CREATIVE COURAGE

Every act of creativity, whether making a painting, writing a book or launching a new business, requires us to show up and move through the tangle of doubt and fear that can naturally arrive. 

Even now, as I am launching my coaching business, Insight Creative, this familiar feeling is with me. To help move things along, I have been working with a business coach, George Kao, and something he recently shared reminded me of this process. He said, “Reinforce your ability as a creator and rebel against self doubt.” I loved that!

In my creative work, I have often let the feelings of doubt, that popped up along the way, to take hold and interfere with the process of making my art.

I took the arrival of doubt to mean that something was wrong - with my idea, with my execution and, ultimately, with me. I crafted a story that said “I am fearful and that must mean I don’t have what it takes to do this work.” I used fear as a gauge for my self worth and I then valued myself less when fear arrived.

All this did for me was feed the monster. Self judgement then piled on top of doubt....and things felt so heavy, making it impossible for me to feel inspired to continue. Stalled, I would give up and walk away...hoping that next time I’d be stronger, better, different than I was. I had completely abandoned myself….and my art.

It was when I finally came to realize that doubt and fear were a natural part of art making, that I could enter into a different relationship with it. First, I began to notice my doubts the moment they arrived, as they can run below the surface and feel like a quiet unsettledness or just a taste of frustration....subversive and murky.

Once I could more easily identify these feelings and thoughts, I could play with them a bit - bringing them forward for me to see them more clearly. I might write them down in my sketchbook journal, externalizing them. I noticed they became less powerful right away.

Then I could ask myself if they were actually true thoughts or just some imaginings about what might be or could happen. Was I concerning myself with other’s opinions? Was I worried about pleasing someone, other than myself? Was I placing too much importance on a successful outcome? Could I just be here, making my art and not place such weighty judgments on every brush stroke and any missteps along the way? 

When we can engage our art making, or any act of creation, from a place of courage - facing the fear and doubt, and doing the work anyways - we open ourselves up to possibility and discovery. 

If we can accept doubt as a natural outcome of creation, and allow ourselves to do the work from this place of awareness, we find that our doubts or fears get much quieter and we no longer react to them....we can simply be at choice in how we want to respond. 

Our response to our thoughts and feelings is where we most display our courage. Can we simply be with what shows up, not pushing it away or condemning ourselves? Can we craft a more truthful response that supports our efforts and engagement? 

This is creative mindfulness, the act of observing ourselves from a place of neutrality and curiosity, and it can bring so much peace to our process, allowing us to risk, play and fail....all qualities we need to embrace to make our most potent and authentic work. 

Next time you’re feeling a sense of doubt and struggle with your creative work, think about creative mindfulness and creative courage. Remember that any time we are diving into the vast unknown, that all creation is birthed from, we should expect to feel some trepidation....and some excitement too! 

Let the feelings arise and flow through you....like clouds moving through the sky. Notice them, but keep engaged with what you’re working on, trusting that you are deeply in your place of creating. Let your doubts and fears tell you that you’re creatively alive....being rebellious!

It’s truly all about the meaning we give to these thoughts and feelings, and the courage we have to face the fear and do it anyways!