You Are Meant to Be a Creator Not a Consumer
Learn How to Prioritize Creative Living and Not Endlessly Consuming!
From social media ads to TV and content creators, it seems like the twenty-first century revolves around one thing: consume, consume, consume. We live in an age where constant consumption has become the daily norm. After a long day of work, what do most people do? They turn on the TV, watch the news, or binge their favorite shows. Rarely do they think back to what they did as kids—creating.
As children, we spent our days imagining, playing, and creating. We didn’t have the constant technological distractions that push us toward consuming. While today’s world revolves around consumption, that doesn’t mean you can’t live creatively. By reading this guide, you’ll find inspiration to lead a more meaningful and creative life that’s true to you. Life is short, fleeting even, and that should fuel your desire to create rather than consume. Start and end your days by creating, and resist the consuming habits constantly pushed on you. Breaking away is hard, but it’s far from impossible. Millions of people live creative lives outside societal norms—and you can too!
IN TODAY’S GUIDE YOU’LL LEARN:
The trap of mindless consumption.
How to start living a more creative life that speaks to your soul.
The many consequences of consuming instead of creating.
CONSUME, CONSUME, CONSUME
That’s all it seems we’re encouraged to do these days. From media to entertainment—especially with the rise of social media and the craze of content creator hauls—we’re constantly bombarded with the idea of spending our days consuming. It has become the norm to rack up at least five hours of screen time daily on mindless tasks. Many call this “doom scrolling,” where you’re scrolling and consuming just for the sake of it.
It’s understandable that after a long, exhausting day, you might not have the energy to start a new project and make a materpiece. But even in your fatigue, consuming mindless entertainment that serves no meaningful purpose drains what little energy you have left. And while watching shows or listening to podcasts that inspire or educate you is beneficial, remember: knowledge is worthless without action.
It often feels pointless to lead a creative, inspiring life, especially in a world filled with housing crises, inflation, and wages that don’t keep up with the cost of living. But adopting a mindset that nothing can change benefits no one. Remember the quote from Henry Ford: “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” Your internal beliefs shape your reality. Take control of your life—even in small ways—and you’ll begin to see opportunities that may have otherwise gone unnoticed.
You’re Not the CEO of The World, Only Of Your Life
It’s not your responsibility to solve the world’s problems—wealth inequality, the economy, homelessness, or global issues. Your job is to focus on improving yourself and, by doing so, inspire others. Despite how chaotic the world may seem, there are people living fulfilling, creative lives right now. By tuning out external noise and tuning in internally you can focus on creating a life you love.
Think about it: throughout history, there have been wars, outbreaks, and inequalities, often far worse than today. It only seems more overwhelming now because technology has made us hyper-aware of global events. Humans weren’t designed to carry the weight of worldwide knowledge. Back in the day, you only knew what was happening in your immediate environment.
If you’re an empath or highly sensitive, this endless barrage of negativity can feel paralyzing. But dwelling on the world’s problems won’t get you anywhere. The best thing you can do is focus internally and create a life you love. That’s what we’re meant to do.
Our Innate Being
Humans are naturally creative beings. It’s in our DNA. Everything around you—architecture, businesses, philosophies—was created by people like you. Creativity is intrinsic to our nature. Many of us feel hopeless because we’ve lost touch with this calling. Industrialization and westernization have shifted our focus from creating to consuming.
Before mass production, families ran trades and relied on their hands and skills. Farmers, seamstresses, and other artisans thrived in a system of creation and exchange. Today, mass production has replaced this simplicity. While convenience has its benefits, it has also made life paradoxically harder by disconnecting us from meaningful creation.
The True Teachers in Life
We often overlook the wisdom of children and elders. Children, with their curiosity and wonder, can teach us to see the world with fresh eyes. Elders, with their life experiences, can offer lessons we’d otherwise miss. Yet we tend to dismiss both groups, focusing instead on those in the middle stages of life who are the most confused. Why?
As elders often say, one of the biggest regrets in life is letting fear hold you back. They remind us of the importance of taking calculated risks and embracing our passions. Similarly, children teach us the power of imagination. They’re closest to the source of creativity, unconditioned by societal norms. Have you ever seen a child create entire worlds with just their mind? That’s the essence of unfiltered creativity. As we age, we lose this wonder—but it’s never too late to reclaim it.
Curiosity Leads to Creative Living
When you become a curious person, you start to change the way you see the world and begin to question the norms of life. If you're too busy doing what you're told, you may forget to ask why you're doing it—and whether it's truly beneficial for you.
As a child, you likely had dreams of being so many things and genuinely believed they were possible. Yet, only about 0.01% of the population actually follows through on those childhood dreams. Most people end up settling for what seems to be the “safe” option. While it's important to prioritize your safety—at least, what you've been conditioned to perceive as safety—the consequence is often the denial of your authentic, true self in the process.
The thing about denying your true self is that it doesn’t just disappear. It grows. Over time, it demands more and more attention, until it's impossible to ignore.
So how do you examine this “authentic voice” that everyone has? You explore it. You question it. You feed it. Consuming does the opposite—it's creating that nourishes this version of you. What creation looks like is different for every person on this planet, but it's through creating that you truly come alive.
How to Feed The Voice of Your Authentic Self
Now that you understand your authentic self-expression will never stop speaking to you—only growing louder—what are some ways you can create a more meaningful and creative life? That’s where Internal comes in—we’ve got you, as always!
To tap into your dreams, aspirations, and the life you’ve always wanted, you need to nourish them every day. Think of it like hunger: when you're hungry, you feed yourself. If you starve yourself for too long, hunger doesn’t disappear—it begins to harm you. Over time, it slows your metabolism, impairs your body’s functioning, and, in extreme cases, can even lead to death.
While you won’t physically die from not creating a life that speaks to you, the consequences can still be profound. You’ll feel the effects every day, and these effects are often spiritual. Because everything is interconnected, this misalignment can even manifest as physical symptoms, such as stress, insomnia, depression, anxiety, and more—it’s different for everyone. Just like we have physical needs, we have physiological needs as well and you need to nurture both!
But when you “feed” this inner hunger, you create space to live more authentically and creatively. This, in turn, lightens your energy and improves your mood, helping you build a more fulfilling life.
With that in mind, here are some things you can incorporate into your daily life to start living more creatively and break free from the cycle of endless consumption.
1. Explore Yourself
What is it that you truly want out of life? Is it to become a successful business owner? Have a big family? Live alone in the countryside? Ask yourself these questions. Everyone's version of living a creative and meaningful life is different, and only you can discover what aligns with your authentic nature.
To start, take out a sheet of paper and write—in the first person—about the most ideal day in your life. There are no limits to this exercise. Remember when you were a child and had no problem dreaming big, like becoming the president or an astronaut? Approach this exercise the same way: tap into your inner child and resist questioning the "what ifs." Don't entertain doubts—dream as boldly and “extremely” as you like.
2. Reconnect with Your Inner Child
Reflect on what you wanted to be as a child. What were your dreams? These early aspirations often reflect your truest, most authentic self, as childhood is a time when we are least conditioned by societal expectations.
If you feel disconnected from your inner child, try inner child meditations on YouTube or work through exercises designed to help you reconnect. Internal offers an “Internal Roadmap” Digital Download, a prompt exercise book with 50 self-reflective prompts to guide you through this process. You can purchase and access it immediately here.
3. Consume MINDFULLY
If you already know what you want in life, seek out creators who are living that lifestyle. While the digital age has its drawbacks, it also provides valuable opportunities. Social media can expose you to people living entirely different lives, offering inspiration and proof that your dream life is possible.
Remember: you're living on the same planet as these individuals and were created by the same God. If they can do it, why can’t you? They have the same God as you. Use their stories as motivation, but approach consuming content with intention and discipline. Avoid endless scrolling—focus on what serves your growth.
4. Travel, If You Can
Traveling is one of the most effective ways to expand your perspective and build a creative life. It shows you firsthand that others live completely differently than you do, broadening your mind on a subconscious level and reinforcing the belief that you, too, can create a life that resonates with you.
If traveling isn’t doable right now, refer back to the previous step and immerse yourself in content from people living the life you want. But if you can travel, choose destinations where you can engage with people living the way you aspire to. Travel breaks the “bubble” of your current environment, freeing your mind from the belief that there is only one way to live.
5. Read
A more affordable way to spark creativity and expand your perspective is through reading. Books offer access to the lives, lessons, philosophies, and ideologies of others. It’s been said that the easiest way to understand someone’s life experiences is to read their story.
If there’s someone you admire, and they’ve written an autobiography, pick up their book. You don’t need to schedule an appointment with them to learn how they achieved their goals—you can find much of their wisdom within the pages. Reading allows you to learn from their successes and failures, which you can apply to your own journey.
6. Feed The Hunger
Returning to the hunger metaphor: imagine your authentic self-expression as a ray of sunshine hovering over you. The more you starve it, the dimmer it becomes. But when you feed it daily, that light grows brighter, casting a vibrant rainbow over your life.
"Feeding" your authentic self doesn’t require big and risky gestures. Small, consistent actions make a difference. Just as you eat daily to meet your physical needs, you must also nourish your psychological needs. For example, if you dream of being a writer but work a 9-to-5 job you’re not passionate about, commit to writing one page a day and don’t focus entirely on when the book needs to be done.
There’s no race to finish—it’s the act of doing what you love that feeds your soul. Over time, this habit could lead to a finished book, helping you realize your dream of becoming a writer. However, try to detach from the outcome. Creativity thrives when it’s free from pressure and deadlines. You won’t always have that creativity just readily available for you to use, it’s in the moments where you force creativity the least when you’re the most creative.
Don’t fall into the trap of focusing solely on results. Instead, write because you love it, and let the process itself bring you fulfillment.
Knowledge is Worthless Without Action
Now that you understand we, as humans, are meant to create—authentically and uniquely—it’s time to act. We are designed to live lives that are true to us, filled with creativity and individuality. Even though you read this guide, you can still continue with the same routine if you don’t take action. Consistent actions create long-lasting results.
Remember, knowledge is completely useless without follow-through. Don’t pressure yourself to restructure your entire life all at once—that often leads to burnout. Instead, focus on building tiny, consistent habits every day. Start small, and let those habits grow naturally over time. It’s the small, consistent steps—not the grand, risky leaps—that lead to the most profound and sustainable changes.
Life is meant to be lived, not merely survived. Consumption alone will never fulfill you—it’s creation that gives life meaning. The Creator—the universe, the force behind everything from animals to humans—made us in its image. And if the Creator creates, then we, as extensions of it, are meant to create as well.
So go ahead: create a life that speaks to your soul. Live in a way that feels authentic to you. When the time comes for you to leave this earth and move on to your next journey, you’ll know you at least tried to do what made you happy. And that, in itself, will be more than enough.
If you want to learn more about living a creative life, we recommend the book “Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear” by Elizabeth Gilbert. Purchase the book here.
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