I have heard this statement many times from different people over the years. I remember doing a course where there was lots of elements that included coursework, practical work and
creating a product and someone who I was doing the course with was in such a panic about creating a product that she nearly dropped out. She kept saying to me "I'm not creative, I'm going to make a fool out of myself if I try this. I can't do this."
My response was "did you pick you clothes today? Did you decide to wear those earrings? Did you decide that shade of lipstick? Did you decorate your house?" The answer to all these questions was "Yes" to which I played "then you have an abundance of creativity within you!" I believe we make creative choices everyday but when it comes to pen to paper, paintbrush to canvas, cameras to capturing, a lot of us are too scared to even try.
I think the biggest barrier to allowing ourselves to be creative is fear. What if I'm not good enough? There are people who are better than me. What if people laugh at me or judge me? What if I look stupid? What if I'm misunderstood?
I know the fear factor of being creative. Even writing this blog I am having all the above thoughts! There are some things I have learnt that allows me to let go of those fears and share my creativity anyway. So here are some tops tips in the form of quotes.
1. "You could be the ripest peach in the world and there will still be someone who doesn't like peaches" - people are going to judge you anyway. It's inevitable so remind yourself that if someone doesn't like something you've created and shared, then that's okay, that's their opinion. Other people will understand and find meaning in it. Many people walk into my house which is covered in colour and either love it or hate it and 90% of the time they are sharing their opinion with me! When people say things like "It's not my taste, it's too bright, I prefer greys", It doesn't upset me because I love my rainbow house. It represents me, so now I try to take that attitude if I am sharing something more vulnerable that I've created like a written piece or video.
2. "There's no comparison between the sun and the moon. They shine when it's their time." - I enjoy writing, poetry and producing videos. I wish I had the talent for painting or music. Maybe down the line I'll learn to play something but as far as drawing I mess up stick men! But when it comes to the things I'm good enough at, I don't compare myself to anyone. If we compare ourselves to Shakespeare, Mozart, Scorsese or Frida then we would probably never try. And again it's subjective anyway, you may not stand some of the named people above and think their work is overrated, everyone has different opinions. The point is, if we start comparing ourselves to others, we rob ourselves of our own uniqueness and what we have to offer. Say you created a mug in a pottery class and you see someone else's and start thinking "theirs is better than me. Mine's rubbish. I wish I was better at this". Start challenging those thoughts. Maybe that person has been making mugs for 5 years and you've been doing it for 5 weeks. Instead of criticising your piece, remember you showed up and worked on it and created something. That's an achievement. Even if you think their mug looks better, someone might prefer the shape of yours and at the end of the day, they are both mugs! The both hold coffee regardless if you believe the other looks better, you've created something with purpose and you had the courage to give it a go.
3. "Feel the fear and do it anyway" - It's a brave thing to get creative. I have shared many things over the years particular inspired by my own experience of mental health and I won't lie, ALOT of it I cringe at now. But I also know people that is has helped or inspired and so, as much as I have the urge to delete it from the world and wipe it from my memory, I don't because I'm passionate about helping others. Sharing something you have created can inspire feelings in people. They will relate or not relate and that can be scary. It's normal to feel afraid to create something or try something new and it can be uncomfortable, but the more you just feel that fear and do it anyway, the easier it gets.
4. "Let go and get in the flow" - Our critical mind can be our worst enemy at times. I love making vision boards. I get an A3 drawing pad sheet, coloured pens and just draw out the life I want. It is a stick woman in the middle that represents me and then everything I wish for, around it. At New Years my sister and I do this together and she is always asking "Whats that meant to be?", pointing to some of my drawings. Now my vision board is just for me, I don't really share it with anyone but the perfectionist in me still wants it to be perfect. The first time I wanted to make one, my inner critic was saying "write it or do it on the computer because you. can. not. draw! You will look stupid, this will look terrible, make it look really nice etc." I ignored that inner critic and took the pen to paper. For the first few minutes I kept having those thoughts but eventually that switched off and I got really into it. The different colours and shapes overtook the blank sheet and I was really proud of the end results. It looks like something a five year old drew but I don't care, I still have it 6 years on and its one of my favourite vision boards. Let go and get in the flow!
Conclusion
Everyone has a sense of creativity within them. Its about learning to let go of the fears and allow yourself to embrace it and get in the flow. It doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't have to make sense to anyone else. It doesn't have to be good. It can be a representation of what's important to you. So allow your creative side out once in a while.
We will have more blogs of tips and topics on different ways of getting creative.
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