In a nutshell, confidence is key.
If you're striving to live a more creative life and having a hard time turning inspiration into action, think about what could be holding you back.
My guess is that it probably is self-doubt.
One of my favorite sayings is, "Care what other people think and you will always be their prisoner."
If you recognize yourself in that statement, let me be the first to reassure you: people are much more concerned with themselves and what they are doing than to be thinking about what you are doing! Believe me when I say, you are likely the only one holding yourself back!
Even with the knowledge that you might be committing self-sabotage, it can be hard to take those first steps to creative independence. Let me be your guide!
Here are a few of my tips for letting go of the self-doubt and embracing your very own creativity.
Break away from routine
Identify those things in your life which are stagnant and rarely change. It could be what you eat for breakfast every day, or it could be how you spend your Monday evenings. Make a determined effort to change that routine and try something new. No matter how uncomfortable it may feel, do it. Remember, change is good!
Give yourself time
Inspiration—whether it be from art that you see, music you hear, or nature that you experience—is just that; it is inspiration. It is simply meant to be inspiring. It does not need to be a call to action where you immediately begin to create new designs or try to make new art. Inspiration is merely to be absorbed and enjoyed. Take time to do this.
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again
Make determined practice a way of life. If you want to learn how to draw, then you have to pick up a pencil and practice drawing. If you want to learn to make jewelry, then you need to practice wrapping those wires, even if at first they are crooked or marred and don't turn out the way you would have liked. People who are good at things are good at them because they work at it. They practice all the time!
Do your homework
YouTube is an endless resource for learning how to do just about anything. Make an effort to educate yourself about the subject you are interested in. Learn all about it. By doing this you will naturally increase your confidence because you are putting in the legwork to do what you need to do.
Take chances with your creativity
Practice being bold. Realize that no one can do this for you. You need to do it yourself. What does being bold creatively mean to you? To me it means trying out new ideas, techniques, or maybe new types of art that I've never tried but want to know more about. You have to just do it without worrying about what the outcome could be. Stay in the here and now!
Think about this: What makes you feel confident?
Maybe it's completing a task at work that you excel at and then are complimented on by your boss. Think about that little boost of confidence that you get from that scenario and remember how it feels. Now realize that you can give yourself that feeling by being bold, working hard, taking chances creatively, trying again and again, and breaking from boring routine.
Remember, confidence exists and you can give it to yourself.
Have a great week!
Laura
Laura
