Recognized as one factor that brings success to individuals and cultures, our creativity allows us to think outside the box and string old ideas together to develop new ones. I don’t know about you, but I believe the benefits of music, art, and writing influence our principles and how we see the world. Sometimes, it seems like it positively affects us physically as well.
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Considered a characteristic that helps us find breakthroughs and solutions and a significant source of beauty and artistic expression, here are the top animals that represent creativity.
“Creativity is what separates us from animals”
-VIRAJ PHALKE
Gorillas – The strong and creative kings of the jungle
Recognized as the world’s largest living primate, gorillas have a strong willpower that allows them to lead their troop and protect them from harm. While they are often seen as an image of strong leadership, loyalty, and confidence, many believe their ability to lead, think quickly, and take full responsibility for their actions make them powerful symbols of creativity and intelligence.
The gorilla encourages creativity and tells us to develop innovative solutions to our personal and professional concerns.
Crows – A mysterious yet creative flyer
Throughout history, crows have been recognized as mystical birds associated with wisdom, trickery, and death. However, little do we know that they are one of the most intelligent creatures on the planet. Their ability to use sticks and stones as tools, mimic sounds, and remember human faces easily makes them symbols of creativity and innovation.
Often regarded as a messenger to the gods, the crow totem appears to urge us to use our gifts to solve our problems and to fly away from sticky situations. Their fondness of flocking in groups encourages people to combine their creative juices to inspire teamwork and collaboration.
Bees – Inspiring our creative buzz
Generally described as resilient, committed, and hard-working, bees are among earth’s most diligent and industrious creatures. Their ability to produce honey led many to see them as symbols of abundance. Often compared to ants, their ability to build intricately designed hives won them a spot on our most creative animals list.
Bees work tirelessly for the good of the colony. They teach us to remain persistent until we achieve our goals. These helpful yet menacing totem animals urge us to be more supportive of our friends and family and more creative and hard-working.
Chameleons – Creatively adding colors to our world
Considered one of the most interesting reptiles to observe and learn about, the chameleon’s ability to change its color depending on its environment and emotion makes it a symbol of transformation, ingenuity, and creative expression. Their brightly colored skin urges us to express ourselves creatively through songs, writings, and art.
Apart from encouraging us to find creative solutions to our troubles, the chameleon tells us to use our intuition and strong instinct to recognize the things we love the most and find innovative ways to hone and nurture them.
Goat – Versatile and curious
Perhaps one of the most misunderstood creatures on the planet, the goat is recognized as a symbol of sexuality and fertility. A handful of legends tell us that they are associated with the devil, insatiable lust, and witchcraft. However, this gentle creature’s fearlessness in exploring new heights has made them symbols of creative energy and desire.
Muck like a deer, goats awaken our passion and willingness to go beyond our comfort zones. They inspire us to be more imaginative and creative and urge us to view our hardships from different angles and to think of creative solutions from a fresh perspective. Goats push us to explore new opportunities, allowing us to stay ahead of the competition.
Ram – Artistically majestic
Easily recognized for their huge curved horns, rams are prominently associated with grace, stamina, and courage. Often seen using its unique and powerful antlers to assert dominance, its spiral horn motivates us to creatively assert ourselves in finding breakthroughs to our problems.
The ram symbolizes our ability to overcome barriers creatively by using our strength and imagination. They encourage us to explore and enter new markets while taking calculated risks, bringing new opportunities that lead to success.
Hippopotamus – The almighty
Although they are often found lounging in lakes and rivers, the hippopotamus’ short legs and large body makes them unable to swim. However, their ability to thrive in complex groups teaches us how teamwork and collaboration enable us to express our creativity easily.
The hippo’s unique characteristic of anticipating danger inspires us to think of creative ways to solve our various problems. Comfortable on land and water, they help us adapt better to our environment and take on our challenges creatively.
Seal – That graceful swimming mammal
Related to badgers, skunks, and bears, seals are unique creatures that tell us to use our imagination and be more creative in life. Seals are uniquely protected from frigid temperatures by a thick layer of blubber and its highly sensitive set of whiskers. This shows that our creative gifts allow us to stand out.
Naturally curious and playful, they urge us to explore and to be more imaginative when taking on tasks and projects. Their presence awakens our creativity, enabling us to develop innovative solutions to our problems.
Dolphins – An Intelligent and affectionate marine mammal
Commonly associated with playfulness and joy (just like the otters), dolphins are highly intelligent animals that easily get along with most species, including humans. Boasting their incredible communication skills and ability to solve simple tasks, dolphins are seen by many as creatures that stimulate imagination and creativity.
Much like gorillas and crows, dolphins can use tools that rank them among the most intelligent animals on the planet. In today’s world, innovation is the key to success. By employing creative strategies, we develop an edge over those who don’t, often producing beneficial results.
Whale – The ocean giant
While they symbolize innocence, solitude, and good luck, the whale’s fondness for exploration and extraordinary means of communication make them a colossal symbol of creativity and higher intelligence. Their unique trait of strongly blowing out through a hole inspires us to let our creative juices flow.
The whale’s use of sonar and echolocation shows how we can use innovative ways to achieve our goals. So, I believe that whales tell us to use our resources more effectively. This includes identifying areas that need improvement and finding creative ways to increase efficiency, as it often leads to us achieving our desired results.
Octopus – How it inspires our creative behavior
The octopus is admired for having three hearts and nine brains and its ability to change its body color, symbolizing rebirth, creativity, healing, and courage. With brains distributed in various parts of the body, they inspire us to create new ideas and solutions that enable us to deal with complex problems.
Since they are not known to possess physical strength, octopuses bet on their intelligence and creativity to evade predators. Creativity helps us to be more resilient, enabling us to adapt better to changing markets and technological advances. Innovative solutions allow us to stay ahead of others and remain competitive.
Butterfly – Colorful, winged, and beautiful
Since they go through a complete metamorphosis, butterflies are often viewed as a symbol of purity, renewal, and transformation. However, artists see this as a metaphor for creative growth and progress, particularly when they develop something innovative and fresh.
Butterflies are typically associated with gracefulness and beauty, qualities that are commonly linked to creativity. These highly attractive creatures are also depicted in art as symbols of our imagination and inspiration.
Rabbits – Springing our creative side
Widely accepted as a symbol of fertility and abundance, rabbits are some of the fluffiest and most lovable creatures around. Their ability to produce up to 12 babies in a single cycle is seen by many as a metaphor for fruitfulness and creative productivity.
Naturally quick and agile, the rabbit motivates us to be energetic as we pursue our creative pursuits. They have also been used in countless fairy tales and children’s stories to stimulate the imagination and awaken a child’s creative side.
Hummingbird – Helping our creativity hum back to life
Admired for their ability to hover in mid-air and to change direction quickly, hummingbirds are often viewed as creatures that inspire creative thinking. They are often illustrated in art as symbols of grace and beauty, traits that can also be associated with our creative expressions.
Several Native American tribes view the hummingbird as animals that bring healing and renewal. Such qualities can also be linked to creativity as it allows us to express ourselves freely and bring fresh perspectives to life.
Frog – Jumping into the creative nature of this amphibian
Starting their life as a tadpole before undergoing metamorphosis to become fully formed frogs, these hoppers are more commonly associated with change and transformation. However, several cultures see such conversion as an inspiration for creative growth and development.
The frog’s presence reminds us how we undergo a metamorphosis each time we develop something fresh and innovative. Their ability to adapt and thrive in different environments motivates us to look at things from various perspectives and passionately pursue our creative goals.
Spiders – Stirring a creative spin
More popular for setting traps to catch prey and devouring their mates after sex, spiders are symbolic of deceit and patience. However, their ability to spin webs also associates them with the creativity required for spinning, weaving, and knotwork.
Spiders are known to stimulate our creative side, boost our imagination, and help us be crafty with our hands. It is believed that those who have them as their spirit animal are often creative in music, cooking, and arts and crafts.
Conclusion
Whether at work, in parenting, or you are channeling your inner artist, our innate creativity helps us see things from various perspectives and come up with innovative solutions to everyday challenges. While animals like the fox, snake, tiger, buffalo, and swan are believed to awaken our creativity, they represent different spiritual symbolisms making them more significant in their own right.
Luckily, the animals on our list better cultivate this vital trait as it greatly affects our physical, mental, and spiritual health.
You can also check our post about symbolism for creativity for more information.
