"Clearing resistance" is something we all have to deal with nearly every day ... whether in our creative lives, or in general. Today we'll be focusing on a quote by Andy Warhol. Let's take a look at this thing called "resistance", and what he had to say about it.
Being from the Pittsburgh PA area, hometown boy Andy Warhol & his art have always spoken to me. There's a quote of his that I try to remember as I'm skipping thru my creative adventures. It helps me navigate tricky areas that I'm hesitant to wonder into.
Here's the quote...
So there's lots of things (excuses) that keep us from going outside of our creative comfort zone. But probably one of the biggest is the fear of being judged, of putting something out there & hearing criticism - or even worse ... crickets!!!!!
Andy hit the nail on the head with this one, didn't he? It seems like his antidote is to stay out of our heads. Just get our butts in gear, and do it:) Don't worry so much about what other people think or say.
Like so many things, "making art" can be a metaphor for other areas of our lives that we find ourselves struggling with. If we're resisting creating something for fear of being criticized or not being heard, then there's a good chance this is showing up in other areas of our lives.
In general, we might be afraid of what others say (or even worse ... don't say).
If you want to take a particular creative path, but find yourself holding back - what you may need is to simply change you perspective. Because sometimes the mutinous advice that Andy suggests, although extremely wise, may not always be enough to keep us going for the long haul.
Not all of us are rebels ;-)
(Although Mom & Dad quickly labeled me as one lol.)
Being born under the philosophical sign of Sagittarius, I always love to dig a little deeper. Are you with me? Promise it won't hurt much...
What could be holding you back when it comes to making art?
You may need to do some gentle, but effective mindset shifts to let go of a past experience where you felt judged unworthy while skipping along your creative path. You might have been teased, or didn't get the praise you thought you deserved.
Dig back thru your past creative adventures. Try to find places where you may have gotten stuck on a certain thought pattern.
Here's an example:
You may think back & remember something like this... "When I was a kid, my art teacher told me what I made was not what the assignment was, that it was the most horrific thing they'd ever seen, and that I should follow instructions better. Then I got a big fat F for something that I absolutely loved making!!!!"
Omgosh ... I can only imagine how quickly that creative light got hidden away in the darkness of shame & humility:(
So flipping that thought on its big ol' behind, you could then come up with this...
"I enjoyed making things when I was a kid, and what I absolutely loved about it was the freedom & joy of doing my own thing! There's a chance that the art teacher who gave me an F didn't understand it, was too afraid to look outside their own limiting beliefs about art, or maybe they were just having a really bad day.
Nevertheless, I LOVED what I made, and I'm proud of "thinking outside the box", because that's what the true creative spirit is all about. I forgive that teacher for their limiting beliefs, and I forgive myself for hiding my creative joy away for so long because of it!"
You get my drift.
Try to uncover even one limiting belief you might have about making art. Or it may not even be art related. Perhaps it was something else you enjoyed doing, and then got severely criticized for it.
And then turn that memory upside down. Try to see it thru the eyes of someone who is a wee bit wiser than they used to be ... you ;-)
We all need to feel more joy in life, and not worry so much about the critics, as Andy suggests. Chances are, they're out there creating & voicing their "opinions", but not so much anything else:)
Now it's your turn. What's something you remember from your life's journey that may have lead you to finding yourself a bit resistant to the creative process?
I would love to know your thoughts on this or any other creative matter you want to talk about. Leave your comment(s) below, and let's chat art & creativity. I promise to respond ... no crickets allowed!