Will you face your fears?
Last time I wrote about fear and the impact it can have on our lives. It can hold us back from giving our best or trying new things.
Now it is unrealistic to think that we can be without fear in every situation. That being the case it is good to ask the question: “How can I deal with fear in an effective way?”
Here are five things that I have found work for me, especially when it relates to painting.
- Get sufficient sleep. I don’t know about you but if I am tired then my negativity levels rise dramatically. If I get enough rest then I am in a much better frame of mind to tackle the day and any challenges that it throws at me.
- Just make a start. Rather than thinking about what could go wrong I try to just sit down and draw, paint, splatter without worrying too much about the results.
- Have realistic expectations. Not every painting is going to be perfect. Not every painting will be worthy of hanging on the wall. But regardless of the result each success or failure (or anywhere in between) is part of a learning process. Sometimes I have to recognise that I have to walk before I can run. The picture in my mind may not always match the ability in my hands. “A failure is not always a mistake, it may simply be the best one can do under the circumstances. The real mistake is to stop trying.” B. F. Skinner
- See the bigger picture. Does my worth as a human being depend on this painting meeting my or someone else’s expectations? The answer is no of course. It’s important to keep things in their proper perspective.
- Reflect on my motivation. I find that thinking about my motivation can help enormously. Why do I paint? What is it about this particular painting that is motivating me? It helps me to look beyond the immediate fears and rekindle my excitement in putting pencil to paper or brush to canvas.
I’m not saying that these steps are a sure-fire cure for fear but they help me to overcome that initial fear and allow me to start work and have a productive period of creativity.
So what do you do to deal with fear when it threatens to derail your creativity? I’d love to get your comments.
Next time……more about motivation