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Hey 👋 Before we dive in, I just wanted to say, if you’re thinking about working with me this year, now is a great time 👌 If you’ve got a creative project on your mind but not sure how to bring it to life… or if you’re having trouble working out how to pivot, transition, or make the creative thing happen, get in touch. You can also check out my coaching page for more details on how to work with me, including pricing 🌿
When you have a whole load of creative projects to work on, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
There’s lots of things you could be doing… so how do you know where to start?
This is something a lot of creatives struggle with. Having lots of ideas and not knowing which ones to pursue.
Here’s one way I like to think of it, and how I’d advise my clients to think about it too:
First… whatever you do, is going to benefit the rest of what you do.
Whatever you spend your time on now, will inform and help all your work going forward. It all counts.
I know it sounds easier in theory than practice… but trust me on this: You don’t need to be worried about picking the ‘wrong thing.’
We can get so caught up in trying to avoid the wrong thing, that we end up picking nothing. And the worst thing we can do is pick nothing. Everything else is a better option than that.
So often, there’s not just one ‘right’ choice. There are lots of very good choices — that will all help us in some way.
So pick one.
If you’re starting out on your creative journey, you have no major body of work to build on — so you have very little to inform you of what direction you’re ‘supposed' to be heading.
Instead of this feeling like a burden, what if it could feel like a freedom? What if you decided you literally cannot get it wrong? All the options are great.
Pick one. And know that it is all part of your work going forward. This is all contributing to your creative journey — and this is one piece, one step, of many.
Here’s a thought to try on for size: All the options are great. I cannot lose.
This principle still holds true for people who are further along their creative journey. Your options might be more informed by your body of work, but there will still be likely lots of, or at least a few, different things you’d like to explore.
This time is not wasted either — because it all informs your journey. It all tells you where to go next.
However, we obviously cannot do all the things at once.
So, you might pick a project that brings in income. Or you pick a project that gives you a specific win you are looking for (like submitting your work to a publication.) You might choose something that allows you to explore a different medium... It’s up to you. You get to decide.
What often holds people back from committing to a project is they’re worried they won’t see it through.
They’re worried they’ll get distracted, or abandon it halfway through — and then, it’ll have been a waste of time.
If this is you I want you take a moment to think about a time this happened… and forgive yourself.
There will have been good reasons for ‘giving up’ or not completing the project. There will likely have been a mixture of internal and external pressures.
That doesn’t make it any less painful, I realise. But this is not a thing to be ashamed of. You’ve got a very human brain, responding to very human forces. And this doesn’t have to be used against yourself — or your future creations.
Just because you did something in the past, does not mean you will do the exact same thing in the future.
You are a different person. And you do get to respond differently.
You get to learn from what happened last time. And you get to find ways to support you.
Maybe this is keeping a journal. Maybe it’s finding an accountability partner. Maybe it’s trying a new way of working, like breaking things down into smaller chunks, or working in a new environment.
There are limitless things you can do to work differently. You just need to choose one (or a few), and try them.
And keep trying; again and again.
People are worried about wasting time.
We worry we’ll pour hours into a project that doesn’t go anywhere, or doesn’t produce the result we want.
But that doesn’t mean the project — or the time — was wasted.
If it informs you — if you learn something from it — you know what to do (or not do) for next time. You build upon your result.
We think this is a slower way of working. But it isn’t.
Because actually, we are making more progress. We are learning faster, and getting there faster, than if we stopped working and spent all our time worrying about what the ‘best’ option was to pick.
The biggest waste of time is worrying about wasting time, and not doing anything as a result.
I know, because this was me. For a long time.
And that’s not to shame anyone in this situation. I personally know how hard it is to trust ourselves and the process.
But the quickest way to trust is to start trusting. To find the place that feels accessible to us now, and start from there. Grow from here. And keep growing.
So, if you are feeling stuck, I encourage you to stop trying to anticipate all the options. Stop looking ahead to all the possible ways you could influence the outcome, and start with here. Start with what you know. Start here. 🌿
Love,
Kathryn
PS. I like you
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Get in touch or book a call to find out more. Time to make your dreams happen, today.