“I believe creativity is inherent in all of us, not just a privileged few. I didn’t used to believe that,” public speaker Renae Kingsley said.
Kingsley is a creativity coach and freelance artist who has spoken in several classes, corporate and community events, conferences and more. She has experience in a variety of roles, including, but not limited to, stage magician, actress, homeschool mom and event planner.
Kingsley’s outlook on creativity has evolved from her college years to where she is now.
“I had professors tell me I just didn’t have the gifts that were needed to pursue a creative career. Unfortunately, I believed them, and it’s just not true. We’re all given gifts of creativity. We just might need to refine it a little bit,” the creativity coach said.
Kingsley’s faith as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has also changed her perspective on creativity.
She explained how she believes one of God’s defining characteristics is creating, so in order for people to become like Him, they need to embrace and develop their creative gifts.
“We can ask Him to help us develop our creative abilities, no matter what form we use to express our creative voice,” she said. “It’s not just about art or writing, but you use creativity in any career field.”
Creativity is often needed in a variety of careers and roles, such as engineering, medical care and parenthood.
Kingsley encourages people to pray for guidance in the specific role they have.
The public speaker teaches a variety of listeners about creativity exercises to help combat their “inner critic,” a person’s inner voice that speaks negatively about them.
This negative self-talk can sound like, “My art looks terrible.”
Kingsley said the way to combat this voice is to write down what it says, but then flip those negative views into empowering statements, such as, “My art is beautiful and brings joy to people.”
She said these empowering statements can rewire a person’s brain into thinking that what they want to achieve is possible for them.
“It’s very fascinating how it empowers you on a molecular level, just by saying these things out loud to yourself every day,” Kingsley said.
As for Kingsley, she finds fulfillment in painting. When Ukraine was invaded, the artist sold prints of her painting, “The Donning of Hope”, as an online fundraiser to support humanitarian work in Ukraine.
She said she feels that everyone can find ways to use their talents to bless others, and that God can make more out of her life than she could do on her own.
You can learn more about Kingsley on her website.