Creativity Takes Courage: Face Your Fears and Overcome Barriers to Creativity
Even though we had easy access to our creativity when we were kids, as adults, creativity takes courage. In this post, we’re going to talk about turning that inner critic into a cheerleader as we do the hard work of stepping out of our comfort zone and tackling the blank page.
That first step onto the dance floor or first mark on the blank page is the hardest. It takes courage to dare to give yourself permission to do something new and different. Creative ideas are unproven, they might be unsuccessful, therefore it takes courage to risk that.
Artists are brave, they dare to open themselves up to the whims of inspiration. No. More than that, they have the courage to practice creativity.
Creativity Takes Courage but It’s Worth It
If you’ve ever been fully present in your creativity and have felt the flow that comes, you know that what we’re seeking is not just the creative solutions but the joy that comes with the journey. Flow brings meaning and purpose to our inner artists. There’s a reason creatives are passionate about what we do, creativity brings flow which brings us to life.
But creativity takes courage, we have to dare to tap into our uniqueness and that often means personal growth. As kids, we have wild imaginations, but as adults, we have filters, rules, and expectations. The challenge is to have the courage to be open to ideas, to be daring enough to fill in pages with answers that might be completely wrong, and to view fear as an opportunity.
Don’t worry, it’s not all about facing your fear. We also need idle time where we’re just relaxing and giving our brain a chance to integrate everything we’re learning. There are reasons that inspiration strikes in the shower or right before you fall asleep, we need space for all the puzzle pieces to fall together.
Identify Fears and What’s Holding You Back
Can you name your creativity stifling fears? What holds you back? Is it comparison or competition or fear or failure?
Write it down, write it all down. Write down why you don’t think you’re creative or why you hesitate to commit to your weekly projects. This is important research into your limiting beliefs and how they are holding you back.
Beware of personal growth, beware of the joy of flow! When we remind ourselves why creativity is worth it, we can dare to ask these mindful questions. Then, by identifying creative barriers we’re one step closer to unleashing our creativity.
If you need help determining what’s holding you back, check out this popular video I made.
Reframe Fears and Climb Over Creative Barriers
Once we’ve identified our fear, it’s time to try some boundary-pushing activities. If we develop the practice of being creative and remember that it’s a process, we can turn our limiting beliefs into challenges to tackle head-on. Think of it differently. Like being at the top of the roller coaster, is that fear you feel or is it excitement? I dare you!
One of the things I like to do is reframe my fear in the positive, take a limiting belief, and turn it into an affirmation. “I have time and permission to be creative.” If you need help with creativity affirmations check out the post I wrote on crafting them. It also helps to surround yourself with supportive relationships, they give you the ability to trust yourself.
Henri Matisse famously said, “creativity takes courage.” Brene Brown said, “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.” Pshycology Today cites research expressing the importance of developing a culture where creativity is rewarded and respected.
Giving Courage to Creative Goals
It’s time to set some creative goals and then encourage each other to go after them. Encourage. Think about that word and how it asks us to give support and confidence to someone. We’re giving them courage. Creativity takes courage and creativity takes encouragement or support.
When we notice hesitation arises, we can develop the skills and community to make creativity a central value. Creating a creative culture where ideas and art matter will give us the ability to dare to be open to ideas. Let’s dare to open our arms, our doors, and our minds space to ideas. Let’s create relationships where we share creative ideas and grow creative skills.
Like with anything else hard that we do, it’s easier if we don’t have to do it alone. It’s easier if we are in a community or on a team. Do the people around you support your creative goals?
Where to Find Courage
Lastly, let’s talk about where else to find courage in this crazy world. I have a little mantra that I’ve been saying for years. I remind myself to read more books and listen to more supportive people.
We already talked about finding support through the people that surround yourself with but it’s also about other things you surround yourself with. What type of content are you consuming? Do you spend your reading time-consuming inspiration from successful people or scrolling through the comparison culture of social media?
I also think that courage comes from choosing to believe that you’re worth it. This brings us back to the beginning where we talked about the importance of creativity and believing that creativity is worth it. We also need to believe that we deserve to pursue our creativity, our unique ideas, and our passion.
So if no one has told you lately. The world deserves your creativity, the world needs it. And you deserve it too, you’re worth chasing your dreams and sharing your perspectives.
About the author
I am Brenda Bergreen, one half of a husband and wife photography team specializing in Colorado wedding photography and videography and adventure photography. If you need someone to encourage your creativity, I’m here.
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