This Isn't Supposed to Happen

Imagine a lilac bush blooming in the wrong season—completely out of sync with nature. That’s exactly what happened in our garden a couple of weeks ago. At first, it seemed like a mistake, but as I stood there, looking at the delicate flowers in the crisp fall air, I realized it was something more: a lesson in the power of creativity, even in the unexpected.

Now, I have to admit—creativity isn’t a word I’ve often used to describe myself. I’m an attorney. Attorneys aren’t typically seen as creative types. We work with facts, logic, and frameworks, and creativity doesn’t always seem like it belongs in the courtroom or the office. For most of my life, I thought creativity was reserved for artists, musicians, or designers—people who seemed born to create beauty. But what if creativity isn’t about being an “artist” in the traditional sense? What if it’s simply about being open to seeing things differently?

That lilac bush, blooming in defiance of the rules, made me question my own assumptions about creativity.

Standing in front of the lilac, something shifted. I pulled out my phone, wanting to capture the way the sun hit the petals. I didn’t think much of it—I just wanted to document the moment. But as I framed the shot, focusing on the light and the texture of the petals, I realized I was creating something. What had started as a simple snapshot became a work of art, and in that instant, I discovered something about myself that I hadn’t acknowledged before: creativity was always there, it had just been waiting for me to notice.

This experience reminded me of my friend, Natasja, who is a sugar flower artisan. You can see her amazing work here on Instagram: @cakeatelieramsterdam. She works with people who, like me, never thought of themselves as creative. They attend her classes feeling like beginners, uncertain of their abilities, unsure of how to turn their love of flowers into art. Yet, with a little guidance and encouragement, they create stunning sugar flowers—delicate, lifelike, and filled with beauty.  

What Natasja teaches her students is something that resonates with me now: creativity isn’t about having all the answers or being perfect at something from the start. It’s about showing up with curiosity and a willingness to explore. Her students, who once doubted themselves, leave her workshops with confidence, realizing that they had the ability to create all along. They just needed someone to help them see it.

In much the same way, my camera phone has become my guide. It helps me see the world through a new lens—literally and figuratively. Every time I pull it out, I’m reminded that creativity is a process. It’s not about creating something perfect; it’s about expressing how you see the world, how you feel in a moment, and how you can turn that moment into something tangible.  

Now, here’s where this lesson becomes yours.  

How many times have you found yourself thinking you aren’t creative? Maybe you’ve hesitated to try something new because you don’t feel “qualified.” Or maybe you’ve convinced yourself that creativity belongs to someone else—the artist, the expert, the person who just seems to know what they’re doing.

But here’s the truth: creativity is for everyone, and it doesn’t care about rules. Just like the lilac blooming when it wasn’t supposed to, creativity shows up when you least expect it. You don’t need to wait for the perfect conditions or the right timing. Creativity thrives when you allow yourself to see the world through a different lens, just as I did with that photograph.

So here’s my challenge to you: where is creativity hiding in your life? Is it in that project you’ve been putting off because you feel unprepared? Is it in the conversation you’ve been avoiding because you don’t know what to say? Is it in the moments of quiet when you stop to notice the details around you—the way the light hits a wall, the texture of a leaf, or the stillness of an early morning?

You don’t need to have a grand plan. You just need to be present, curious, and open to what’s around you.

As I’ve been reflecting on this discovery, I can’t help but think about how creativity is intertwined with how we live our daily lives. We often reserve creativity for “big” moments—launching a business, writing a book, or designing something unique. But creativity doesn’t need to be grand. It can show up in the small, everyday moments. It can appear when you’re cooking a meal and decide to try a new ingredient. It can show up in a conversation when you listen a little deeper or ask a new question.

And yes, it can even show up in the life of an attorney.

In fact, creativity can be found in the way we solve problems. When the lilac bloomed, I could have simply accepted it as an anomaly and moved on. But taking the time to appreciate it, to capture it with my phone, allowed me to engage with that moment in a creative way.

It’s the same with life’s challenges. What if we approached the problems in our lives with the same openness and curiosity? What if, instead of waiting for the perfect solution, we allowed ourselves to experiment, to try something new, to trust that the answers might appear in ways we hadn’t expected?

This is the core of creativity: it’s less about what you make and more about how you see.

As the days grow shorter and we settle into the stillness of fall, I challenge you to look for where creativity might be hiding in your life. It might not announce itself with fanfare, but like the lilac bloom, it’s there, waiting for you to notice.

Where will you find your unexpected bloom? How will you embrace it, even if it feels out of season?