--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s my opinion that only in times of…" description: "\"“It’s my opinion that only in times of utter depression or lofty peace is it appropriate to be creative.”\" — Nicholas Trandahl" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad0/nicholas-trandahl-29310_creative_it-s-my-opinion-that-only-in-times-of-ut_146361.jpg" --- # It’s my opinion that only in times of utter depression or… ![“It’s my opinion that only in times of utter depression or lofty peace is it appropriate to be creative.” quote by Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad0/nicholas-trandahl-29310_creative_it-s-my-opinion-that-only-in-times-of-ut_146361.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad0/nicholas-trandahl-29310_creative_it-s-my-opinion-that-only-in-times-of-ut_146361.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad0/nicholas-trandahl-29310_creative_it-s-my-opinion-that-only-in-times-of-ut_146361.jpg) > ““It’s my opinion that only in times of utter depression or lofty peace is it appropriate to be creative.”” [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creativity thrives in extremes—either deep depression or lofty peace—suggesting that intense emotional states can unlock artistic expression. **In simple terms:** Creativity emerges in deep depression or lofty peace. Key Takeaway Leverage intense emotions for art. Themes creativity emotion depression peace artistic expression Mood inspirational reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - channeling mood into work - mindful emotional regulation Key Concepts psychology of art emotional extremes inspiration sources Questions to Reflect On - How can you harness mood without harm? - What practices sustain creative flow? A Different Perspective Extreme moods can be destabilizing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) [Mental health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-health/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [He wondered if this was what clinical depression felt like, a total numbness, a weary lack of hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lehane/he-wondered-if-this-was-what-clinical-depression-felt-like-a-total/) [Dennis Lehane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lehane/) > [It's like you asked me about the depression thing: you grope towards an understanding of whatever it is your going through, and it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-geldof/it-s-like-you-asked-me-about-the-depression-thing-you-grope-towards/) [Bob Geldof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-geldof/) > [I continually still fight every day for my life, not only still battling mental health problems but battling multiple sclerosis, which also has depression…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-holliday/i-continually-still-fight-every-day-for-my-life-not-only-still/) [Jennifer Holliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-holliday/) > [A lot of people pass off adolescent depression as something trivial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lacey-sturm/a-lot-of-people-pass-off-adolescent-depression-as-something-trivial/) [Lacey Sturm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lacey-sturm/) > [“Many of the benefits of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) can be obtained without going into therapy. There are a number of self-help books, CDs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kirsch/many-of-the-benefits-of-cbt-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-can-be/) [Irving Kirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kirsch/) > [Depression Sadness grips my body, Wrapped in a blanket of despair, Can't see to think clearly and frankly I don't care, Why people do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/depression-sadness-grips-my-body-wrapped-in-a-blanket-of-despair-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The tendency for depression to repeat reflects the normal default settings of a plastic mood system that is open to experience. The unfortunate consequence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-rottenberg/the-tendency-for-depression-to-repeat-reflects-the-normal-default/) [Jonathan Rottenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-rottenberg/) > [The lows were absolutely horrible. It was like falling into a manhole and not being able to lift the lid and climb out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-hamilton/the-lows-were-absolutely-horrible-it-was-like-falling-into-a-manhole/) [Linda Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-hamilton/) > [“I don’t belong here. I know that. But I don’t belong anywhere else, either. And that is at the heart of the black depression…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/i-don-t-belong-here-i-know-that-but-i-don-t-belong-anywhere-else/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) > [Clinical depression passes but it's tough, it's very tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-fricker/clinical-depression-passes-but-it-s-tough-it-s-very-tough/) [Brenda Fricker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-fricker/) > [“How have individuals been affected by the technological advances of recent years? Here is the answer to this question given by a philosopher-psychiatrist, Dr.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/how-have-individuals-been-affected-by-the-technological-advances-of/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“My habitual mood of humiliation, self-doubt, forlorn depression, fell damp on the embers of my decaying ire.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/my-habitual-mood-of-humiliation-self-doubt-forlorn-depression-fell/) [Charlotte Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [I believe that it may be normal, healthy, and even productive to experience mild to moderate depression from time to time as part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-weil/i-believe-that-it-may-be-normal-healthy-and-even-productive-to/) [Andrew Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-weil/) > [Madness is to think of too many things in succession too fast, or of one thing too exclusively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/madness-is-to-think-of-too-many-things-in-succession-too-fast-or-of/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Gloom, despair, and agony on me. Deep, dark depression, excessive misery. If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-heather/gloom-despair-and-agony-on-me-deep-dark-depression-excessive-misery/) Susan Heather ## More by Nicholas Trandahl > [“As long as I have other ideas and projects noted, I feel confident that they'll be alright until I get to them. And my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/as-long-as-i-have-other-ideas-and-projects-noted-i-feel-confident/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“I feel like these characters, these places, these beings and plots, and even these inanimate objects are counting on me for survival. It’s my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/i-feel-like-these-characters-these-places-these-beings-and-plots-and/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“Sometimes just being able to write only a few hundred words as opposed to a few thousand is just fine. As long as they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/sometimes-just-being-able-to-write-only-a-few-hundred-words-as/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“In my own book-signings, I find humility. It’s always humbling when people go out of their way to come visit with me and by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/in-my-own-book-signings-i-find-humility-it-s-always-humbling-when/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“I primarily use poetry as a purge, a self-medication device when I’m in the depths of loneliness, anxiety or in the throes of depression.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/i-primarily-use-poetry-as-a-purge-a-self-medication-device-when-i-m/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“I write fiction not for my readers and not for myself. I write fiction for the sake of those odd heroic characters that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/i-write-fiction-not-for-my-readers-and-not-for-myself-i-write-fiction/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“I have to be in a particular mindset to write poetry. I either have to be very depressed or very inspired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/i-have-to-be-in-a-particular-mindset-to-write-poetry-i-either-have-to/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“Thoreau’s writings feel more alive to me than any thing that I’ve ever read. When I read anything by Thoreau, I see his subject.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/thoreau-s-writings-feel-more-alive-to-me-than-any-thing-that-i-ve/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“Whenever I read anything by Henry David Thoreau I honestly feel as though he’s with me. No. More like I am with him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/whenever-i-read-anything-by-henry-david-thoreau-i-honestly-feel-as/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“Edgar Allan Poe’s writings showed me perfectly that there can be such fragile beauty and purity located in darkness and sorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/edgar-allan-poe-s-writings-showed-me-perfectly-that-there-can-be-such/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“I’m a man of music as much as I am a man of words and prose. One could even possibly say that they, music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/i-m-a-man-of-music-as-much-as-i-am-a-man-of-words-and-prose-one-could/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“There are a couple of utterly important rules to writing anything, whether it's a novel, a short story or a collection of poetry. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/there-are-a-couple-of-utterly-important-rules-to-writing-anything/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“I just need to sit, think, write and read.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/i-just-need-to-sit-think-write-and-read/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“Poetry is a niche genre, sure, but it has a way of opening people up. It opens me up. As with music and art,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/poetry-is-a-niche-genre-sure-but-it-has-a-way-of-opening-people-up-it/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) > [“Henry David Thoreau is my favorite writer of all time, my literary god king, and his essay Wild Apples is my favorite thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/henry-david-thoreau-is-my-favorite-writer-of-all-time-my-literary-god/) [Nicholas Trandahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) [Explore all 18 Nicholas Trandahl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/) ## More Creative quotes > [An artist's creative energy is ephemeral as a flower. It blooms and soon dies. No artist is great forever. Personally, I think I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ki-duk/an-artist-s-creative-energy-is-ephemeral-as-a-flower-it-blooms-and/) [Kim Ki-duk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ki-duk/) > [When you're being truly creative, time stands still, and you enter a dimension that can carry you beyond the ordinariness of everyday life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-linn/when-you-re-being-truly-creative-time-stands-still-and-you-enter-a/) [Denise Linn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-linn/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Money is only used for two things. One, it's to make you comfortable, and the more comfortable you are the more creative you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/money-is-only-used-for-two-things-one-it-s-to-make-you-comfortable/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-creative-strength-is-good-enough-and-deep-enough-to-bring-itself/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [Anytime I get the chance to sing or work with Michael John, it is such an incredibly fertile and incredibly creative and safe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/anytime-i-get-the-chance-to-sing-or-work-with-michael-john-it-is-such/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [What Sri Chinmoy does is God-given! He has a tremendous, a fantastic creative urge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shankar/what-sri-chinmoy-does-is-god-given-he-has-a-tremendous-a-fantastic/) [Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shankar/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [when times are tough, the weak bail and the tough get creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-times-are-tough-the-weak-bail-and-the-tough-get-creative/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Teasing out the way the world might look through another's eyes is what makes the creative process so fascinating and enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-l-carter/teasing-out-the-way-the-world-might-look-through-another-s-eyes-is/) [Stephen L. Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-l-carter/) > [The creation lives as genesis beneath the visible surface of the work. All intelligent people see this after the fact, but only the creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/the-creation-lives-as-genesis-beneath-the-visible-surface-of-the-work/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) [Browse all 7,284 Creative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It’s my opinion that only in times of utter depression or lofty peace is it appropriate to be creative.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nicholas Trandahl" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/it-s-my-opinion-that-only-in-times-of-utter-depression-or-lofty-peace/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Creative" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/it-s-my-opinion-that-only-in-times-of-utter-depression-or-lofty-peace/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad0/nicholas-trandahl-29310_creative_it-s-my-opinion-that-only-in-times-of-ut_146361.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad0/nicholas-trandahl-29310_creative_it-s-my-opinion-that-only-in-times-of-ut_146361.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ad0/nicholas-trandahl-29310_creative_it-s-my-opinion-that-only-in-times-of-ut_146361.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It’s my opinion that only in times of utter depression or lofty peace is it appropriate to be creative.” — Nicholas Trandahl", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Nicholas Trandahl", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-trandahl/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It’s my opinion that only in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/it-s-my-opinion-that-only-in-times-of-utter-depression-or-lofty-peace/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-trandahl/it-s-my-opinion-that-only-in-times-of-utter-depression-or-lofty-peace/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```