To live a creative life we must lose our fear of being wrong. Joseph Chilton Pearce
A true creative person who is moved by the mediums and colors and methods that catch their eye cannot be wrong. I immediately think of Andy Warhol. He obviously did not fear being wrong. :) And while perhaps his creative works aren't what I would do or what I'm even drawn to I can see that he was extremely creative, talented, and did not fear what other people thought of his works. Because he was free from that fear he was free to express himself through his chosen creative method.
I think most often we first have to get over the fear that whatever we feel we want to be creative about is wrong, especially if it doesn't fit in the box of what culture says is the definition of creative arts. Then, once we have determined that our desired expression of creativity is okay, we have to tackle being afraid of "doing it wrong". Newsflash: even the greats (at whatever they are known for being great at) have missteps, have to learn a different method, etc. For them, because they don't fear being wrong, learning something that will enhance their creative life is fun. GASP! Instead of striving for unrealistic perfection and not accepting constructive criticism because its wounding try instead looking at it as FUN!! What a concept, I mean really. *grin*
In case you hadn't guessed, my creative expression is writing. I've got a few others but the biggie for me is writing. I have to really slay the dragons of fear more often than not. Especially when someone else, who doesn't really know me at all, is reading my stuff for the purposes of constructive criticism. I go through seasons where I don't write because I can't figure out how to get over the whole "not being wrong" thing. But, as is true with anyone who has a creative life living inside of them clawing to get out, I eventually return to writing even if the dragons are still breathing down my neck. I have to. I am compelled to. It is intrinsically part of who I am and how I am wired to express myself.
Maybe it's writing. Maybe it's playing a musical instrument. Maybe it's drawing or painting. Maybe - oh gosh here I am going out of the box - it's organizing things in creative ways that nobody has ever thought of. Maybe - warning, I'm out of the box again on this one - it's teaching someone something (and goodness knows we could all use more creative teachers - I'm serious!). Maybe it's creating savory and/or sweet dishes that brings smiles to faces and make taste buds dance. Maybe it's working with a camera. Etc etc etc. Get creative about what you can be creative with!
In what ways does creativity poke at you and ask to "come out and play"? Are you stuffing it down, telling it to go away because you fear you are wrong, the creativity is wrong, the method is wrong, etc? Would you take a chance on it today?
Allow yourself to live a creative life, we all have it in us, let it loose! :)
A true creative person who is moved by the mediums and colors and methods that catch their eye cannot be wrong. I immediately think of Andy Warhol. He obviously did not fear being wrong. :) And while perhaps his creative works aren't what I would do or what I'm even drawn to I can see that he was extremely creative, talented, and did not fear what other people thought of his works. Because he was free from that fear he was free to express himself through his chosen creative method.
I think most often we first have to get over the fear that whatever we feel we want to be creative about is wrong, especially if it doesn't fit in the box of what culture says is the definition of creative arts. Then, once we have determined that our desired expression of creativity is okay, we have to tackle being afraid of "doing it wrong". Newsflash: even the greats (at whatever they are known for being great at) have missteps, have to learn a different method, etc. For them, because they don't fear being wrong, learning something that will enhance their creative life is fun. GASP! Instead of striving for unrealistic perfection and not accepting constructive criticism because its wounding try instead looking at it as FUN!! What a concept, I mean really. *grin*
In case you hadn't guessed, my creative expression is writing. I've got a few others but the biggie for me is writing. I have to really slay the dragons of fear more often than not. Especially when someone else, who doesn't really know me at all, is reading my stuff for the purposes of constructive criticism. I go through seasons where I don't write because I can't figure out how to get over the whole "not being wrong" thing. But, as is true with anyone who has a creative life living inside of them clawing to get out, I eventually return to writing even if the dragons are still breathing down my neck. I have to. I am compelled to. It is intrinsically part of who I am and how I am wired to express myself.
Maybe it's writing. Maybe it's playing a musical instrument. Maybe it's drawing or painting. Maybe - oh gosh here I am going out of the box - it's organizing things in creative ways that nobody has ever thought of. Maybe - warning, I'm out of the box again on this one - it's teaching someone something (and goodness knows we could all use more creative teachers - I'm serious!). Maybe it's creating savory and/or sweet dishes that brings smiles to faces and make taste buds dance. Maybe it's working with a camera. Etc etc etc. Get creative about what you can be creative with!
In what ways does creativity poke at you and ask to "come out and play"? Are you stuffing it down, telling it to go away because you fear you are wrong, the creativity is wrong, the method is wrong, etc? Would you take a chance on it today?
Allow yourself to live a creative life, we all have it in us, let it loose! :)
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