MYND. Two: Discouragement

The deepest darkest stage.

I can't see past this.

View Photos Here

I'm not good enough. My work will never be as impactful as [insert other creative]. This isn't worth the investment. I don't even have enough experience to start this. Who do I think I am?

Welcome to the dark side of our MYND. As creatives we often find ourselves in this cycle of overthinking and negative talk.

It's a stage I've identified as DISCOURAGEMENT.

This stage for a creative, is when you think of others possible options and allow them to become your own, which prevents you from reaching your full potential. In contrast with the first stage INSPIRATION where the negatives are invisible, this stage brings out the ugly in your MYND.

The dark cloud isn't just over your head, it consumes your entire being. It intoxicates your creativity, and makes your vision go blind.

Honestly, I've dealt with artistic discouragement for majority of my life. I've been an artist since the first time I opened my eyes. I've always been able to identify the beauty in life and in people. I'm inspired by anything and everything. However, somewhere along the line when I became cognizant of other people opinions of art, my creativity was stifled. I stopped talking about my talents. I stopped dancing on instagram. I started overthinking what comes most naturally to me.

Words often times can't express an emotion like a visual can. We artists/creatives speak through our work. Our heart is beating through our projects. We put our entire soul into it.

When your true passion goes commercial, you have so many thoughts. We're exposing the deepest part of ourselves to the world. Our art is 'critiqued' by people who don't even understand us or the emotion and experience that went into creating the project. How does that even make sense? Who are you to be say my work isn't good enough? Who elected you president over the general populations opinions committee? Why does that organization even exist? Why does art have to have their stamp of approval to be valid? I constantly struggle with thinking my work is perfect, but then questioning if other people are going to get it. Why do I have to alter my hearts expression to make it fit yours?

That cycle of questioning is what causes us creatives to get discouraged and ultimately quit.

Discouragement is dark and uncomfortable. So many amazing, wonderful and earth shaking ideas of inspiration have been stomped out by the imaginary opinions of others. It's the possibility of negative feedback and disrespectful critique that makes us shy away from releasing a piece our heart to the world for mass consumption.

The reality is though, we're never gonna know if people are gonna see us if we don't reveal ourselves. We have to fight the tendency to cover up and expose our subconscious.

We have to fight the darkness, and push ourselves to the brightness in the distance. What comes next is the most powerful of them all.

Find out the next emotion in MYND. Three.

Coming March 2021.

With Love,

- Symone Michelle