FAMILY FIRST!

Have you ever thought to yourself: I’m just not a creative person? I know I have.

Seeing friends and colleagues who are good at painting, drawing, decorating, visualising different clothing styles, or coming up with cool event ideas has often left me wondering whether I had been passed over when the gift of creativity was distributed, whenever that might have been…

BUT IS IT REALLY TRUE THAT SOME OF US ARE SIMPLY NOT CREATIVE?

Elizabeth Gilbert (author of Eat Pray Love and Big Magic) approaches this question in an interesting way.

Since the word “creative” can sound a bit daunting and big to people, she asks them to replace it with “curious”. That leaves us with the statement: “I am not curious”. Now, who can honestly, with a straight face, say that about themselves?

I know I can’t… I want to get to the bottom of everything.

If you have ever thought to yourself, “I wonder what would happen if I did ___”, “How would it look if I mixed these two colors and ___”, “What would it be like to go ____?”, you are curious.

And this curiosity gives rise to your creativity.

Still not convinced?

Keep reading for four signs that you are scared of embracing your creativity (rather than not creative) and how you can do it anyway.

1. Fear of Having No Talent

Everyone has potential and talent in some area. This could be painting, carving, singing, dancing, you name it.

But even if you have talent, it takes time to learn a skill. For everyone. Even geniuses practice. They might have an easier time doing it, but they still need to practice.

Most people try something they think they might enjoy and expect to be good at it right away. If that doesn’t work out, they are disappointed and think they have no talent and abandon the project.

Sound like something you’ve done? I know I have. Plenty of times.

How and why does this happen?

Did a YouTube video of a painter inspire you to try acrylics because his work looked absolutely fabulous, beautiful and effortless and you want to learn to make something just like it?

I know the feeling. I think everybody who’s watched this kind of video has felt the same way.

But here’s the thing. The person you just saw has probably put in hundreds or even thousands of hours of work, learning everything about his craft and perfecting it over time.

How much time have you put into it so far? Probably not nearly as much, right? So there is no way you can expect yourself to have the same skillset as a seasoned pro. At least not yet.

You also only saw a short excerpt of this person’s creative process. You saw what worked out to become a beautiful work of art, not all the trial and error that went into getting there. And I’m sure almost every artist would be able to point out things in their work they think could be better.

What you can do

Give yourself time. Be patient and allow yourself to try, make mistakes and start over. That’s the most important thing.

Try again, and again until you get the results you want.

Let impatience wait outside instead of letting it get the better of you.

And most importantly, be proud of every single thing you make and do. It’s a unique expression of who you are and the journey you are on.

That makes it precious and valuable.

2. Fear That It’s Not the Right Time

This is a common fear people face before starting something new, whether it’s in life in general, business-related or a creative endeavor.

But really, how could it not be the right time to just pick up a pencil and start drawing? Or taking a pottery class? Or participating in a writing workshop? And what would the “right” time look like? Is it likely to come soon?

I understand there are periods that really don’t leave a lot of time for new projects. And if you are in the middle of packing up your house and moving to another continent, then, by all means, focus on that. But maybe a few minutes of simple doodling are just what you need to let your brain rest, recharge and get back some energy and focus.

Another reason you might think you shouldn’t start something is that you used to do it very well a long time ago and think you’re totally out of practice and couldn’t do your former skill justice.

Or do you think you’re not the right age? Too old to start using crayons and chalk to paint, since that’s just for kids? Or too young to start knitting, crocheting or needle work, cause that’s for grandmas?

Whichever one of these scenarios fits you, it’s just a way your fear of creativity is holding you back from starting your project. And this fear will never let the time be right. There will always be some reason to postpone it until tomorrow, or next week, or…

What you can do

Have the courage to start. Take one very simple step. Sign up for a class. Buy some basic supplies. Schedule some time. Start experimenting and let the rest just happen.

And most importantly, be patient and kind with yourself and celebrate every little success.

3. Fear of Rejection and Criticism

That’s a big one… for me at least. Whatever creative work I do, whether it’s writing, painting or something else, I catch myself worrying what people will have to say about it.

These worries used to keep me from doing many things, but eventually, I realised that it’s something I have no control over and therefore really shouldn’t worry about.

Whatever you make and however good, beautiful or useful it is, there will always be somebody to have a different opinion. And they won’t mind sharing it.

And another thing: the more original your ideas are, the more criticism and rejection there is likely to be.

Why? Because new things unsettle people. Either because it scares them or it makes them envious because they realise they themselves are not willing or able to do something like you, so they get jealous.

Whatever reason you get criticised for your creative work or even your ideas, it’s not something you should take personally. EVER!

I think that one deserves an exclamation mark simply because it’s that important.

It can be hard not to take this kind of thing to heart because we put a lot of ourselves into our creative work. Hearing negative remarks about it can easily feel like an insult to our very self, and that’s something nobody wants.

But what I’ve come to realise is that if somebody completely rejects what you are doing and tries to put you down because of it, they are not the right person to be sharing your ideas with.

If that person is close to you, of course they can still be your friend, but talking about this aspect of your life with them will only pull you down and make you doubt yourself and you're creative work. And there’s probably enough of that in your head already, you don’t need someone else adding to that…

On the other hand, some people might actually give you genuine advice or constructive criticism. Maybe they have ideas and input that can help you grow or that will inspire you to try something new and different next time.

What you can do

Ask yourself: will taking this new idea/suggestion to heart help me improve and progress?

If the answer is yes, then take it to heart and don’t block it. If someone is willing to take the time to give your work some serious thought and wants to help you move on, it means they really care about you.

That’s the kind of person it’s great to bounce ideas from because you know they understand you and are interested in giving you feedback that will build you up and help you reach your goals, whatever they may be.

4. Fear of Not Being Good Enough

This one has probably affected all creatives at one time or another. Whether you write, paint or sing, you’ve probably wondered whether you are good enough to show your art to the world, especially in the beginning.

The notion behind this fear is nothing other than perfectionism.

Have you been putting off presenting your creative project because you thought you should get “better” first?

But what is “better”? And when will you be “better”?

If you are a true perfectionist, then probably never. I’m not saying you won’t get better with practice, but perfectionism will keep you from ever getting over yourself and truly embracing your creativity.

It’s the one biggest enemy of your creativity and if you don’t keep it in check it might sabotage your work completely. Perfectionism makes you doubt the quality of your work, its value, your abilities and even yourself.

But the worst thing is, that we often think it’s a good thing, because, after all, how bad can it be to want to do your creative work well?

And I’m not saying you shouldn’t.

What you can do

You should give every single one of your projects you're all and make it the very best it can be.

But instead of striving for perfection, go for your personal best. Go for the best you can do right now, with the time and the abilities you currently have.

Accept that you will do better in time, and maybe you can come back and polish your current project up a bit when you’ve developed further.

But for now, just get started. And before you know it, you will learn more and more about your craft, which will give you more confidence in your skills and yourself.

These were the first four signs that you are afraid of embracing your creativity rather than not being creative.

Did they resonate with you? How did you deal with them? Leave a comment below and let us at FAN4ME know!