Facing my Limiting Beliefs around Creativity, head on

The Creation and writing process, releasing many of the ideas swirling in my head, cause to me to continually face the limiting beliefs that I: AM NOT a write, thinker, or voice worth listening to. This work is real-life proof of the material that I am writing about and asking others to engage in:

1.     De-bunking the beliefs we carry throughout our lives that inhibit us from reaching our true and full potential. 

2.     Continually coming face to face with where our passion and the world’s needs collide - even when it is hard work and requires discipline and grace.

3.     Ultimately unlocking the creative potential uniquely inside of you and only you.

Limiting Beliefs

What are the stories that I tell myself when I’m low, lacking energy or hope and needing encouragement? What are the inhibiting factors that keep me from getting to the work that I believe I’m uniquely called to?

As a not-yet-able-to-call-myself-a-writer, writer, I’m aware that the voices that are coming out of me are ugly, loud and inaccurate. And while I can call those out in others, I struggle to be honest with myself. 

Here’s what those voices sound like as a writer (because I know listing them takes the sting away):

…Your message has already been said

…Your voice doesn’t matter

…You don’t have time for this

…You have other ways that you should contribute

…You are not a good writer

…You are not articulate

…You are not creative

…my thoughts are too scattered and all over the place

Overcoming objections is the kind and gracious extension we all need from ourselves. It’s the dig deeper, love big, way of settling our inner voice when the other voices get loud and out-of-control!  It’s the hard work of reframing stories that have been told wrong in the past. Changing the narrative to what can be done when there is courage and faith in myself to believe…

These limiting beliefs all point to what is called the imposter syndrome! What if people find out who I really am? The truth is, many have and they’ve liked that person. Could writing in public be a more vulnerable space to let others know who you are and what you think? It’s scary and vulnerable and they will get the real me, and I have to believe that many will resonate with that vulnerable girl.

For now, I must reframe these limiting beliefs and get them out of my head and heart:

…I do have a unique message

…my voice will be heard in a different way from others

…others have said that I communicate in a way that resonates with them (so even if it’s just 1…)

…the way that I connect the dots is unique to me

I came here today during a writer’s retreat and decided to let myself tangent here. I wanted to press on and press in. After months of feeling stuck, I had to call upon others who have gone before me to speak with a new voice. And really just create a safe space for me. 

I’ll admit it, it was a stretch to ask a group of complete strangers to hold me accountable to the task of writing! And yet there was great power in this silent group existing in my life for one day and for one sole purpose – to free the thoughts in my head. There was something incredibly comforting knowing they were boldly looking internally to discover their own writing voices. I knew they were diligently fighting the demons of their past alongside of me. And simultaneously, the main objective was to just keep showing up! Without criticism, without judgment. So I signed up for a group and away I went. I give credit to them for helping me to overcome one of my many objections.

In order to get to this point, sometimes I have to coach myself and be reminded of other similar situations in which I overcame objections. What other hard things have I done that look similar to this? That’s exactly where I woke from my sleep this morning. My response in this particular scenario: I’ve written and published a workbook, I took a 3 year degree and made it 9! And wrote a thesis to prove it. I’ve organized thoughts in hundreds of blog posts and created a manual to train others on…and so forth. I must remind myself that this is not new. What I’m attempting to accomplish is not the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I have been prepared for this moment to begin looking into the eye of the storm of creativity and allowing all the unique ways that I am me to show up in full and good form. In that way, I am convinced that there is someone out there who needs me to persevere and keep finding my writer’s voice. It’s for that reason I continue. 

What are your limiting beliefs? How do you overcome them? Who do you share these with?