The Artist's Way: Week One, Day Three

What are your core negative beliefs about being an artist/creative person?

It’s good to identify them because they’re what hold us back from taking the leap into living a creative life.

“Negative beliefs are exactly that: beliefs, not facts” (p. 31).

We don’t have to believe them. It’s a choice!

Here are just some of my core negative beliefs. (This is very personal, but I feel important enough for me to deal with publicly.) See if you share any of them.

I can’t consider myself an artist or writer because:

• I’m not talented enough.

• It’s only worthwhile if I can make a living from it.

• I only have one or two good ideas.

• I’ll always be poor if I try to be an artist.

• Artists are moody, depressing people and I don’t want to live that way.

• I’ll disappoint my parents if I follow my dreams.

• It’s not practical to be an artist.

• People will consider me a failure.

• I’m too old to change careers.

• I need to think about my retirement.

• Nothing I ever create will be good enough to sell or publish.

I could go on and on…

While making this list, I started to feel a little nauseous, and realized that Julia is right, “What you are is scared. Core negatives keep you scared” (p. 32).

I’m taking my beliefs as fact, and letting them limit my life. That’s just crazy!

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that I should throw caution to the wind, quit my day job, buy a Winnebago, and start peddling my wares across the country (though part of me desires that). But, I don’t need to let them stop me from picking up a paintbrush or writing a short story.

There can be balance. But, not if we become immobilized by fear.

One way she suggests we break our negative beliefs is by identifying them and then countering them with an affirmative.

I’ve worked with affirmations before, but never in regards to my thoughts on my creative abilities.

I’ll talk more about this tomorrow.

For now, I’ll leave you with the same question I started this post with:

What are your core negative beliefs about being an artist/creative person?

Make a list, and we’ll talk about changing them in the next post.