This is a follow up post to Top 5 Excuses that Keep Me from My Artwork. If you want to read it first, check it out here.
Anyone who has created anything has probably struggled at some point with feelings of not being good enough. Even some of the most famous and successful artists in history have lived lives steeped in depression and anxiety with feelings of self-doubt and insecurity.
Although I am going to share five specific ways that have helped me fight this inclination, I’m in no way an expert and I still struggle with it.
· Reject the comparison trap
· Remember your successes
· Renew your mind
· Rely on supportive people
· Reflect on your values
The biggest hurdle for me, when it comes to not being good enough to sell my art, is being sucked in by the comparison trap. I’ve spent too much time comparing my work with other artists. So, one of the first steps I have taken is to admire what other artists have to share and what I can learn from them. Oftentimes, other artists have inspired me to get to work creating my own voice and style. Of course I still catch myself comparing from time to time, but now I can recognize it and reframe it to help rather than hurt.
When I’m feeling in a rut or down about my work, it helps to reflect on what has been successful in the past. Remember your triumphs and when you felt happiest about your work. For instance, I like recalling classes I’ve held with moms. What fun times we had and it was about so much more than the art, it was about the friendships made and the fun we had sharing the experience together. Concentrating on these memories helps me to realize that it’s not always about the quality of my art that people are drawn to, it’s the experience around the art.
As an introvert, I spend a lot of time in my head, which can be destructive if I do not renew my mind on a regular basis. Setting my mind on things that are others-centered lessens the time allotted for thinking about myself too much. The primary way I do this is through Bible reading and prayer. A couple of verses that I meditate on are Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 4:16.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. – Romans 12:2
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. – 2 Corinthians 4:16
Another way I confront feelings of inadequacy is by surrounding myself with people who support me and understand my work. I am a soft-hearted person by nature and it doesn’t take much to send me in a downward spiral of discouragement, but too often I take to heart opinions that just don’t matter in the grand scheme of life. I have to remember that off-hand remarks might not be intentionally hurtful and the person speaking them probably isn’t thinking much about the impact of their words on me. By spending time with those who are “for me” builds up my defenses against arrows that may fly my way.
Lastly, focusing on my core values helps me to center my focus. What do I value about my artwork? What story am I trying to tell with it? Creating what I love, not what I think will sell or will be popular, has become the most important aspect of my artwork. Concentrating on my values rather than what I think others value helped me to move forward rather than become paralyzed with fear over what others think of me and my work.
Perhaps instead of fighting against feelings of inadequacy, you can embrace it too and realize it’s a part of growth as an artist. As I mentioned at the outset of this post, I am still a work in progress. But isn’t this all part of the beautiful journey?
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