Discover how self-belief fuels creative growth in every aspect of life.

I am in a group that is studying the book “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron. Yesterday we met; there are four of us, and we started with chapter one. It’s about finding your way back to the person you were as a child, what you were interested in, and what happened to that. We also tried to remember positive feedback we got over the years, from childhood to now. The first chapter is called “Recovering a sense of safety.” It´s about feeling safe in the work or hobbies you are doing today as an adult. I think also in your whole life. It´s about believing in ourselves and trusting that the path we are choosing is the right one for us.

Regardless of your field or experience, do you feel safe being creative? And which creative hobby do you have? Or maybe you have a creative profession? Are you dreaming about something you could start your creative path with?

The Value of Creativity

I think creativity matters to us as human beings because making something feels good. I think we’re all creative people, and we have something inside us that wants us to create. Like researching something, developing something, writing, making art, photography, music- it is so much. I think we are created to develop. And to be curious about the creative process. Creativity is also in our daily life, in everyday tasks such as cooking, going to work, looking after the children, and meeting other people.

Common Barriers to Creativity

Often, people are self-critical and think they aren’t good enough to do the things they dream of. They experience doubts and fears and may face societal pressure. These thoughts can make people abandon their dreams and never start trying to do anything about them. I think these are common barriers. Many people start studying what others do because they want to try similar things themselves, but they are afraid to begin. They have a fear inside, the fear of failure. So when we feel this fear of failure, or think, “I am not good enough,” or have other similar negative thoughts, how can we then work through it and start anyway?

This question makes me think of Maria from the musical “The Sound of Music“.

I started thinking about this song because I think it captures the essence of daring without fear, with great self-confidence. Maria is young and full of dreams; she was offered a job as a governess for a widower with seven children. She felt fear, but her self-confidence won, and she used her creativity to win the childrens hearts. And the widower’s as well. So she married George von Trapp. I think they lived happily for the rest of thairs life.

The Power of Self-Belief

In the musical “The sound of music” Maria sings:

What will this day be like?
I wonder
What will my future be?
I wonder
It could be so exciting
To be out in the world
To be free!
My heart should be wildly rejoicing
Oh, what’s the matter with me?

I’ve always longed for adventure
To do the things I’ve never dared
Now here I’m facing adventure
Then why am I so scared?

A captain with seven children
What’s so fearsome about that?
Oh, I must stop these doubts, all these worries
If I don’t, I just know I’ll turn back!
I must dream of the things I am seeking
I am seeking the courage I lack

The courage to serve them with reliance
Face my mistakes without defiance
Show them I’m worthy
And while I show them
I’ll show me!

So let them bring on all their problems
I’ll do better than my best
I have confidence
They’ll put me to the test!
But I’ll make them see
I have confidence in me

Somehow I will impress them
I will be firm, but kind
And all those children
Heaven bless them
They will look up to me
And mind me!

With each step I am more certain
Everything will turn out fine
I have confidence
The world can all be mine!
They’ll have to agree
I have confidence in me

I have confidence in sunshine
I have confidence in rain
I have confidence that spring will come again!
Besides, which you see
I have confidence in me!

Strength doesn’t lie in numbers
Strength doesn’t lie in wealth
Strength lies in nights of peaceful slumbers
When you wake up, wake up! It’s healthy!

All I trust I leave my heart to
All I trust becomes my own!
I have confidence in confidence alone

(spoken)
Oh, help

(sung)
I have confidence in confidence alone!
Besides, which you see
I have confidence in me!

The key to creativity, and to doing something with the dream inside you, is self-confidence. It is trusting yourself and the path meant for you when you were born.

My Creative Journey

I don’t have a creative profession, but I have many creative hobbies. The first one is photography. This blog is about photography, travel, and creativity. I also write a lot about mindful photography, which is very close to my heart. I love to walk out into nature, looking for both close macro shots and wider landscapes.

To write

Writing this blog is also a creative outlet. I have to think about what the next article will be about, and sometimes I feel lost. Then I think I have to believe in myself. I like to write, so why can´t I just do it? So my path has been to capture the beauty around us, appreciate nature, and take care of it as best we can.

And I think it also is to write, write articles about my experiences and what they are doing with me. And I think my path also is to inspire other people to do things they will love to do. So my path is to inspire people through my photographs and articles.

I can do this by being confident and trusting that I’m on the right path.

Which path do you want to follow?

Are you dreaming about something? Do you feel a little extra about something you might be able to do?  What is your heart telling you? What happens inside you when you allow yourself to be creative? Is there a difference between not allowing yourself to be creative and allowing yourself to be creative? I think so.

Practical Steps to Build Creative Confidence

The first step: Do something you seldom or never do.

This year, not instead of, but as a plus to my creativity, I started to crochet a carpet for my grandchild. I sat with my iPad on my lap, watching YouTube videos about how to crochet—and learned it! Here’s a picture of the carpet. Since I knew it would be a girl, I chose the colors myself.

The second step: Visit galleries or other places where people are doing something creative, and use that as inspiration.

The third step: Write morning pages, as Julia Cameron suggests. Then we can write about doubt and belief, what we want to do or not do; we can write down everything that fills our heads with different thoughts. It´s like a refreshing shower.

The fourth step: Take your critical voice by the horns and write down all the negative affirmations that tell you you can´t do the creative thing you want to do. When you have done that, turn all these negative affirmations into positive affirmations. For example, change “I am not good enough” to “I am good enough,” and “You will never make it” to “Of course I will make it!”

The fifth step: Be kind to yourself, take care, and speak to yourself kindly. Praise yourself and tell yourself that you are skilled. Smile at yourself in the mirror every morning, and tell yourself that you are good enough.

You can do the five steps in the order you prefer.

When you start with these five steps I think your self-confidence will start to grow. It is much better to be kind to yourself and lift yourself up than to throw yourself down.

So yes, I have enough confidence to write this article because I believe my creative passion inspires people through topics like photography, being outside in nature, and travel. If that is the creative path I need to take, I’ll write; if not, I won’t.  

Do you have a creative path in mind that you will need to take if you want to reach your goal? Then I encourage you to take your next creative step with confidence.