“I’m terrible at this.” “I don’t know why I waste my time – nothing is ever going to come of this.” “People would laugh if they saw what I’m doing.” Have you ever been guilty of talking to yourself this way about your creative pursuits? Do you find you doubt or criticize your art, whether it’s writing, painting, singing or sculpting? If you feel your inner critic creeping frequently into your thoughts, you’re not alone.
In a piece for
Psych Central, author Margarita Tartakovsky points out the danger of letting self-doubt control you and stop you from creating:
“The worst enemy of creativity is self-doubt,” wrote Sylvia Plath in her journal. And she couldn’t have been more accurate.Self-doubt can persuade us to stop creating or keep us from sending our work out into the world. It can be so influential that it colors how we see ourselves, ensuring we don’t pick up a pen, paintbrush, camera or other tool for decades.She outlines 10 steps to kick your inner critic to the curb, one of which is “Reframe your self doubt” or “use self-doubt to fuel your creativity.” This is great advice and a perfect journal writing exercise!
Flip to a blank page in your journal, and nurture your inner artist.
1. Define the message your self-doubt is telling you. Sum it up in a sentence or two in your journal.
2. Now take that message and find a way to reframe it as a positive challenge to prove the naysayers wrong or a way to push yourself out of your comfort zone. Rewrite your refrain of self-doubt as a battle cry of creativity.
3. Go create something right now! Write a page of fiction in your journal, sketch a scene in your garden, practice a new song you’re learning. Just go for it, and celebrate the power of your creativity.
How do you tell your inner critic to “buzz off”? What works for you? Share your comments below!
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