Being creative is not always easy when you're a super logical person.
Here's a little secret that you might not know about me - it's hard for me to be creative.
Which is kind of funny when you think about it. Here is someone who is getting involved with photography and making wall art and prints and pretty things, which are things that all require a level of creativity. But for me it's hard. I look at styling an image and I'm thinking "does this look okay? Does that look okay? Is this weird?" I have to really work at it. My brain is naturally a logical one, and without a set of rules and guidelines to follow I feel like I kind of flounder a bit.
I believe that part of my struggle with being creative is seated in my need to always be right. I am one of those annoying people that can never be wrong. Not to be confused with those people that always thinks that they are right, because I think I'm wrong a heck of a lot, lol. It seriously hurts me to find out that something I've said or done is wrong, so I like to know the right way to do everything.
So as I'm being called to be creative, I'm continually asking myself “Is this right?”. For example, as I'm styling say a flat lay image I will think “Is this the right shade of pink?” or “Is this the right pencil?” I know I want a pencil here, but is this the right one?
Even as I'm writing this I know it sounds a little crazy. But I can get stuck in this loop of “is this right?” for so long that I falter and nothing gets done. And that is what I'm trying to come to peace with about creativity. That there is no right way to be creative. There's no right brushstroke; there's no right shade of pink; there is no right pencil. Creativity doesn't have a right or a wrong, it just is.
But all is not lost for me, fine friends! I was noticing this week as I was designing Pinterest pins for a post that I was working on, that I was creating pins easier and quicker than I had in the past. That when I was working on the text overlay that I didn't ask myself “Is this the right font?” and then spend an hour comparing cursive style fonts for the "right" one. Instead, I asked myself “Is this a good font?” and “Do I like this font?” And these are so much easier questions to answer! These new questions keep me out of the "is this right?" loop and inside a more positive and creative mindset.
This may not be groundbreaking, but I'm finding the more time I spend in the sometimes uncomfortable state of creativity, the more I begin to cultivate my style, and the easier it is to make creative decisions. As I continue on my creative journey, I am so excited to watch and see my style develop and change.
While I know that my logical brain and need to be right isn't going anywhere, I am working on giving myself some grace while I learn what my brand of creativity looks like.
Are you on a creative journey? Do you struggle with finding what's right in a field where nothing is wrong? Leave a comment below and let me know what you're doing to cultivate your creativity.
Stay creative friends 😁
Emily-Rose
Pssst!! Are you looking for ways to get inspired to work through your creative struggle? Click here to see four ways I cultivate inspiration.
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