Week Three: Creating A Self Nurturing Environment

Recap from Last Week: This past week we began to establish a place of safety for our creative self by identifying and silencing “the Critic”. We learned that the Critic is the inner negative voice that seeks to devalue, discourage, and stamp out the tiny shoots of creativity. With words of judgment and perfectionism creativity is choked, and intimidated as it tries to poke its tender green fronds above the soil. Where did this voice come from? And where does it “get off” putting down your artist child?

We have made a commitment to let the Mama bear (or Papa bear) anointing rise up with indignation saying to that Critic, “How dare you try to squelch this innocent and precious one (you)?” We have taken ownership for creating a safe “no criticism” zone for the rare and beautiful flower emerging in us!

This week, continue to grow in wisdom and realize that judging yourselves harshly, beating yourselves for years over the fact that you have not acted on your dreams is fruitless. This cruelty is “artist abuse” and only reinforces your creative shut down. It takes nurturing to make an artist! Creativity is play! It is important that we go through the process of learning to allow ourselves even if it is scary and hard work!

What is “Artist Abuse”? Perfectionism, self-criticism, self-sabotage. It is judging you early artistic efforts. This happens in any number of ways: beginning work is measured against the masterworks of other artists; beginning work is exposed to premature criticism, shown to overly critical friends.

No growth occurs is an environment of perfectionism, criticism, and judgment. Most of these we do internally to ourselves. We MUST decide that we will not tolerate self-inflicted artist abuse. We MUST create and internal nurturing environment. In this environment we will begin to emerge from the shadows. No longer content as a shadow artist, caught between the dream of action and the fear of failure, we feel a stirring of possibility within.

As we discover our creativity or recover from creative blocks, it is necessary to go gently and slowly. What we are after here is the healing of old wounds – not the creation of new ones. No high jumping! Mistakes are necessary! Stumbles are normal. These are the baby steps. Progress, not perfection, is what we should be asking of ourselves.

“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.”
Joseph Chilton Pearce.

Most shadow artists, or blocked creatives have strong either/or thinking. For instance: “I can’t pursue my art and be a mother at the same time.” “I can’t spend time being creative and give my whole heart to the Lord.” “I can’t take music lessons and save money for a car at the same time.” “I can’t be serious about my career and write a screen play.” This type of either/or thinking tells us we must choose between our creative expression and something else. This thinking has its roots in fear.

Let’s dissect the statements above for their unconscious beliefs. “I can’t pursue my art and be a mother at the same time.” = Artists are not good mothers. “I can’t spend time being creative and give my whole heart to the Lord.” = Creative people are not whole hearted for the Lord. “I can’t take music lessons and save money for a car at the same time.” = There is a shortage in God’s provision for resources I need. “I can’t be serious about my career and write a screen play.” = Writers can’t be serious about more than one thing at a time. When you look at your underlying thinking it proves untrue.

This week we focus on two things: Creating a Nurturing Environment with our inner and outer dialog. Identifying and dealing with fears, doubts, and criticism brought on by the inner Critic. Continue to work on the affirmation statements of last week. Add these to the list that you will be working through. Feel free to use your morning pages as a place to process your thoughts about these statements. Continue to work through forgiveness if you encounter memories that are painful. Continue to pray and seek God’s heart concerning creativity and you.

Each day, take an affirmation. Write it 10x. Listen to your internal dialog. Are you in agreement with the statement or are there insipid negative thoughts? tearing you down. Sometimes they are as simple as, “This is stupid . . .” Explore those!

Affirmations:
1. I, _________(your name), am a brilliant and prolific writer (painter, dancer, composer, whatever you are).
2. I am a channel for God’s creativity to flow through, and my work comes to good.
3. As I create and listen, I will be led.
4. Creativity is the Creator’s will for me.
5. My creativity releases healing to myself and others
6. I am allowed to nurture my inner artist.

Painting above: Mark Rothko, White Center