Thoughts About Creativity

Some of you that have been reading for awhile may be aware of my struggles with my Muse, and how I fight to create my art. It really isn't much of a struggle, I usually don't put up much of a fight. I have been trying for some time to make this blog  resource for other people to share in my passion. I posted a few tutorials, and then I let my life take me away. I get caught up in the desire to do it right or just do nothing. My desire is to create the perfect piece, and when I fall short of my goals I am disappointed in myself and I have that much more to overcome on my next project.

I usually perform my greatest work when I have a deadline that doesn't allow me to stop and think about what I am about to do. I can override the little voice in the back of my head that tries to convince me to do the known because if I try something new, I might do it wrong and that would be the END OF THE WORLD! I want to squish that little voice under my heel and make magic happen, but fighting it day to day is such a heavy burden that I fall back to the fallacy of doing nothing is better than doing something wrong.

I find excuses to explain why I am justified in not taking the next step.
I have kids.
I have no money.
I am too tired.
I hate sewing for my body.

It is time to stop making excuses.
I am a skilled artisan.
I am not limited by my fears.
I am surrounded by amazing and creative people that find me worthy.
I am not less because someone else is more.
I am not defined by failure.
I am creative.
I am an incredible artist.

This is hard for me to put out to the public. theses are the struggles that I keep to myself because I am afraid that if I open myself to the possibility of ridicule that it will somehow make me less, but I am not limited by others perception of me. I am not expecting to become a new person overnight, but I am ready to stop fearing myself, to stop fearing that I might not be good at what I am doing. It is okay to fail, it is not okay to give up.

I know that I am not the only person with these thoughts. There are others out there that are having the same problems. If you find this blog, you are welcome here. You are not alone.

There is a proverb "When the student is read the Master appears". I believe also that when your heart is open the message is heard. Elizabeth Gilbert gave a lecture at TED, and it resonated within me. This is the message that found me:

Don’t be afraid. Don’t be daunted. Just do your job. Continue to show up for your piece of it, whatever that might be. If your job is to dance, do your dance. If the divine, cockeyed genius assigned to your case decides to let some sort of wonderment be glimpsed, for just one moment through your efforts, then “Ole!” And if not, do your dance anyhow. And “Ole!” to you, nonetheless. I believe this and I feel that we must teach it. “Ole!” to you, nonetheless, just for having the sheer human love and stubbornness to keep showing up. ~ Elizabeth Gilbert

Do yourself a favor and watch the whole thing.