Owning Your Creativity
Illustration by Martina.
A blank paper can be scary. We want to write or draw something, but it’s too frustrating. We may feel that our every mistake will be highlighted and that we just ‘suck.’ It’s understandable—we live in an age that demands perfection in every aspect of our lives. And so, we judge ourselves harshly, we want to ‘get it right’ from the first time, depriving ourselves of our own gift of self-expression. Many of us stop there and never pick up a pen and paper again, because our feelings of shame and vulnerability start to take over.
There are fields of creativity that may put us in an even more vulnerable position, such as the performing arts. Here, the gaze of a live audience is introduced. While you may have time to prepare and correct your articles or visual artwork before displaying them to the public, with performance, you are put on the spot to sing, dance, or perform. People’s social media feeds are saturated with many examples of performers and musicians, which makes them jaded and hard to impress. The harsh judgment of others can be quite an obstacle for performers. I imagine all the beautiful voices unheard, all the magnificent actors with stories untold, and all the wonderful dancers who chose to remain unseen.
The solution? Do it anyway. Delay is a trick your mind uses to prevent you from feeling vulnerable.
Befriend the blank paper. Let yourself know that you are just experimenting, trying new things, and that this is not the final product. Telling yourself these things can make you ease up and release the expectation of perfection. Sometimes, scribbling on the edges of the same paper ‘warms it up’ and makes it easier to begin.
Practice your chosen craft every day out of love, but also out of commitment, and get ready to see great progress! It is also very beneficial to look up resources online and/or take classes in your chosen field of interest.
Like a child, bravely show your vulnerability to the world. When a child paints or sings, they are fully present in the moment, without any agenda for power or success. When a child makes a mistake, they normally find it funny and just carry on. A child falls many times before learning to walk properly, but they joyfully keep on trying because there is no self-deprecating internal monologue. People may have seen a lot, but they are always hungry for authentic and heartfelt performances, even if they are not ‘perfect.’
You will be opposed, and you will be challenged, especially in a region that is just starting to bloom. The creative scene is only beginning to see the light in the Gulf through social media initiatives and small-scale institutes; there’s still a lot of work to be done to ease the resistance towards art, and we can collectively work on that.
On a personal scale, some may not only criticize you, but they would use the age-old trick of trying to shame you or even laugh at you. This is usually an indication that your work is actually good! Keep striding, knowing that you have something valuable to share with the world.
At some point, you will be comfortable enough to share your talent with the world. The support you can get from your friends and community can be tremendously helpful. Find people who share the same interests and get together. Be inspired by others, but avoid comparing yourself to anyone. Creativity is not a competitive sport!
While a professional career in an artistic field may not necessarily be the end goal for you, creativity is still a worthwhile journey of growth and self-reflection. Give yourself a chance and own your creativity. ◆
Dana is a writer and poet from Kuwait. She has a weekly column in Al Jarida newspaper (Arabic), as well as occasional articles in Kuwait Times newspaper in English. She has published a poetry book last year under the same name as her blog: “Reflecting Moon”. In her blog, more intimate poetry and content can be found. Find Dana on Instagram