Not too long ago, on a podcast, I heard a famous chef lament over what food has become in our country. She said Pinterest and Instagram have shown us how beautiful and fancy it can be. So much so that many of us home cooks wonder why we should even try.
There is beauty in feeding others.
Then she went on to say that there is so much more to making a meal than cooking a piece of steak perfectly. She talked about the beauty in feeding others. About the love one feels when a hot meal is placed in front of them. And about the relationships that are forged around the table. Things that we miss when we don’t cook because we’re afraid of messing up.
Cooking is only one of the many ways we can be creative with our lives. Yes, for the reasons this chef shared, cooking is the most practical. After all, everyone has to eat. But creativity can take the form of painting, writing, building, composing, photographing, movie making—the list is endless.
Multiply the mediums available for creating by the number of unique individuals in our world, and the possible outcomes are close to infinite. As I shared last week, each of us has been created to create. In fact, in this interview, Brene Brown said,
“The only unique contribution we make in this world will be born of creativity.”
If this is true, then why do so many of us struggle to create? Why don’t we write the book we’ve been thinking about for years? Why don’t we pick up our paint brush when we know how good it feels to christen a canvas with paint? Why haven’t we baked in months, when it gives us (and others) so much joy?
The truth is, only you know the answer.
Each of us have our own reasons for why we don’t step up to the plate when it comes to creativity. And yet, I’m finding so many of our reasons overlap. That is why today, I’m sharing a few common excuses or hindering beliefs for why we don’t create. Things that hold us back from being our full selves in this world, and fully contributing in the way we’re meant to.
A few years ago, I stopped writing. Before I could begin again, I had to name the things that were holding me back.
A few years ago, I stopped writing. Before I could begin again, I had to name the things that were holding me back. Are any of the following holding you back?
A Creative Wound
As I shared last Monday, many of us were told at a young age we weren’t good enough when it comes to art or being creative. Not knowing any better, we believed it, and this lie has kept us from utilizing this important part of our selves. If you have a creative wound, where did it come from? And what would it look like for you to heal?
The Internet (Somebody else does it better)
Similar to what that Chef said about food, you and I can go online right now and find a million people doing something better than us. If we’re a photographer, we can find someone who’s full time job allows them to take photo’s of amazing spots all around the world. If we’re a DYI queen, we can find people decorating their houses with creations we’ve never even dreamed of. And if you’re a writer like me, we can find people with bigger followings, fancier webpages, and multiple book deals. The problem is, the point of our work is not to compete or to try to measure up. Our responsibility is to do the work we’ve been created to do.
The Fear of Rejection
“What if I create a blog and no one reads it?” This was one of my fears. And if this is your fear, let me tell you, someone in your life will read it. In fact, you may be surprised who in your life will appreciate your work (writing or otherwise). But as for the few people who may look at it and walk away, or worse critique it meanly—they are not who you are creating for. In fact, when you first start out—you may not know who your audience is. The important thing is the work, not how people will respond (more on this to come).
A Lack of Time
I used to believe this one whole-heartedly. Our lives are SO busy. But then I heard about authors who wrote their books writing two hundred words a day. Women and men with full time jobs, and multiple children who get up an hour earlier each day to do their creative work. Or I met women who stay up for hours after their children go to bed to create content for their blogs. I realized—it’s not that we have a lack of time. It’s that we don’t make the time because we’re believing or fearing all the things I’ve previously mentioned here.
Friend, what is holding you back?
What is the good work you need to do?
Often, before we create, we need to clear some space for ourselves—not just physically, but mentally too. Sign up for my email list, and get my Five Ways to Declutter Your Mind resource. In it I share five ways to cut through the noise in your life, to find more peace and clarity.
