To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.
Joseph Chilton Pearce
Remember when you were a child, and you approached life opened-armed with unbounded enthusiasm, without fear of failure, without considerations of what others thought or fear of being judged, and just played for the sheer joy of play?
Then you grew up.
Somewhere along the way, that creative child was told they were making mistakes. Maybe at some time, that child broke a rule. Other kids – or adults – made fun of that child’s ideas. Or maybe the child was told they were stupid, or a daydreamer (as if that was a bad thing) or irresponsible or – fill in the blank.
Now you’re adult and you want to write some stories from your childhood, or maybe write a blog in your area of expertise. Panic sets in, accompanied by negative self-talk:
I don’t know how to start. . .
I don’t know how to conclude. . .
I’m bad at punctuation. . .
I’m bad at spelling. . .
I’m bad at everything. . .
I’m a lousy writer. . .
I’m a lousy person. . .
I’m such an idiot. . .
Something happened between being the child who tried anything without a care in the world, to being paralyzed with fear of making a mistake, and it might take some years on an expensive therapist’s couch to figure out what. So what do you do?
Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.
Pablo Picasso
Artists are not just painters or sculptors or novelists, but chefs and welders and landscaper designers. Everyone was born creative, but most of us were educated, scolded or guilted out of it. Once we relocate that creative child and give him or her permission to experiment without worries of judgment, shame or embarrassment, great things begin to happen. We realize we can compose a mighty fine story. We can write a nice poem or entertaining blog. We can even create the best darn recipe for quadruple-chocolate-caramel-stuffed- layer cake EVAH!
Inspiration may be a form of superconsciousness, or perhaps of subconsciousness . . . . I do know it is the antithesis of self-consciousness.
Aaron Coplan
Avoid judging your work. Let go of expectations. Don’t worry about the rules and just experiment. Soon you might find you’re actually having fun! Let yourself.
