my “Books to Read” list! If I don’t win, I will definitely be purchasing the book or going to the library for it.
It’s important to know who you are because nothing is more important than living an authentic life. How else will you know what challenges you, gives you inspiration and passion, or how to make a difference in the world?
FIRST ENTRY TWEET! https://twitter.com/kytah00/status/299986038242287616
ONCE YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, YOU’RE ABLE TO COMPREHEND YOUR IMPACT ON THE WORLD AROUND YOU.
I think it’s important to realize whether you are following your own nature or following the crowd.
Tweet – https://twitter.com/willitara/status/300350530071437312
Corrected Tweet – I made an error and deleted the first twehttps://twitter.com/willitara/status/300355836717449216
Well, I just can’t seem to get this right – https://twitter.com/willitara/status/300355836717449216
Im the caregiver
so you know what you are capable of doing
it make life easier
https://twitter.com/purplelover04/status/301494800077688832
I think it is important to know yourself so you can make better decisions in your life. Thanks so much for sharing and for a chance to win!!!! kmassman gmail
It is important to know who you are so you can feel confident in your beliefs and lead a happier life
https://twitter.com/aes529/status/301513788866310144
https://twitter.com/thomasmurphy40/status/301546633882120192
Its important to know who you really are because gives you a sense of self and it makes any type of decision easier to make.
36% intellectual, 34% caregiver, 10% spiritual
you need to know who you are so you can get the most out of your life.
https://twitter.com/jen_r_horn/status/309031427515748352
Tweeted:
https://twitter.com/anashct3/status/312404500977692673
Thanks for the chance to win!
email: anashct1 [at] yahoo [dot] com