Working from the Inside Out

1

The feeling of never being good enough is common amongst the creative crowd and enhanced for neurodiverse individuals. We all naturally compare our progress to those around us. Those of us who don’t do too well, early on at school often question their own abilities and intelligence. (This is pretty common for neurodiverse students not because they can’t do well at school only because they don’t receive the right support at the right time, which makes a huge difference in person’s life.).

Comparing ourselves to others in the world on steroids is so easy. I often get carried away looking at how well others are doing and how behind I am. Once I start comparing myself and indulge in negativity, I lose ground under my feet, and the progress I managed to make seems lost in that moment.

For example, when the project I worked on didn’t work out as I had imagined, I often feel that I need to restructure my whole practice (I had done that a few times in the past, I wouldn’t recommend it.). Hence, for many years, my creative art practice felt very fragmented and unfocused.

Luckily returning to higher education as a mature student gave me time to be with my creativity and in my creative art practice. Spending time with my own creativity allowed me to examine my practice from within rather than from outside aka comparing myself to other artists and filmmakers. That focused time helped me rebuild my creative art practice in an inclusive and kind way without constantly chasing perfection.

My creative rediscovery process started with silence, leading me to look inside to awaken my inner communication with my creative self. Instead of subjecting myself to never-ending analyses of what was wrong with me, with the project or my creative approach. With time and patience, I re-connected to my intuition, creative self, and working from the inside out has become integrated within my creative art practice. I have to say I’m really proud of that.

2.

In moments of creative disconnection, I turn to creative journaling. I know that journaling could be “time-consuming”, which can put people off. But at the same time, devoting just 15 minutes to journaling or answering one creative prompt might be just what I need to open up connection with my creative self. (Otherwise, I might be sitting in front of my computer scrawling, pretending to be “busy”.)

Creative journaling is one way that supports my creativity in a playful, nonjudgmental way without putting pressure on outcomes and expectations. It often allows clarity by breaking through the brick wall I build unknowingly between myself and my intuition or creative self (putting unrealistic expectations, time pressure and outcomes). Creative journaling helps me connect to that fun; childlike part of my soul I often forget I have.

3.

As my neurodiverse brain tends to forget a lot and often doesn’t give me enough credit for what I’m able to do. I created a Creative Toolbox, which in practice is a list of my skills, abilities, and projects I have completed. A quick look at the list always reassures me that I’m able to complete the task or expand my skill set. Most importantly, it reminds me that I’m enough and I’m capable.

Knowing what I can do as well as allowing playfulness into my creative art practice is a wonderful way of working from the inside out in the best possible way that suits my creativity and my practice.

If you would like to work together on growing or developing your creative art practice or your creative project, check out this link.