3 easy steps to deal with criticism

I don’t want to deal with criticism. Who really does?

Yet, what happens when your fear criticism gets bigger and bigger?

I’ll tell you what. You stop creating.

I can speak from experience. I received criticism about my drawing skills in college that lead me to drop drawing/painting for years. In the end, it was a great gift – I was lead to study of art history and a career that put me in touch with the greatest artists of our world.

But, criticism changed me.

As a writer online, too, I deal with critics or as is more appropriate: trolls. Really, anyone can be a critic today so that opinion is nothing that will change your career. Questlove writes about this in his book Creative Quest – I highly recommend it.

Here are a few thoughts on what to-do if you fear criticism:

Don’t share your work.

Really. It’s ok to only create art for yourself. Last weeks blog was all about not going professional if you really don’t want to. To bridge onto that – share your work when you want to, when the moon full and you’re feeling vibrant, not because it’s what everyone does.

Build your resilience.

For me, if I feel confident in my life in general I really don’t care what anyone has to say or thinks about my work. But, when I’m missing something or feel like I’m empty and can only be filled up by something outside of me, I set myself up to feel the fear.

Find one thing you like to do that fills you from the inside up. For me it’s journaling or doing a guided mediation. It’s often is about being receptive rather than constantly doing something that strengthens me.

Replace you with I.

Most people who are critical are truly talking about themselves, about their own insecurities. Try it out when you see/read nasty comments or reviews on someone’s blog (hint: don’t do this practice on your blog. Try an amazon product or something). Re-framing the way people are speaking (or writing) really reminds you that it’s not personal. Because it isn’t.

Criticism isn’t about you.

The art you make is about you. It’s important work because once you move it from your body, it transforms.

That’s the gift and the curse of being creative, you never quite know how your creations will morph when they’ve moved through you into the ether. Trust that what you offer will land where it need to land. More on that subject in next week’s blog.

My latest course teaches you to remember your worth, no matter what criticism comes your way.

F.A.Q. about Learn Creativity

Learn creativity is an online video course and is a self paced. You also will have the opportunity to download audio versions of each lesson for on-the-go access. Total time of material is 2 hours.

Do I have to be a visual artist to understand the info?

No – you don’t have to consider yourself anything but you to see results from this course. In the painting module, I demonstrate my painting based on the creative seasons. I give detail instructions if you want to paint along with me — but you can also listen to the audio of this module and get tons of inspiration too.

I feel like I already know how to be creative. Why do I need to learn the creative seasons?

The seasons are a framework that literally all people can understand, in some form or another. We talk about the weather all the time, right? So looking at your creative desire or impulse as seasonal will support you to navigate your creative blocks as well as your creative sparks.

Do I have to join another FB group?

With my hands waving in the air: hallelujah no. I went back and forth on whether to make this a group experience. All my students have practically begged me to keep it simple, and so I have — this course is this course. There’s no other FB groups or live meet-ups. You’ll get access to the info immediately upon checkout, and have the info for a lifetime.

Still have a question after reading these? Hit reply to this email and let me know, I’m happy to help. 


P.S. Are you ready to create simply because you want to? Join Learn Creativity today and receive a bundle of bonus goodies to support your journey. 

3 easy steps to deal with criticism

Thank you, beloved one, for reading one of my almost 300 blogs! Please consider buying me a coffee to keep quality posts like these fueled! 

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