The Artist Way | Week 1

Summary

In this Week 1 reflection, the speaker details their creative journey through assignments designed to confront self-doubt and explore artistic identity. Highlights include confronting negative core beliefs, such as fears of being a 'one-hit wonder,' and engaging in an artist date at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which sparked emotional and creative growth. The speaker identifies past creative setbacks—'creative monsters'—and acknowledges mentors who championed their creativity. The week culminates with reflections on imaginary lives and future creative possibilities, setting the stage for Week 2's exploration of self-definition in creative recovery.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker emphasizes the importance of morning pages for clearing mental clutter, though they struggled with consistency during week one, missing two days of writing.
• 😀 They identify the value in the morning pages, which have sparked creativity and helped generate new ideas, like a song concept during one of their sessions.
• 😀 The artist date, a solo creative activity, was completed by the speaker through a visit to the Metropolitan Museum, which deeply resonated with them, especially the sculptures.
• 😀 Affirmations like 'I am a shameless creative' and 'I am capable of making an abundance of great art' were written to combat negative core beliefs that block creativity.
• 😀 Negative mental blurts, such as 'You're not that good' and 'You'll only make one good project,' are acknowledged and faced as part of the process to break through creative blocks.
• 😀 The speaker reflects on past creative monsters, such as a harsh online comment, a partner's ridicule, and discouraging studio experiences, which triggered insecurities about their work.
• 😀 Through identifying these creative monsters, the speaker realizes they need to confront these past wounds to move forward in their creative process.
• 😀 The speaker recalls three champions who positively influenced their creativity: an eighth-grade teacher who encouraged leadership, a youth pastor who supported their spiritual growth, and a high school teacher who nurtured their musical expression.
• 😀 Imaginary lives exercise reveals the speaker's diverse creative aspirations, such as being a painter, designer, gymnast, model, label owner, and film director.
• 😀 The speaker is excited for week two, which focuses on 'recovering a sense of identity' and expects to draw new boundaries and explore deeper aspects of their personal creativity.
• 😀 The speaker expresses renewed enthusiasm for creative exploration and is committed to staying consistent with their morning pages moving forward.

Q & A

What was the main focus of the speaker's reflection in this script?

The main focus of the speaker's reflection was their creative recovery process, including confronting negative beliefs, exploring artistic inspiration through an artist date, and identifying key past influences or 'creative monsters' and 'champions'.

How did the speaker define 'creative monsters'?

'Creative monsters' are people, situations, or experiences that have negatively impacted the speaker's creative confidence, often triggering insecurities and self-doubt.

What are 'affirmations' and how did the speaker use them in the process?

Affirmations are positive statements designed to counteract negative self-beliefs. The speaker used them to challenge their limiting beliefs, such as feeling like a 'one-hit wonder' or being 'too offensive' for their art.

What negative core beliefs did the speaker identify about themselves?

The speaker identified that they felt they could only create one great piece of art, and that they were 'too offensive' in their creativity and personality, which hindered their self-expression.

How did the 'artist date' assignment help the speaker?

The 'artist date' assignment encouraged the speaker to reconnect with their inner child and find inspiration. The speaker visited the Metropolitan Museum, where they had a deeply emotional experience that triggered creative ideas and a sense of freedom.

What was the emotional impact of the museum visit on the speaker?

The museum visit deeply moved the speaker, particularly the sculptures. It evoked a strong emotional response, even bringing them to tears, and sparked creative ideas for future projects.

What are 'creative champions', and who did the speaker identify as their champions?

'Creative champions' are individuals who have positively influenced and supported the speaker’s creativity. The speaker identified three champions: Mr. Gavin (middle school teacher), Gammage (youth pastor), and Ms. G (high school music teacher).

How did the speaker describe the impact of their middle school teacher, Mr. Gavin?

Mr. Gavin played a significant role in encouraging the speaker to be a leader and embrace their unique qualities. He pushed them to stand out and not blend in with the crowd, helping shape their creative self-confidence.

What was the speaker’s reaction to their ex’s laughter when they shared their music?

The speaker felt deeply hurt and embarrassed when their ex laughed at their music. This moment triggered a deep insecurity, leading them to become hyper-critical of their work and unwilling to share unfinished projects with others.

What does the speaker hope to gain from 'Week 2' of their creative recovery process?

The speaker is looking forward to exploring 'Recovering a Sense of Identity' in Week 2, which focuses on self-definition. They are excited to understand more about their personal boundaries, desires, and interests, and how these will shape their creative path moving forward.