I read a lot of other crafting and design blogs. It helps me say in the loop of what is in style and it inspires me to read about other emerging artists and designers. I learn about what drives them, what inspires them and what their creative process is.
Sometimes however, it becomes an overload of information, and I start to feel small and insignificant. I start to feel like what I do isn't important or I'm not as good as (insert name here). And then I start to evaluate why I do what I do. In this case, running a small sewing and crafting business.
I'm not talking only about crafting and sewing, I'm sure people have told themselves 'I'm not as good of an artist as (somebody I know)', 'I can't take pictures as well as (so-and-so)', '(speedy Gonzales) can run soooo much faster than I can', '(my sister) is such a better writer than I am', '(blank) can play guitar like Taylor Swift and I can't'. We can be our worst critics, maybe that's what makes us try harder to be better, to do better. Maybe we are born with that desire to always beat our personal best. If we weren't born with that we would have no desire to learn more, to graduate high school, to go to university, to start a career or change careers.
In my experience, to stop comparing myself with (better person than me) is the first step. That's not to say comparison is all bad, in some cases that may drive us more. We are all different, and we do life differently. My creative process and outlet is different for me than for someone else, and it looks different too. I don't feel like I'm as good as some of the other craft and sewing blogs that I read. I have to stop and just enjoy what I do, who I am, and best of all, where I used to be. If I compare myself to the first day I started sewing (15 years ago) I am AWESOME now!
So be the best you can be for YOU, beat YOUR personal best, and have fun getting better at what you do!
"(so-and-so) always has a cleaner house than I do."
"I am the best accordion player I know."
(no, seriously I am.......I am the only one I know)
Hi Rachel
ReplyDeleteLove you post and as a creative person can relate. A very good friend, a very creative person once wrote on a card for me.....and I still have the card and quote from it (I have never forgotten it)
1. All amazing things that have happened were ideas first
2. I have ideas that I am too embarassed to say. I think people might think I'm stupid.
3. How can you expect others to like your ideas if you don't respect your thoughts enough to share them. Maybe someone poo pooed an idea you had so you don't share them anymore.
4. But you still have them.
5. Put your own idea into action before you expect other people to think you are brilliant.
6. Maybe you could be the first person to do something. But so what if you are the second or third.
7. One persons ideas light up other peoples thinking
Don't dismiss your ideas too fast.Give them the respect of consideration. If you decide to act on your idea and invest yourself you might bring something good to someone and find reward yourself.
An idea gains value when you accept and believe it and then invest time and effort into it.
Love seeing you posts and amazing pieces.
Denise xx
I love all these thoughts Denise! Ideas can be personal things and hard to put out there for the world to see and sometimes poo poo!
DeleteYou have a teepee in your house?! And AstroTurf?! And Taylor Swift plays guitar?! I liked your thought. My self 15 years ago would be in big trouble if he ever got in a dance off with me now. I've had a lot of practise since having kids!
ReplyDeleteThe "me" 15 years ago would have loved to meet the "me" now! I've never really thought about it before this post, but its fun to think of what would happen. I'll have to do a blog post about the teepee soon too!
DeleteI was just thinking about this stuff, but in terms of houses and decor and all the blogs and pretty pictures, and worst of all, pinterest. How do people do it all, while also living life? I don't get it!!
ReplyDeleteoooh, Erica, Don't even get me started about this "age of beauty" as I call it. It is so infuriating how people have seemingly endless time to make their lives look so picture perfect. I've been thinking about a series on "my un-pinned home" where I share pictures of my messy life! Lets get real with each other already!
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