How to overcome creative blocks using affirmation

The self-realization in creativity

When I was a little kid I wished, I was promising to my mum and my grandparents that I would become a lawyer. I was sincerely convinced that it would be best for me. Even though inside of my heart, I knew that I want to be a dancer, actor or writer. My mum always used to tell me that I wouldn't make a living as an artist. I know she didn't mean it is wrong, she always supported me in my creativity, but she had to think also in a practical way. That is what parents do.

If you look at history, we have been taught that artists were almost always drunk, addicted to drugs, without decent living, their partnerships or marriages lasted maximally one year and other not so many responsible aspects. But if you look closely, you can find 1000+1 examples, that this is not valid. Paulo Coelho - one of the best-payed artists, Franz Kafka - so afraid of alcohol like it is the devil, and more Hollywood singers & actors. Fame can be hard, but it is up to us how we are going to deal with that. I think they are teaching us this to keep us interested in history and literature data.

I am not saying that you will be billionaire immediately, or ever. If you are creating money, then probably you will never succeed. Because in art, there is no time to play a big business person, if you are the artist. There is only time and focus on creativity and many more important things.

Exercise

I am suggesting a small exercise what requires a little bit of creativity but more  to help you to know yourself and realize how much dirty stuff we are carrying from our pasts. Take a paper and pen and write into the column as many things as you can think about under this sentence:

WHY NOT BE AN ARTIST, WHY NOT TO CREATE, WHY NOT TO TRY

Attention! You don't have to worry about a professional career - you can be creative at home and in private life (for example, mums can embroider during the nights, managers can like to relax in the form of taking photos of nature, a busy chef can escape from work to dreamland by painting, etc.)
See examples:

1. It costs too much money (all the supplies, courses etc.)
2. The talent was not given to me. I wasn't born as an artist.
3. Spending time with my family is a priority; nothing else can't go between that.
4. I can't write, especially I am not good at grammar.
5. Everyone will leave me; I will be alone.
6. People will be jealous of me.
7. I feel better like an average person with an ordinary life.
8. I don't deserve it.
9. Too old for experimenting or starting some artist career.
10. Creativity is not my strong side.

Thinking about yourself is the key

Think about it, read it a few times and when you are satisfied with your answers, make a second column next to it. Reverse all the negatives into positives. See examples of the negative responses above:

1. There is no need to have everything immediately. I can start small.
2. Maybe I don't have the talent, but I can level up my skills. I can do it!
3. My family is a priority, but as a healthy person, I have a right to have some time for myself. A happy mum is a good mum.
4. Grammar can be taught, and writing can be skilled.
5. True friends and family will never leave me, and the ones that will be gone were not real.
6. There will always be jealousy in this world.
7. I am not Lady Gaga (nothing personal). Art doesn't mean extravagance, always.
8. Oh, hell, I should not think like that at all. Look at the most beautiful artist in this world - nature.
9. There is no limit to creativity - not even age. I will never be too old to explore something new.
10. How can I know it if I didn't try?

Do you feel better now? Reread the two columns and compare them. Do you want to create, now? Did you explore anything new, inside of you, what was blocking you? You can now think about it for some time.

Affirmation

Keep your list, and you can go back to it from time to time. Edit and update it. Or you can just scratch the parts that you already solved. There is also another way how to improve it even more. It is called an affirmation. Choose the three most essential things from the positive list, which are really touching you. Write it on a piece of paper or a post-it paper and stick it to some place what you see very often like a mirror, fridge, closet etc. All the times when you see it, you will feel much better and more positive. Maybe it will even kick your creativity side. I used to do it during my bad times at secondary school. Sometimes I still even do it at my work. Nobody can understand it anyway because I always write them in my native language - Czech :)

This exercise can be useful in many other areas too. It's a well-known trick thanks to which you can break down your blocks. But - it requires a great deal of self-esteem and honesty. Without that, you can not work on yourself.

If you are proud on your list, share it with me at hey@scatchy.art, and I will check it out. Or you can also share your thoughts below in the comments.