Exercises that will silence the Inner Critic and nurture your Creativity

Hello to the first of March 2014. Nice to meat you! This month let’s March on, in spite of the IC! To me it seams that February went by like a lightning bolt. Swoosh!

I need to get my planner out and mark up those pages with the projects I want to work on, the things I need to do and the ideas I want to try. Otherwise, the days just passes and nothing gets done. Except watching old episodes of Friends! Love that TV-series! Here’s what inspires me right now:

That mean old Inner Critic

I have enjoyed your comments on my review of Quinn’s book Inner Hero Creative Art Journal this week.

Well, reading your comments was not all fun. I asked what your Inner Critics say to you, and wow! Some of the comments makes me worried, because your Inner Critics are so loud and mean! Just writing a few sentences of what I hear made me realize how strong the IC can be. We’ve got way way too much negative self-talk going on. Ann wrote a whole description of her IC and says:

As you can tell, we’ve spent a lot of time together, lol. He’s not a bad kid, he just needs to lighten up and learn how to critique without being horrible and to look on the bright side of things and see the good in stuff.

That’s some good advice we should all heed. I don’t think the IC ever will be your best buddy, but we can learn to notice when what he or she says is just plain silly, wrong or mean. If the IC says: Uh-oh, you could work some more on that journal page, it doesn’t look finished I thank her. That might be true, and at least it is something I will consider. The problem is when the Inner Critic starts talking you down before you even get started! If you listen that kind of negativity you might end up walking into a creative block, or a un-creative life! Brr, what a horrible idea! We don’t want that.

I strive towards a world where we as grown ups stop thinking they’re not creative enough, or not at all! This is my work and passion, for myself and for you guys, every single day!

If the IC goes into accusation and hate, and says things like:

– You’re not artistic, or even creative! You are a looser and you should just let go of that longing inside that says you want to create things – because it’s false! You’re not even good at it!

Then it’s time to shut it up by simply starting, do anything and try to get into the creative flow where the Inner Critic can’t scream at you. Here’s a few starter ideas to try if that mean, old IC gets you down. A few of my favorites include:

• Say YES to your creativity – because you’re worth it!
• Try the Inkblot exercise – creating with a sense of happenstance
• Work in your “get started” Scrap Notebook – all artists need one!
• Do something outside of your journal, on scrap paper – take some of the pressure away
• Create a Inner Critic Paper Doll – and then hide it

Those are just a few suggestions, maybe you’ve got a trick of your own? You can also put on loud music and dance until you feel great and can’t hear that inner negative voice of yours. Good luck!

Also, a big thank you goes out to all of you who liked my facebook page and/or joined my Newsletter this week! I truly appreciate your support and interest in what I create!

I hope that by following me I will be able to inspire you even more in your own life. And into March we march on, wearing our creative hats. Painting the world with rainbows and polka dots (I am obsessed with dots right now). Ulrika is the winner of the Inner Hero book. and she has been notified via e-mail. Here’s another chance to win at Seth’s place.