DO YOU KEEP YOUR CREATIVITY A SECRET?
It can sometimes be incredibly difficult to open up about our creative hopes and dreams. However, we're often much happier to share our creativity in the online world than we are face to face.
We lie about our weekends; hide the blog we've been pouring our free time into; live in fear that our colleagues or old school friends will find our creative instagram account.
But what is it that makes us close up around the people we see every day, and how can we start to be more open about who we really are?
Why we're keeping our dreams and passions a secret.
Maybe our full-time persona is not the creative type. Maybe we work a day job so far removed from creating and self-expression that we fear the people around us would just go, 'huh?'. They'd think it strange, we tell ourselves. They just wouldn't understand.
Maybe we worry that sharing our dreams will take a little of that magic away from them. Keeping a passion project a secret can be a great way to remove some of the pressure when you're starting out, but sooner or later most projects must be allowed to shine in order to go from dream to reality.
Maybe we're embarrassed that if we started to open up about the things we really love, we'd be asked to share more - offering our creativity up to judgement and potential ridicule or rejection.
How can we start to open up?
Start with yourself. Be honest about what you love, and get your dreams and plans written down so you can start working towards them.
Share with your closest friends first and work outwards. Build confidence by sharing your creative passions with the people who you know will be excited for you, even if they don't really get it.
Ask questions/be interested in others. You are so much more likely to receive support and warmth towards your creativity and dreams for the future if you give it out too.
Your quick creative biography.
If you get tongue tied every time someone asks about your latest project or creative side hustle, it might help to prepare a short sentence or two that you can use in the future.
A little bit like an elevator pitch, you can get used to introducing yourself as a creative by referring to it internally, using it for your written profile bio {on instagram, for example}, or even by practising aloud.
It should be concise and clear - easy to understand even by someone far outside of your interests and experiences.
For example:
"I write creative fantasy fiction for young adults. Right now I'm working on my third novel about faeries and a boy with social anxiety."
or:
"I run an online Etsy shop selling simple, contemporary crochet patterns. They're perfect for beginners, and use bright, modern yarns."
The more practise you can get in using clear, confident language to describe your passions and dreams, the more comfortable you'll feel sharing that part of yourself.
