When to Wear Your Creative Blinders

Have you ever gotten discouraged about your work by looking around at what everyone else is doing and comparing yourself to them? I think it’s a natural thing but such a bad habit.

Hey, I am guilty of this too, my friend. I actually learned a lot about this from my youngest daughter who is an incredible artist. See, used to hide all of her works of art and when I asked her WHY, she said that it was “Not good enough.” Whoa! Talk about a freakin wake up call. I mean, this stuff is incredible, particularly for a 10 year old. I had to talk with her to encourage her to share it with the world to make her happy and now, she asks me to post them more.
Example: 
You know the feeling when you create something like a new Facebook cover and think it is totally rockin’, you post it and just feel sky high? Then not too long afterwards, you are cruising around the digi world and see that so and so made one that you personally think is better and your pride is just shot. Ok, look. It’s no better to anyone else but yourself because you are doubting your own ability to create amazing stuff.
See, not one single person is exactly alike. (thank goodness, right?) We are all made up completely and ingeniously unique. That is what makes art so utterly amazing. We each see things with a different set of eyes, hear with different ears, taste with different tongues…and so on..
Ha. I remember talking to my Italian Nana about cooking. She never measured or anything and I noticed that not one of my Italian women in the family did either. What I find interesting is that you can give 10 people (preferably Italian women :)) the same exact ingredients for a pot of Sunday sauce and ya know what.. not one will come out the same.
Same goes for you and being creative. You just have to put some blinders on and do what you feel from the heart. Make something, feel that it is beautiful and dammit, keep it that way. Don’t criticize your ability by comparing it to someone else because there is only one wonderful YOU.
My challenge to you today is to just go create something and admire it. You don’t even need to technically use it but just let your heart get into it and know in your soul that this creation is made by you and only you. Then, keep the memory of that feeling and pass it along to your very next project.
How do you cope with creative comparison? Let us know in the comments below.
Til next time..