How To Recover from a Crisis in Creative Confidence

When it comes to create the best art you’re capable of, confidence is crucial.  You can be the most talented artist that ever lived, but if you have no confidence in your creative abilities, you won’t create at even a fraction of the levels you’re capable of. That’s if you create anything at all.

So how can you recover your confidence when it feels like it’s in crisis? Here’s your 5-step plan to get back to creative confidence, and being as creative as you know you can be:

1. Know your creativity is always there. When your confidence is low, it’s easy to feel like your creativity is dead and buried, tombstone engraved, never to be seen again. Rest assured though, it’s not possible to “lose” your creativity. It’s always been there for you to call upon, and always will be. Just by knowing and believing that your creativity may sometimes be dormant – but you can ALWAYS recover it to a thriving and abundant state, will boost your confidence at the most fundamental level.
2. Remind yourself of your creative triumphs. We’ve all had creative triumphs – those works we’ve been really proud of and known we’ve come close to seeing the full depths of our creativity come alive. Think of one of your biggest creative highlights, and spend some time recalling it in every detail. Think about what you were seeing, hearing and feeling at the time, and all that was going on around you. If you achieved this, then by focusing on the details of how you did, this level of creativity can – and will - return again.
3. Filter out destructive beliefs. Even though you may not be aware of them, limiting beliefs can destroy your confidence with their insistent negative messages. Write out everything you REALLY believe about creativity and your ability to be creative – the positive and the negative. Be honest with yourself and uncover those beliefs that hold you back. Then ask, “What would I be without these limiting beliefs? What would I be free to create?”
4. Start with a small project. Starting a vast and ambitious project when your creative confidence is low is a recipe for disappointment, and likely to damage your confidence further. Instead, start with a small manageable project you can create in less than an hour. Rediscovering the feelings and stages of starting, developing and finishing a project will prepare you well for the larger creative projects to come.
5. Strengthen your confidence step by step. Creative confidence doesn’t return overnight--it’s something you can build steadily over time if you follow the steps above. As you go, be aware of how you’re progressing and of the kind of things that are working well for you. The more you focus on these positive methods and build them up gradually and consistently, the more your creative confidence grows.