Last week we talked about the importance of permission for beginning the creative process.  We may want to have a regular creative practice, however, waiting for everything to be perfect and “aligned” is not realistic.  Let’s face it there will always be room for excuses not to start as long as we do not give ourselves fully the permission we need to begin.  But what happens after we begin and resistance shows up via those judgemental inner critic voices that tell us we are not worthy enough to be expressing ourselves through the arts?  Can we sustain a creative practice if those inner critics keep piping up?

My answer, YES! Inner critics can guide us and alert us to what needs tending to.  They remind us when we need nurturing by their over zealous critiquing.  It’s unrealistic to expect not to have any inner critic voices, but unnecessary to listen to their bantering.  One way to turn the volume down on those judgemental messages we sometimes tell ourselves such as  “You can’t paint! . . . You’re wasting your time! . . . . You’re not creative!” is to tune into what these messages are really telling you.   These messages point to fears, fears based on shadows from the past, critical voices and non-supportive experiences that may be haunting us.

Once we can identify the messages and decipher their true meaning and origin we can begin to move past the restrictions of these messages and feel safe to explore our creativity more freely.  In therapy we sometimes refer to it as holding space, making the space safe enough for clients to feel that they can express themselves freely without the repercussions of judgement.  In my workshops I guide participants to follow this same stance, one of acceptance of self through self-compassion and empathy.  We do this by creating new scripts to counter and often replace the scripts that no longer serve our creative practice.

Like anything in life we can’t try something new until we try something new.  Often to try something new we need to take a new perspective.  It is when we begin to see things through these new lenses that we open ourselves up to new possibilities.  But it takes effort.  Like nurturing a plant; watering it consistently, protecting it from pests, and providing an environment where it can grow, we need to take a similar line of consistent nurturing of our creativity.  Permission is not a one time thing, it is constant.  We need to keep working at our creative practice, hence why it is called a “practice”.

In any case it means finding what works for you.  It may take some digging to find out what it is that you need most to support your creative practice.  But most certainly it means being willing to explore paths and identify obstructions.  Then you can move forward and start to create that holding space that will support your creative expression.  Sometimes we don’t get it right, right away.  Most times it’s a matter of trail and error.  Just know that this is all part of the process, and in exploring these areas we deepen our connection to self and our creative practice.

If you need some support getting your creative practice going, join me online or in person for Art Journaling or Intuitive Painting.  Click below to find out more!