In order to be open to creativity, one must have the capacity for constructive use of solitude. One must overcome the fear of being alone. ~ Rollo May

Why did this quote stand out to me? Why share it here?

I guess I think about solitude a lot. I do my best work (or so I think) when I’m alone. When I have the freedom from distractions, fear of judgement, and flexibility to explore as I see fit, my mind does one of my favorite things. It wanders. I become creative. I do struggle with the constructive use of that solitary time often. I tend to get distracted. I have hundreds of things I’m interested in, piles of books I’m reading, art projects stacked to the ceiling, and I’m always hungry (so I often get distracted making snacks).

I do also think that a lot of people are afraid of being alone. Solitude can be hard sometimes, for many reasons. Often our minds go to places that make us uncomfortable, be that fear of failure, regret for past choices, or even just nervousness. The reasons are many and likely similar… but different for everyone.

So, I think, while we need to be strong and spend time alone and in solitude. We also need to remember that solitude isn’t forever. Those things we explore and find in those times can be brought back to the our communities and perhaps even explored then in more deep and interesting ways.

Two sides to the same coin, solitude and being comfortable in it. And remembering that it should come to an end at some point.

Updated Sunday, March 26th, 2023, 7:12pm

Anna: What does this quote mean? In order to be open to creativity, one must have the capacity for constructive use of solitude. One must overcome the fear of being alone. ~ Rollo May

ChatGPT-3.5: This quote by Rollo May suggests that in order to be creative, one must be comfortable with spending time alone and have the ability to use that solitude constructively. This means being able to engage in deep thinking, reflection, and self-discovery without feeling anxious or afraid of being alone.

May also points out that one of the main barriers to creativity is the fear of being alone. Many people are uncomfortable with solitude because it can be challenging to confront oneself and one’s thoughts without external distractions. However, according to May, overcoming this fear is essential for unlocking the potential for creativity.

In essence, May is saying that in order to be creative, one must have the capacity to be alone with their thoughts and use that solitude in a positive and productive way, without being held back by the fear of being alone.

Let’s try it simpler.

Explain that to a three year old, nine words.

To be creative, be okay alone sometimes.