Week 10 of The Artist’s Way is all about self protection—guarding our creativity from the forces that drain it and standing firm in our artistic integrity.
Rediscovering A Sense of Self Protection
Reading this chapter made me realize how much outside influences and self-doubt have been draining my creativity. This week prompted reflection on how best to value and safeguard my work from negativity.
The Toxicity of Doubt
One of the key themes this week was recognizing how self-doubt—and doubt from others—can chip away at creative confidence. It’s common to become skeptical when we leave our comfort zones. Small, innocent comments from others had a surprising impact, leaving me questioning my choices. Doing this week’s exercises allowed me to identify those moments and assess their accuracy.
Creative U-Turns
Cameron discusses the concept of creative u-turns, instances where we self-sabotage our progress. Fear frequently underlies patterns such as procrastination, self-sabotage, and the premature abandonment of projects. I realized some of my own creative detours stemmed from fears of failing, being judged, or even succeeding. The challenge now is to notice these moments in real-time and course-correct with compassion instead of criticism.
Setting Boundaries For Self Protection
Setting boundaries, for myself and others, proved especially important this week. I became more aware of the habits that either nurtured or stifled my creativity. Spending too much time scrolling on my phone? Drain. Spending time in nature? Fuel. Saying yes to projects that don’t align with my passions? Drain. Making time for the work that lights me up? Fuel.
The real challenge is in the follow-through. To nurture my creativity, I must make tough choices, such as rejecting projects that don’t enhance my artistic development, despite the discomfort.
Exercises That Helped
This week included several exercises that deepened my understanding of self protection:
- Detecting Creative U-Turns: Writing moments in the past when I abandoned a creative project and analyzing what led to that decision.
- Affirmation Practice: Replacing negative self-talk with affirmations that reinforce confidence in my artistic abilities.
- Letter to My Doubt: Writing a letter to my inner critic, acknowledging its presence but setting boundaries around its influence.
- List of Energy Drains vs. Energy Boosts: Identifying activities, relationships, and habits that either nourish or deplete my creative energy.
- Commitment Statement: Crafting a short statement about how I will actively protect my creativity moving forward.
Moving Forward
With only two weeks left in The Artist’s Way, I feel a renewed sense of dedication to my creative process. Week 10 was a much-needed reset; I need to protect my creativity.
Have you ever felt stuck in a creative rut or battled self-doubt? What are your strategies for safeguarding your artistic inspiration? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
PS: I will be skipping next week – my next post – Week 11 will be on 16 April 2025,
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