What Holds You Back From Creating?

Original photo used for
Magnolia's Life Recycled
In a previous post, I told you that I'm following Jacqueline Calladine's Wild Creative.  She's encouraging her followers to open their hearts and souls to be more creative, more inspired, and more in tune with their true wants and desires (both in their art, as well as in their personal lives).  This last week, she challenged us to think about what is holding us back from creating... and from stepping forward to begin our next project.  

I thought long and hard about it and found that I actually have 2 issues when it comes to creating.  My first is just as Jacqui said in her Facebook post: "Have Courage To Take The First Step".

Cropping in on what I want
to paint
To begin a big art project (or any size project really), seems daunting (if not flat-out overwhelming) because there is often SOOOO much to do.  So instead of beginning  my art project, I am amazed at my ability to find other things to do.  For example I will find that all of a sudden I need to: clean my studio or house, pay bills, update my blog or Facebook, or work on a bazillion other art or craft projects etc.

Part of my hesitancy to begin, is because I've jumped into the art world with both feet and am having to learn as I go.  There are probably processes and procedures that would help me (for instance: getting better-organized, or pre-planning my paintings)... but because I am relatively new to this whole world, I stumble my way through creating.  The idea of pre-planning

my paintings is just completely overwhelming.  I have no idea what I should really be doing first. Right now, I draw out what I want to paint, transfer it to my silk, and then begin painting in no specific order.  
A better picture of
my inspiration

However, once I begin to create I enjoy the process until I near the end.... this is where my 2nd issue appears. And somewhat ironically, this issue causes me far more problems that the first issue!

When I near the end of a project I often find myself freezing.... so much so that I will often have to walk away from projects for hours or even days (and on really big projects - sometimes I just walk away and can't seem to come back and finish it). It took me a long time, but I finally realize it's fear that stops me. 

Fear that I'll ruin it when I try to finish it...or fear that it won't be what I want it to be. Interestingly, it's not fear of what other people think. .. but instead it's that I've set such a high expectation for myself...that it is almost impossible to meet it. For me, finishing a project can actually be more scary than starting one!
Magnolia's Life Recycled
Took me a VERY long
time to finish and I
LOVE it!

In the end, I know I just need to get it done.  To accept that it will be what it is... and that ruining it isn't the end of the world (even if it will piss me off).  I have no silver bullet, no quick answer or solution.  

All I can think of are the immortal words of the Nike ad campain - JUST DO IT!

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