Creating vs Consuming: Reclaiming the Joy of Making

In our fast-paced, hyper-connected world, we’re constantly bombarded with content, choices, and information. We scroll, watch, listen, shop, eat, and react—sometimes without even noticing. This is the rhythm of consumption, and it’s something we all do every day. But in the midst of all this, there lies another rhythm. It is often quieter but deeply transformative: the rhythm of creation.

We are all, inherently, both creators and consumers. We need to consume to live, learn, and be inspired. But what happens when the scale tips too far toward consumption? What might shift in our lives, our communities, and even our planet if we embraced more creation?

Ways We Consume

Consumption isn’t inherently negative. We consume to nourish ourselves physically, emotionally, and intellectually. Here are a few common ways:

• Digital media: Watching TV shows, YouTube videos, scrolling through social media.

• Shopping: Buying clothes, tech, home decor—sometimes out of need, often out of impulse.

• Food and dining: Dining out, delivery services, snacking while working.

• Information: Podcasts, news, online courses, articles (like this one!).

• Experiences: Travel, entertainment, even wellness retreats.

  
  

While consumption can inform and inspire us, it often becomes passive. It’s easy to slip into a cycle of watching others create without stepping into the role ourselves.

Ways We Create

Creating can be big or small, complex or simple. It can happen with paint, code, food, words, or even community action. Some examples:

• Art: Painting, sculpting, photography, drawing.

• Writing: Journaling, blogging, poetry, storytelling.

• Cooking: Trying a new recipe, baking bread, plating food artfully.

• Making: DIY projects, crafts, sewing.

• Building: Designing a business, coding an app, remodeling your home.

• Connecting: Organizing events, mentoring, starting a conversation that matters.

• Gardening: Digging into the rich soil and being part of our Earth's creation process

When we create, we add to the world rather than just take from it. We tap into our imagination, our courage, our vulnerability.

The Personal Shift: What If We Created More?

Imagine starting your day by writing a few thoughts in a journal, sketching something, or rearranging your home studio—before opening your phone. That act of creation, however small, grounds you. It energizes you.

Creating fosters mindfulness. It pulls us into the present. Studies have shown that creative practices can reduce anxiety, improve mood, and even strengthen cognitive function. *

Being a creator boosts confidence. There’s pride in seeing something you made—a meal, a drawing, a piece of writing. You don’t have to be a professional artist to be a creator. You just have to make something that didn’t exist before.

The Community Impact: Creating Sparks Connection

When we create, we often invite others to join in or witness the process. Think of a neighborhood mural, a local art class, or a handmade gift to a friend. These acts build bonds.

A community of creators becomes a community of collaborators. It encourages sharing instead of competing, and expression over perfection. One person’s courage to create can spark another’s.

The Global Picture: A Culture of Makers

If more people across the world created more than they consumed, we might see a cultural renaissance. Imagine a society where creativity was prioritized over passive entertainment, where sustainable DIY replaced overconsumption, and where innovation solved real-world problems.

From climate change to mental health, creative solutions are needed now more than ever. The rise of maker spaces, open-source projects, and slow fashion are promising signs that the shift is already underway.

Final Thoughts: Small Acts, Big Ripples

You don’t have to quit your job and live in a yurt to be a creator. Start with something small. Doodle on your napkin. Try writing a poem. Make a birthday card instead of buying one. Host a mini art night with friends.

Every act of creation is a statement: I am here, I can shape the world, I can give something back.

So today, before you scroll another reel or click "add to cart," pause and ask:

What can I make instead?

Because in creating, we don’t just change ourselves—we just might change everything.