Unlocking Your Creativity: 4 Self-Love Practices for the Artist Within

Do you love on yourself as a creative artist? If you do, what does that look like? How do you prioritize building an intimate connection with your artistry? Nurturing one's creativity through a lens of love is a necessity and should always be a part of the process, especially in a world where artists tend to be overlooked and undervalued. It's important that we take special care by pouring into ourselves the way we pour into the world.

Embrace Self-Love

Is self-love selfish? Not necessarily. No matter what you create as an artist, you are the center of your work, right at the core. So it's important to reflect and look at the relationship you have with yourself. Are you spending a lot of time appreciating what makes you unique or are you self-deprecating? In a world where it's so easy to compare yourself to others, we have to be our own champions. Find your value and what you bring to the table so you know what makes you special. It starts with accepting the imperfections, being kind to yourself, and essentially loving everything that makes you unique. You might need a new pair of eyes when you look in the mirror. God designed you and made you everything He ever wanted you to be. If we are to love each other the way we want to be loved, doesn't that mean the love we have for ourselves must be the standard for how we love anyone else.

Cultivate Creativity

How do you create space for your artistry? Does it involve some sort of routine or ritual? Do you journal, play music, light a candle, or dance at the beginning of your creative process? I discovered the process thrives in an environment where the artist first embraces their own value and worth by creating space. It's important to set up a practice or some sort of routine before you begin to help get the mind right and the creative juices flowing. It's similar to the morning or evening routine you have before you go to work or bed (hopefully you have one). When you deviate from your routine, do you notice how differently your day is versus when you stick to it?

Most artists have experienced a creative block before. I know I have, and it sucks. I sat there for hours trying to write but without a thought on how to get started. When I think back to those moments, I realize one big factor was not establishing a creative ritual. I discovered this after attending a professional development training where we were asked by a fellow educator how we prepare ourselves for class. Well, although I didn't have the best routine, I still had one. I always started my day off with a hot breakfast. On my commute to work, I either played some worship music, talked on the phone, or rode in silence. When I arrived, I got myself together before reviewing my lessons.

After I reflected on my morning routine, we were asked how we prepare ourselves to create a work of art. I thought to myself, what a great question, but then I started drawing blanks (and I wasn't the only one.) I realized I never put that much thought into it before. I was so use to jumping right in when I had an idea or task, and as a result, some days were a hit or miss. Since then, I realized it was important for me to create some sort of routine to get in flow. I'm still trying to figure out what gets me in the zone but here are some things I plan to explore: music, movement, meditation, and journaling. Have you considered what gets you in the zone? Here are some things you can try to cultivate creativity within your artistic practice:

1. Seek solitude: Create a time and space where you can be alone with your ideas.

2. Observe: Study the world around you and pay attention to the details like colors, textures, patterns and shapes. Include it in your work.

3. Be Inspired: Surround yourself around different sources of inspiration. Go to a music festival, visit a museum or read some literature to help spark your imagination

4. Experiment: Play with different styles and techniques to open you up to new discoveries.

5. Practice mindfulness: Meditate to allow yourself you to be present in the moment.
   

These are just a few ideas but there's so many things you can do. What do you do as a part of your creative ritual? Comment down below and share, I would love to hear from you.

Enjoy the Journey

I recently learned: being an artist is a life long journey. It requires one to be humble, open, adventurous, and tenacious. The process can be messy at times but despite how messy it can get, we must continue to be gentle and treat ourselves with kindness. We may hit a few walls in the process, but embracing the journey makes it all the more worthwhile once you make it to the finish line. Sometimes the journey may be filled with failures, uncertainty, and doubt, but what separates the master from the novice is that the former does not compare their work to others or (God forbid) rip their work to shreds before it really can begin to reach its potential.

Whenever you are creating something new and bringing it to life, it takes a while for it to take shape. Think about how babies form in the womb. It's a nine month process which requires a lot of love and patience. We should look at our work the same way we do babies. Your work is forming in your creative womb so it's only right you give it lots of love and patience to grow. Here are some ways you can encourage self love within your journey:

1. Surround yourself with positivity: Destroy your inner critic and be your own cheerleader. Allow your community to support and uplift you.

2. Celebrate your progress: Set a deadline and acknowledge any achievements (no matter how small.) Each step forward gets you closer to the finish line .

3. Embrace the imperfections: Accept the fact that nothing is perfect and welcome any detours in the process. You might end up exactly where you were meant to be.

4. Set clear boundaries: Protect your time, energy, and work from anything that robs or drains you.
   

Celebrating Authenticity

What makes you unique? What makes your art different from the rest? A part of expressing love within your artistry is to celebrate what sets you a part from the rest of the crowd. We have all heard the saying, there is nothing new under the sun, but that's an understatement. There's you! You might not be exactly new, but you're definitely different from all the rest! You're unique and rare. Right now, if you live in the US, Hollywood is full of clones (yes, I said it!) Now it's trickling down to my city: everyone has the same style, eyelashes, and edges! Where is the authenticity? If we are so desperately trying to be like everyone else, how does that impact our individuality?

Being authentic requires an artist to genuinely be themselves. It requires you to love yourself. When someone looks at your work, they should be able to see you within it, with all your quirks and all. Your art should be identical to your inner workings and no one else's. Yes, as artists, we are inspired by other artists and you may find elements of that inspiration within your work but ultimately, it should mostly be you. I think we need to love ourselves boldly and bravely enough to be our true selves as we create masterpieces: Here are some ways you can reclaim your originality as an artist through self love:

1. Trust your instincts: Stop second guessing yourself and allow your voice, perspective, and individual style to be what it is.

2. Honor your journey: Allow your art to evolve. Reflect on what worked well and what didn't. Allow those things to inform your next piece.

3. Embrace your uniqueness: Your voice, your style, your quirks, your process is yours. Own it!

I personally believe we need to be more intentional with not just our work, but ourselves as creatives. Remember, there is no work of art without the artist, so it's important to take care physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Love on yourself and cultivate intimate connections during your process. Stop saying you want to be a writer, a filmmaker, or a painter. Be it and then call it how you see it. You already are all of these things. Love is a superpower and it is important that we show ourselves some every now and again.