“Unleash your creative energy and let it flow. Relish the possibilities.”
~ Nita Leland

After a fairly cool winter with more storms and gray skies than usual, I’m overjoyed to see the bright sunshine and Carolina blue skies of late. We have an abundance of flowering trees and bushes in our beautiful state, and many are at the height of their bloom right now.

Our spirits seem to be matching nature: we’re perking up and venturing out. Everyone just seems to have a little more spring in their step. (I couldn’t resist.)

As we shake off our seasonal malaise, some of us are entertaining new projects. Last week I was talking with a friend about a book she wants to write. Few things excite me more when it’s an idea I believe in, as I do this one. Anna is an extraordinary photographer, whose photos have often graced this blog, and she wants to incorporate her images into an inspirational book. We messaged each other off and on all day, with me asking questions to help flesh out her concept.

Not long into the initial discussion, I felt a shift in her energy. I recognized it instantly, having encountered it time and time again with creative people.

So often when we envision ourselves doing something big, after our initial excitement, we start to worry that it won’t be good enough.

Since I’ve worked with many writers over the years, I understand those feelings of inadequacy.  We’ve all been there. But I’ve developed a technique for pulling writers back from the edge. I tell them I’ve seen their work, and it’s amazing! (But only if it is.) Then I help them drill down on the true purpose of their project. If I can get them focused on what they want to teach or share or how they want to impact their readers or viewers (even if it’s just to entertain), they begin to get excited again.

Given how good it feels when we tap into our creative energy, why do we so often hold ourselves back?

The trouble is that our imaginations are so vivid, and our internal pictures so clear, it’s hard to reproduce them with our words (or, for visual artists, our hands, our cameras, or our paintbrushes). We either compare our work to our internal vision and find that what we create doesn’t measure up, or we compare it to the work of others who are creating in our genre and find ourselves lacking.

To get over the fear of public speaking, we are advised to concentrate not on ourselves and how we’re coming across, but to focus on the message that we’re trying to deliver. We can apply that same advice to our literary or visual arts endeavors.

Ironically, there’s a subset of creatives that don’t seem to feel this inadequacy, at least not as acutely. You may have heard of the Dunning–Kruger effect, which Wiki describes as “the cognitive bias whereby people with low ability at a task overestimate their ability. Some researchers also include in their definition the opposite effect for high performers: their tendency to underestimate their skills.”

What some people lack in skill, they make up for in confidence and optimism, admirable traits. They are often more successful, at least initially, than the more advanced artists, which is a lesson for the rest of us. I’ve come to believe that it’s the self-awareness that holds us back. The more we study and understand our craft, the better able we are to discern what good art is, and where we fall on the continuum of creators. Too often, though, our self-assessment is inaccurate. It’s difficult to look at ourselves objectively.

Unfortunately, the tendency to devalue our work often translates into fear that we won’t be good enough, sometimes even before we start!

You may have heard the expression “Don’t hide your light under a bushel.” It originated from the Sermon on the Mount, but in modern times has come to mean “Don’t conceal your talents or abilities.”

I always tell writers: “You are the only one who can write this book,” because they are!

I believe in the message of this week’s Daily OM post: “Your abilities are a part of who you are and when you take pride in them, you affirm the love, esteem, and trust with which you view yourself. Moreover, as you express the light within, you grant others permission to do the same, freeing them to explore their own talents.” 

Years ago, saxophonist Kenny G, one of the best-selling artists of all time, appeared on the Oprah show. She asked him what his mission in life was, and he explained that it was “To inspire, and to be inspired.” Right then I decided to give up trying to write a personal mission statement of my own and adopt his. I still can’t think of a better one.

Since last week I’ve been thinking about passion and how wonderful it feels when creative people feed off each other’s energy. It’s infectious.

When we hold ourselves back, we deprive the world of that joy.

I admire those who have figured out how to set their fears aside and fully embrace their talents. As long as I’ve know her, my friend Sue, another incredible photographer whose work has often appeared here, has continually tried out new forms of art. The latest one is paper art done on a Cricut, which is an electronic cutting machine that can cut intricate designs from various materials. This week she used it to create the incredible sunflower you see in the image above (in honor of Ukraine) and she’s just learning!

If you have a creative idea you’ve been wanting to explore, there’s no better time to go for it!

So often when we dive in, we forget ourselves, and those feelings of inadequacy are replaced with the excitement of having produced something.

Try doing it for the sheer joy of creating. Give yourself over to the process, and release the outcome. Let your light shine forth!

Affectionately,

Elaine