If you had asked me to describe myself as a child, I probably would have chosen one word: smart. I was a part of my elementary school’s gifted program and did Honors/AP classes all the way up until I went to Davidson, a college known for its nerdiness and crazy-hard academics. For most of my life I’ve identified myself as hard-working, intelligent, and a perfectionist at just about everything. In other words…I’d probably say I was pretty nerdy.
But creative? Definitely not one of the words I’d use to describe myself.
Source: Haley George Photography
Even though I hung around with a lot of people in the same advanced classes as I was, it seemed like my best friends were always the most creative, artistic people.. I remember seeing friends whip up beautiful Christmas crafts, birthday party favors, or handmade cards and feeling like a total failure because my own creation looked like something a four-year-old had made.
Do you remember those old ceramic-making places where you could choose and paint little ceramic figurines like dolphins and unicorns? Let’s just say some of my most traumatic childhood memories come from hiding in the bathroom of those places, tears streaming down my face because my ceramic garden gnome would never be as pretty as my classmates’ sculptures.
I wish I could say I grew out of this insecurity that I wasn’t “creative,” that I started to grow more confident in my ideas and my ability to turn them into reality. But if I’m honest, this only grew during college. I could whip up a 10-page paper in Spanish or memorize 100 new German vocab words, but I was insecure about what I wore in comparison to my beautiful, stylish friends. I felt like my outfits never had that thrown-together, straight out of Anthropologie look that I wanted, where my friends wore a ratty old t-shirt and looked about as artistic and fashionable as they come. I had ideas for what I wanted our dorm rooms or house to look like, but constantly asked for others’ opinions and affirmation to make sure my ideas weren’t “dumb.”
My college roommate Haley made amazing crafts like this. Seriously…so talented! (Source: Haley George Photography)
For many, many years, I felt like there was some standard of creativity in all things that I had to live up to, that my crafts, my home, and my style had to measure up to someone else’s standards of beauty or perfection to be good enough, and if they didn’t measure up, then I was a failure.
Another beautiful craft by my roommate Haley – an embroidery hoop fabric chandelier! (Source: Haley George Photography)
It wasn’t until I moved away from college to a new city, where I had no friends to affirm my outfit or home decor choices, that I finally started to trust my own instincts. I started buying clothes because I thought they were beautiful and they made me want to spin in the mirror, not because a friend said they looked good. I bought thrift store picture frames and painted them my favorite colors, arranging them on a wall without anyone’s help and smiling every time I walked through the door of my basement apartment to see them.
An iPhone snapshot of the gallery wall in our old townhouse.
Since we’ve gotten married and lived in a few different homes, this process has only deepened. I’ve started envisioning what I want our home to be and feel for people, and embarking on projects that bring us one more step closer to that vision. I bought Ikea Rast dressers and took the plunge to paint them, following in the footsteps of the Nester, who always says that you can’t ruin something you didn’t even like in the first place! Check out my post on that process here!
Starting this blog was maybe one of the biggest ways I’m embracing my newfound creativity. By designing this website and clicking “post” so all of you lovely people could read it (or at least so my mom and Aunt Ellen could read it…my number one fans!), I took the risk to say that what I create with my words and with my hands is worth listening to and seeing, that I have stories to tell and art to make in my home, in my heart, and around my table.
If you wrestle with creative insecurity in a Pinterest-world that makes you feel like what you make will never be good enough, I invite you into a new place of freedom. Whether it’s a new recipe, a house project, a new way to connect people and build community, you have ideas and creativity to express that the world needs. If I can embrace my own creativity and make projects and write posts that scare me a little, so can you.
In the words of Emily Freeman in her wonderful book, A Million Little Ways, “You may not be the first to say it, write it, create it, or believe it—but you saying it may be the first time someone finally hears. Yes, someone else can say it better, but that doesn’t mean you can’t say it too. Throw out your inhibitions and spin around in this crazy world of recycled ideas. There is nothing new to say. Say it anyway.”
If you’re longing to create something with your hands, to see your ideas become reality, to say something that matters and impacts people’s hearts and stories, I hope you’ll follow some of these steps below. The world needs your creativity and your story (and you need to share them!) and sometimes the hardest part is taking these first steps to overcome your creative insecurity. Take some time to try some of these things below and let your creativity unfold, even if it scares you to death at first.
1) Develop your own style
Do a little research. What creative outlet are you longing to explore? If it’s home decor, spend time figuring out what catches your eye on Pinterest and why. If it’s writing, start being an avid reader of blogs to figure out what speaks to your heart and what you long to hear that’s not being said. Do a little exploring into what’s already out there – not so you can compare, but so you can know more of who you are in the midst of all that and what you can speak into it all.
Pinterest is one of my favorite ways to get inspired and save ideas…just don’t let it become an unhealthy place to compare. Take a Pinterest idea and make it your own!
Visit Pinterest’s profile on Pinterest.
2) Choose a first project and just try it!
Start with something small. Try your hand at writing a blog post even if you haven’t created a blog yet, or paint those picture frames you’ve always hated, or rearrange the knick-knacks on your dresser into something just a little bit prettier. Choose something small and change it, then give yourself some time to admire your handiwork and get used to it. I have a feeling you’ll feel a little more proud each time you see it!
This is a great example of a project I jumped into without worrying about how it would turn out, and I love it! Read about how I created this wreath here.
3) Move on to bigger and more challenging things
Share it! This is the part that’s the scariest. When people come to your home, point out your most recent project without apologizing. Share that blog post you wrote on some sort of social media instead of just clicking “Publish” and hoping for the best. Believe that what you created is worth seeing and reading and recreating and soon enough other people will start to believe it too!
You have something valuable to offer the world, whether you speak it, write, it, or create it with your hands, and I hope you will take the baby steps needed to turn your creative vision into a reality.
I sometimes link up to Just a Girl And Her Blog, Life on Virginia Street, Miss Mustard Seed, Remodelaholics Anonymous, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, Cupcakes and Crinoline, Home Stories A to Z, Sand and Sisal, Kleinworth & Co, Coastal Charm, Between Naps On The Porch, A Fresh Start On A Budget, Mad In Crafts, New Nostalgia, Funky Polka Dot Giraffe, Mabey She Made It, Memories By The Mile, Ladybug Blessings, Hope Studios, Posed Perfection, Common Ground, Anderson and Grant, The Charm of Home, Dwellings Amaze Me Monday, Sugar Bee Crafts, and Elizabeth and Co Vintage, The Charm of Home, Sweet Little Ones, Friday Letters, Meet-up Monday, Common Ground,Share Your Style, This Is How We Roll, AKA Design,Creativity Unleashed Thursdays, The Painted Drawer, Live Randomly Simple, Imparting Grace, Embracing His Will, A Life In Balance, Purposeful Faith, A Fresh Start On A Budget, What Joy Is Mine, The Beauty In His Grip, Strangers And Pilgrims On Earth, Soul Survival, Me Coffee and Jesus, Women With Intention, A Little R & R, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Coffee For Your Heart,Serving Joyfully, 3D Lessons 4 Life, The Deliberate Mom, Dance With Jesus,Missional Women, Busy Being Blessed, Live Free Thursdays, Whole Hearted Wednesdays, Thriving Thursdays, Christian Mommy Bloggers, Still Saturdays, and Modest Mondays.
Lauren … I LOVE this post! And your creative energy, too!
Sometimes we begin to soar when we move from all that’s familiar and the people who knew us when. It’s almost like we get to reinvent ourselves. I like that! And yes, the Nester and Emily have been so effective in encouraging me to step out of the box and soar just a bit. Aren’t their sites just the best?
Have a great week!
Linda Stoll recently posted…Got About 9 Minutes This Weekend?
Thanks, Linda! I totally agree…both those bloggers have been huge in reminding me that I can try things without fear of it being “imperfect” and learn to love what I can create. Thanks for stopping by!
I love this post! It is scary to take the step and publicly admit to being creative. I had a hard time deciding to actually try to write a blog considering so many people have said so much already, but I’m so glad I just decided to go for it this May. Thank you for sharing!
Gina recently posted…Happily Ever After
Thanks, Gina! And your blog looks great so i’m so glad you did! It takes bravery but it’s so worth it. Thanks for stopping by!
I definitely get you about not feeling creative at first. But your creativity is definitely flowing and your blog is so cute!
Adriana Renee recently posted…Homemade Pico de Gallo (Guest Post)
Well thanks, Adriana! I appreciate that! 🙂
great post! I love the tips you gave at the end and seeing your heart throughout the post! thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Kaycie! 🙂
Hi Lauren! I’m Lacy. I found your blog through The Peony Project and resonated so much with these candid thoughts on creativity. My heart went out to the little-girl-you in the bathroom of that pottery place. I remember that feeling all too well. And just like back then, much of my creative paralysis comes these days comes from not knowing how to begin! Kudos to you for stepping up to the creativity plate and taking the risk to make something beautiful. Let’s keep at it! ~Lacy
Aww thanks, Lacy! It’s definitely been a long journey from being that little girl to being more confident now. I agree – let’s keep making and writing beautiful things! Thanks for the encouraging words!
Congratulations for speaking up and living it out loud. You my dear are a creative and you are also enough! God has breathed the air of creativity into you as well. Embrace it and share the gift with the world.
Kimberly recently posted…Lessons Learned at 31
Thanks, Kimberly! I appreciate those encouraging words! 🙂
I love this, Lauren. People often see me and think I am creative (because I crochet). But I find it hard to embrace that as an appropriate word for me. But YES! I am there with you, and am going to embrace the creativity I have and step away from the insecurity. Thank you!
Ashley recently posted…Greece Favorites: Part Two
Yes, creativity is so much more than just being “artistic” or whatever word usually comes to mind. Thanks for stopping by, Ashley!
I have definitely felt this way before! I always felt like I couldn’t call myself creative because the things I was interested in weren’t traditional creative pursuits (writing, acting, art, etc.), but now I embrace my creativity as something bigger. I do wish I would take more time for crafts and projects. Thanks for the reminder!
Miranda @ Miranda Writes Blog recently posted…Birthday Weekend Recap
I totally agree…creativity can take so many shapes and forms! Thanks for stopping by, Miranda!
I so appreciated this post, because I have felt the same way about being creative! I used to compare my crafts to other people’s and then hate whatever I did too, haha! I have an easier time expressing my creativity in writing/blogging than with DIY’s, so I think it is important to find your “thing”, the way you are most comfortable being creative!
Haha right there with you! And yes, creativity can come in so many different forms, we just have to figure out which ones fits us best. Thanks for stopping by, Callie!
I, too, am still learning to embrace my own creativity. I’m honestly not all that creative, but when I do get crafty, I can come up with some pretty neat things. But I’m also realizing that being creative doesn’t mean that I have to be good at DIY arts and crafts; my blog is my craft, and I’m good at it… That’s all the creativity I need!
I love that…even if we don’t consider ourselves crafty, we can still create some pretty great things! I completely agree 🙂
I loved every word of this! So encouraging to know “it’s not just me.” Ready to take some baby steps…
Pamela recently posted…Good Girls Bully Too
Thanks, Pamela! I’m so glad you connected with this. You are definitely not alone! 🙂
Great tips! I’ve never been crafty, or good at DIY projects. In fact, I’ve actually had some pretty unattractive tantrums over my friends’ beautifully decorated homes. (Sorry, that’s not easy to admit.) But I’ve discovered that my creative friends are always willing to help me out if I’m willing to ask! I love that quote from Emily, too. Thank you for sharing your honesty and your heart!
Ha I LOVE that you admitted that! I’ve totally done the same thing. I’m also learning to just ask for help and opinions and let myself learn and grow slowly. Thanks for stopping by, Kristine!
HI Lauren- Love the Nester! Your gallery wall is stunning and inspiring. We are moving this week and I am going to refer to this image as I set up a gallery wall. Thank you for linking up with the #RaRaLinkup Miss Creative. 🙂
Katie M. Reid recently posted…Be Yourself (#RaRaLinkup)
Ha thanks, Katie! I appreciate the encouragement. I hope your move goes well and you create something beautiful on your new walls!
Thank you for writing this! I definitely have had so many moments like this throughout the years and it is so nice to hear (read) that I am not alone! I so appreciate your honesty :o)
Falon at A Disney Mom Blog recently posted…Spotlight on The 2015 Disneyland All American College Band
Thanks, Falon! I’m so glad you connected with it!
Great post, Lauren! Don’t ever feel like you’re the only one! I got your back 😉
I was told my entire life that I couldn’t be an artist because it wouldn’t pay the bills. Then, one day I told everybody to pretty much… go fly a kite (if you know what I mean ;), and I went after my dreams. I am so happy (much like you!) that I took that leap.
LZ Cathcart@ The Summery Umbrella recently posted…3 Ways to Hydrate with Flavored Water
Ha glad to know you’re in it with me! That’s so great you just went for it. And your blog is AWESOME! Glad to know a fellow “creative.” 🙂
Awh, bless you! I think it’s so sad when people think they can’t have a go at making something in case it’s not perfect. I was so lucky to come from a home where people made stuff, some times really good amazing stuff and sometimes no so much! When you make something the process is supposed to be enjoyable, not just the end product.
You seem to have found just a positive vibes, it’s nice to think you can inspire others too.
And everyone needs to remember that even the most amazing artist and creative people have total fails sometimes that they seldom let others know about, it’s all perfectly normal and part of the process!
Julie recently posted…Wedding Day Emergency Kit
I love that! My parents were really encouraging too, but I think it’s just taken me some extra encouragement to overcome my perfectionist side. Thanks for your encouraging words! It’s good to remember that everyone has a disastrous project every once in a while! 🙂
I love this advice for stepping out in creativity! I definitely struggle with not being willing to call myself creative too and this is so encouraging!
Susannah recently posted…My Real and Raw Advice for Mamas-to-Be
Thanks, Susannah! Your blog definitely shows your creativity, so I’d say without a doubt you’ve got some creativity in there! 😉
I love this post! I am sort of creative but creating a website was such a great creative outlet for me. I also love Emily’s book that you quoted from. She is such an encouragement. You are doing a beautiful job with your creative expressions in word and craft! Blessings! Love, Rachael @ Inking the Heart
Isn’t it crazy how much creativity blogging requires? I love how it challenges me and stretches me. And Emily Freeman is awesome. I loved her book too! Thanks for reading and commenting!
So many creatives feel this. It always astounds me! Thank you for sharing your story and how you have overcome it. I love this quote: Believe that what you created is worth seeing and reading and recreating and soon enough other people will start to believe it too! Visiting from #TellHisStory.
Christina Hubbard recently posted…SKIN: How To Love Everyone, Even Beautiful People
Oh I love that! Such a great quote. Thanks for stopping by!
Lauren- I always appreciate your honest words! : ) Glad that you are blogging and sharing your creativity. I’ve always been called creative but have always been equally insecure, convinced that my “projects” can’t measure up. There are still somethings I’m not good at (ahem. Arranging anything in an aesthetically pleasing way…like the ornaments on the Christmas tree…) but there always will be : ) I’m blessed to have other creative people in my life who excel in the parts I’m weakest in!
Thanks, Bethany! It’s so hard to be confident about our work, especially in front of other people! Haha I have so been there with arranging things. My husband laughs because I will rearrange the same shelf 20 times in one day. I guess I still have some perfectionist left in me!
I read this via my inbox the other day and didn’t remember I hadn’t commented until I saw you over at Holley’s Coffee. I absolutely LOVE everything you have going on over here and your work really shows through. It’s been such a joy to get to know you through your words and watch you develop this into the space you really want it to be.
Thanks, Christi! Your encouragement means a lot!
This is a wonderful post! Even someone like me who has always been creative , feel intimidated around other creative people. Sometimes you feel like you are really putting yourself out there for the world to critique…but in the end what matters is if we love it 🙂 I love your wreath by the way, I want to give it a try! I am new follower and looking forward to peeking around your blog.
Thanks, Channon! I totally agree. As long as the project brings us joy it’s worth the effort. Can’t wait to go check out our blog!
As I clicked on your post in my WFMW linkup, I thought, “Why is it that her posts always appeal to me?” I didn’t know it was your post until I clicked, you know? But then I started reading and realized – OH, THAT’S WHY. We are made from the same cloth. 🙂 Thank you for sharing yourself here – and pushing yourself, too!
Mary @ Giving Up on Perfect recently posted…WFMW: Taking a Technology Timeout
Aww you are so sweet! I feel the exact same way about your posts. So much honesty! Thanks for stopping by!
Lauren,
I too feel like any craft I try, turns out like something I brought home from pre-school (blush)! Some people are way craftier than I am and I can only try, try again. I decided that maybe my thing isn’t crafts. My art, is my love of writing and music. That’s where I’m most creative and I”m guessing you are too! 🙂 I think it’s great that you were able to find your own style when you had to move away! Sometimes it takes something major to give us perspective on ourselves. 😉
I enjoyed reading your blog today!
Haha right there with you! You’re right, it sometimes does take a big change to make some good perspective. Excited to check out your creativity through the writing on your blog! 🙂
Your story sounds a bit like mine in ways. I’ve never thought of myself as creative, just smart/educated/intelligent. Now that I’m a mom and we’ve chosen for me to stay home and raise our child(ren), I’m finding that I do have some untapped creativity. I’m also finding that I’m becoming more and more comfortable and confident in my ability to be creative, even if it’s different than someone else’s and ever if I am inspired by others’ creative works. As with most of life, I believe it’s a journey…and I’m so happy to have embarked and embraced it thus far! 🙂
Life Breath Present recently posted…Blogger Opp ~ HannahMax Baking Cookie Chips Giveaway (6 Flavors for 1 Lucky Winner) #cookiechips
That’s awesome! I love that being a mom has unlocked some of that creativity and confidence for you (especially since kiddos usually aren’t too critical of what you create). So glad you’re on the creativity journey with me!
Thank you for writing what TONS of us want to say! I’m also a 20-something who would not say I am creative, but that’s only because there are so many standards put into place to make me feel this way. I love your post and your writing.
Thanks, Alison! I agree…sometimes we just need to forget about what everyone else says and just go for it, right? Thanks for your encouraging words!
Inspiring words, Lauren, as we step out into what God has called us to do … not in fear of what others will think but in confidence in who God created us to be. Thank you, Lauren, for sharing your heart at #IntentionalTuesday on Intentionally Pursuing. : )
Crystal Storms recently posted…Do You Need A New Perspective?
Thanks, Crystal! I love that…we can be confident in who God created us to be and the gifts He’s given us. So good!
I can agree with you. I come from a VERY Talented family.. All God given and I am almost 30 and just with in the last few years started really getting into all things crafty ! We are only as gifted as we allow ourselves to be right 🙂
I totally agree! Sometimes it’s our own fears and insecurities that stop us from actually using our gifts. Thanks for stopping by, Amanda!
I loved your post, Emily because I grew up in the shadow of my younger brother in the creativity department. He was the “artistic” one. I realized years later that my cooking, card-making, public speaking, and now writing, were demonstrations of my own creativity. Be blessed while you continue creating! Visiting from #DancewithJesus
Betsy de Cruz recently posted…How I Almost Lost My Kids in a Circumcision Parade
Thanks, Betsy. I’m learning too that creativity comes in all shapes and sizes, not just being artistic. Thanks for stopping by!
Great encouragement!
Anastasia recently posted…Decorating on a Budget
Thanks, Anastasia!
Lauren, what an amazing message! So many need to read/hear these words! Bless you for choosing to share them and your experience! Praying infinite blessings over you, Love! 🙂
Thanks, Tai! I appreciate your encouragement. 🙂
Glad you’re owning it now!
lana recently posted…Drawing Projects for Children
Thanks, Lana! It’s been fun 🙂
SO much of this resonated with me. I call myself a self-proclaimed “non-creative” fairly often. This makes me really want to describe that to my readers… It’s funny because I’m a photographer and a writer, but I don’t think of myself as creative because I just pull several ideas from other places and make them my own.
Leah recently posted…Wedding Location Details | #mrandmrsvanert
I love this post so much:)
Jessie recently posted…Landscaping at the Watson House
This post is so inspirational, Lauren. I, like you, didn’t touch upon my “creative” side until I got married and owned a home. My inhibitions and insecurities about what I wrote, wore , or made were always there holding me back. It wasn’t until I simply chose what I liked and followed through with what I thought was beautiful and creative did I feel that sense of freedom you were talking about.
This is such a great reminder that at the end of the day, it’s only what WE think that matter, not anyone else’s. It’s our home, it’s our clothes, it’s our work that we create–not anyone else’s. So, why bother craving the approval and emulating others, right?
Thank you for such thoughtful words, Lauren! Once again you leave me inspired and motivated 🙂
Maria recently posted…A Parenting Lesson at the Beach
Super post! I am sharing tomorrow on Facebook! Thanks for linking at Women With Intention Wednesdays! 🙂
Jenny @ Women With Intention recently posted…10 Tips For Planning A Fabulous (& Cheap) Kid’s Party Part 2