THE TRUTH ABOUT ART AND FEAR
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Many of us know the feeling of creative anxiety. It's that tightness or heaviness we feel in anticipation of making our work, or taking the next step in the process. It's a frequent visitor to the studio, and while we may not welcome it, we benefit greatly from understanding more about our relationship to fear.
Because art-making involves a challenging process with an unknown destination, where every decision can impact the direction we're going and leave us lost once more, we naturally want to move away from the feelings that come with that. Aversion to uncertainty is a natural human response. We're wired to stay safe, and anxiety is a sign we don't feel we are.
This shifting between feeling safe and feeling afraid feels very real in the moment, but it isn't actually true. As we attempt to make our art, we can notice the arrival of creative anxiety and be perfectly safe at the same time. We are not under any real threat; it's our thoughts that are misinforming us.
In fact, evolutionary psychology tells us that our brain's most urgent job is to protect us. Survival is the goal, not fulfilling our happiness or desires. We may want more joy, ease, peace and all that goes with that, but our brain is not hardwired for it. It naturally focuses on the negative in order to protect us from harm. That's its default programming.
Our brain, and the thoughts it generates, typically light the fuse that sends our nervous system into a fight or flight response. Resistance is a flight response, moving us away from our work and avoiding the studio and the opportunities for our art. Self-judgment, pressuring and shaming ourselves for feeling this way, is the fight response. We're fighting ourselves and our natural responses, rather than simply accepting that they are there.
Mindfulness practices help us notice how our brain's primary focus interferes with our pursuit of purpose and meaning in our creative work. We can become active participants in guiding our thoughts and feelings so they serve us better, and it all begins with listening to our inner dialogue and being thoughtfully aware of how it makes us feel. If the feeling is making you want to retreat, it may not be telling you the whole truth about this moment.
The good news is that we can make art and, at the same time, cultivate a mindset that supports that choice and helps us stay in the uncertainty of the process and the discomfort it generates.
Eventually, with consistent practice, we can notice the fear arriving and choose courage instead. Try sitting with these questions in your journal or sketchbook to help deepen your understanding of the truth about the fears that accompany your art making:
What's the first thing you do when the fear arrives: retreat, tidy the studio, scroll, or push harder? What does that tell you about how you respond to it?
Is it important to believe every thought you have? If so, why?
Where in your life do you override your thoughts and do what you want? How do you do this?
If art making is rife with uncertainty, what might you tell yourself about your ability to meet that uncertainty?
What helps you feel strong and confident? Can you visualize yourself staying with things that are hard?
What's one small, gentle step you could take next time the fear shows up?
This short version blog post is a part of my Mindset Moment series, an accompanying edition to my bi-monthly blog post. My intention for these Mindset Moments is to speak to some of the common challenges artists face with their creative work, and how a mindset shift can make a difference.
They are shorter reads with a suggestion or writing prompt that you can work with, as well as an invitation to join in the conversation, sharing your experience and insights.
Join the conversation by leaving a comment under this blog post. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me.
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