Barriers to Creativity: What is Blocking You?

“All children are born artists. The problem is to remain an artist as we grow up.”

-Pablo Picasso

Creativity is an innate and healing energy that we all possess. When we lose touch with that, we may feel that every day is more or less the same, things don’t excite us, and we don’t feel fully alive. Creativity is what fuels passion in our lives. Creative self-expression through art-making allows that energy to flow.

Visual expression is also a natural language of the body. Before we could write, we drew. Literally. Before the written word, people communicated through images. As children, before we could even speak words, let alone write them, we expressed ourselves through imagery.

Expressing yourself through art is something everyone has the capacity to do. And it is immensely healing. So why doesn’t everybody do it?

Identifying Creative Blocks

To make the art-making process easier, it is necessary to first identify any creative blocks. Things that prevent you from expressing yourself creatively.

When you hear the word “art”, I bet certain images, beliefs, and emotions come up. Ideas of what you think art is or isn’t. Beliefs about your own artistic or creative ability. I know that for many of my clients, fear comes up. Fear of not being “good” at it, doing it “wrong”, or simply not knowing where to start. So many believe that they “aren’t artistic” and “can’t draw”. It’s important to identify these beliefs so that we can remove them.

Some common barriers to creativity:

1.      Past negative experiences. Was there a time when you created something and felt that it was not received or even judged negatively? What age were you when you stopped making art? What caused you to stop?

2.      Beliefs. What beliefs do you have about art-making and the creative process? Growing up, was there a value placed on creative expression? Were other things valued more? Do you have beliefs or standards about what art looks like? Where did these come from?

3.      Your inner critic. This is the voice that tells you that you “aren’t artistic”, that you “can’t draw”, that it “isn’t good enough”. This voice is likely being fueled by some of your beliefs and previous experiences around art making. How can you be kinder to and more supportive of yourself as you engage in the creative process?

4.      Out of sight, out of mind. If something isn’t habitual, easily accessible, or visibly on our radar, we’re going to be less likely to engage with. How can you create space for creativity in your daily life? Maybe it’s keeping a sketchbook and colored pencils out on your nightstand. Or keeping some scissors and a glue stick on top of a stack of magazines. What is going to draw you in? What’s going to make it fun?

Up until this point, these things were likely not something you consciously thought of. Now that you’re aware of them, you can choose if you want to continue to carry them with you.

Happy art-making, Creative Souls!