I came across an article by Justin Gammill that helped me understand there are scores of documents proving that highly creative types think very differently than the average person. They’re hardwired aptitude for the arts generate amazing works that we benefit from. But for their lover, it’s important for them to understand the ten things that come with the creative’s unique mindset.

1. Mind is Always Working

The creative mind runs at full speed all the time. It allows for spur-of-the-moment fun, but their lover sometimes finds it draining. Creatives also tend to bounce between projects throughout a day. Their lover can seldom keep up and soon realizes they will never be able to control or manipulate the creative into a clear schedule.

2. Life Takes on Patterns

Creativity ebbs and flows, bringing emotional highs and lows to the creative in regular patterns. To some it might appear to be a manic behavior disorder, but its simply part of the creative process. Their lover must understand that their lows are temporary and bring about a new perspective for the creative, who then ramps up with more ideas.

3. Need Down Time

While some people assume that many creatives are introverts based on their withdrawal periods, most just need to pull away to deal with their thoughts. The same holds true when chats become limited or quiet. The creative hasn’t lost interest in their lover, but instead is temporarily stuck in his head working through ideas.

4. Hyper Focused

When hyper focused on a project, the creative can lose track of time and find sleep altered based on his workflow. This can be difficult and frustrating for the lover, as he is ignorant and irresponsible at one point, and brilliant and responsible at another. The lover must remember its part of how the creative is wired.

5. Emotions Run Deep

Creative people feel everything on a deeper level. What seems like a small thing to the lover could be a much bigger deal for the creative to the point of feeling crushed. The lover must remember that it’s the same passion he uses to create art that expresses love.

6. Think and Speak in Stories

It takes the creative a lot more words to express his experiences, instead of just saying what he wants to say. This storytelling process ascribes his humanity to what he shares, but can be hard to follow at times for the lover unless she reads between the lines.

7. Wage Internal Battles

Creatives can take several hours to come up to speed and accomplish a task on one given day and jump out of bed for a project on another. It’s impossible for the lover to slow him down and she soon learns to be patient during the slow times, as surges of activity will quickly show up.

8. Thrive on Intuition

Creatives rely on intuition over logic due to their intense emotions. They typically go with their gut and are right far more times than logical people care to admit. While lovers might be concerned about what appears to be impulsive tendencies, the creative is actually following his depth of experience and passion.

9. Struggle with Confidence

Creating for a profession develops second-guessing in all creatives. While some lovers might be concerned about the creative’s need for acceptance, he is typically just seeking to understand the needs of his audience. This comes from the vulnerability of having to wear his heart on his sleeves for the sake of art. This in turn leads to questions about whether or not his work is ever good enough. The lover’s most important role in maintaining her relationship is being supportive of the creative – protecting his heart and ability to continue loving.

10. Play

Creatives know how to let their inner child play. At times, the lover might think he’s being immature or impulsive, but he’s just being a child at heart. This is an innate part of the creative’s brain and thinking process. The lover has to remember the things that make the relationship fun and playful are the same things that might become frustrating during serious times.

Copyright © 2015 by CJ Powers