We’ve been socialized to prioritize harmony and not create conflict.
– Tara Sophia Mohr

Being creative – being an artist – opens you up to criticism. Presenting unique ideas to the world, telling a compelling story, or sharing a work of art will always unsettle people who are comfortable with the status quo. Unsettled people say unkind things.

Tara Sophia Mohr offers two excellent questions to consider when dealing with criticism.

1.) What am I making the criticism mean? In order words, are you accepting the criticism at face value & analyzing as such? Or are you turning it into an accusation against yourself?

2.) How does this criticism touch upon a negative belief I hold about myself? Does the criticism hurt more because it affirms something you already believe is a deficiency?

But when dealing with your creativity, there’s a third question to consider.

3.) How can this feedback improve my idea?

Criticism strings like a bee. And the anaphylactic shock that follows can shut you down. But criticism can also help you kick start a better idea, a more meaningful personal expression.

Criticism can help prepare you for the conflict that true brilliance will always bring.

As an artist, your work – your ideas – your style are an extension of your deepest feelings about yourself, a tangible representation of your YOUness. Even the most well meaning criticisms – from friends, family, lovers – can feel like they’re tearing you down. And we are adept at scratching our own wounds.

When we don’t examine criticism for at its face value, it leads to self-consciousness.

Self-consciousness, however, does hinder the experience of the present.
– Annie Dillard

Instead of reaching for big, bigger, biggest, we reach for safe & allowable. Self-consciousness refuses to let you create art. It only allows for “nice.” Ew.

Self-consciousness veils our experience, deadens our vision.

To create your best work, you have to shake off the veil of self-consciousness and become open to the world in a way that is fresh & new.

Every experience is an opportunity to inform you life’s work of art.

Self-consciousness feels icky and it forces us to do things we don’t really want to do. Just say no to self-consciousness and you’re on the way to a freer creative experience.

Instead of thinking about what you would do if you knew you wouldn’t fail, maybe a better question is… what’s truly worth doing, whether you fail or succeed?
– Chris Guillebeau

Whether dealing with ciriticms or self-consciousness, our main fear is failure.

If your wildest dreams succeeded, you wouldn’t be concerned with the occasional criticism or a nagging self-consciousness. You would revel in your success and begin planning for your next success.

But creative people fail. A lot.

And criticism & self-consciousness remind us of that. This paralyzes us, we are helpless to act, create, or express ourselves.

Inaction – or safe action – doesn’t change lives. Inaction doesn’t make dreams come true. Inaction doesn’t even lead to small successes.

Inaction leads to mediocrity – mediocrity just causes more criticism and self-consciousness.

It’s a nasty cycle. But you can claw your way back out. And you’ll have to. None of us are immune to the ravages of the cycle. It’s a disease that infects our creativity and sickens our spirit.

You can work against each segment of the cycle as you recognize it. Or you can work on creating your own upward cycle as part of your creative process.

• Step 1. Accept that criticism is a necessary and welcome part of the creative process.
• Step 2. Shed the self-consciousness that comes from negative perceptions of criticism. Experience the world with wild abandon.
• Step 3. Recognize failure as part of the process and act on your ideas as if it doesn’t matter.

At one time or another, we all find ourselves sucked into the dangerous cycle of criticism. Criticism leading to self-consciousness leading to inaction. But we can (must!) claw ourselves back out, reclaim our own freedom to create, and make peace with the criticism we receive.

How have you been affected negatively by criticism? And how have you turned the experience into a positive one? Tell me in the comments.

{ downward spiral earrings by freeforged }