how to bounce back from failure

I’m a self-diagnosed multi-creative who swings the emotional gamut from blessing to burden more times than I care to admit. 

Recent Work

     So, what happens when you’ve been plodding along, minding your own business, and creating what you think are some pretty amazing pieces of art, and then BAM, self-doubt rears its ugly head?

     Maybe it’s self-inflicted. You started comparing yourself to the countless other artists out there trying to wow the general public with their work and they (in your opinion) outclass you in every way. You’ve scrolled Instagram and YouTube for hours each day; and liked more amazing art on Pinterest than you ever have your own.

     Maybe you set up a little website to sell a few of your pieces. It’s all just a numbers game, right? At least that’s what you’ve heard, and after spending more money than you should have on making everything pretty and getting your work out there you still have zero sales and a dwindling bank account.

     Maybe, you think to yourself, you were wrong. Maybe you’re not talented, gifted, or whatever, and no one likes your work. So, what’s the point in torturing yourself any further?

     Time to breathe.

     The times being what they are I think a lot of us have shortened attention spans, even if you don’t have ADHD like me 😊. We want instant gratification, and when we realize that our creative endeavors take much longer than the people on social media want us to believe, we start to doubt our abilities.

1.       Step Back.

I would say that nine times out of ten, it’s not your lack of ability or inability to create something worth viewing.  

The last time I stepped back was the whole, full moon in Libra, with an eclipse and Mercury in retrograde, debacle. It was a bad week, and I had to put my paintbrushes down. I hated everything!  

Today I picked up my brush again. I feel inspired.

2.       Sometimes We Need To Work Through It.

Let’s face it, sometimes we just need to work through a piece. Maybe you’re trying something new and it’s just not clicking yet. Sometimes we know how we want it to look, but it’s just fighting us all the way. I would say this is the time to keep going. Most of my paintings have an ugly stage. I expect it, and for the most part, it’s okay. (unless I’m right in the middle of it) 😊 I just need to remind myself that it will work itself out, and even if it doesn't, I can just let it dry and start over. No biggie. Nothing bad is going to happen if we need to rework a canvas. Some of my best work has been done over something that just didn't make its way out of the ugly stage.

3.       Turn Failures Into Lessons.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I learn best from my failures, and that’s not just with my art. In every facet of my life, personal failure is what teaches me lasting lessons. The funny thing is, if things are going along smoothly, I don’t always remember how I did them or how to recreate the effect, but if I fail, I always remember what went wrong and do my best to avoid it in the future.

At the end of the day, if it’s important to you, you will find a way to do it.

My tiny studio :)

     How important is this thing you're trying to create?

     If it’s something you’ve always wanted, dreamed about having/doing as a child, and keep coming back to time and time again—I’d say it’s pretty important. Work through the failure and don’t give up. Take breaks so you’re not burned out, but then dive back in. You will eventually find your version of success.

     Is it something you saw and thought it might be neat to try, then you gave it a few shots, and your enthusiasm wavered? The supplies you bought are now pushed to the side, collecting dust, or worse yet, you don’t even remember where you put them. Then maybe it’s not important, and you will find ways not to do it. Guess what? That’s okay too.

     Life is hard. This isn’t grade school where you get a trophy for just showing up. You have to work for the things that are important to you. It’s not always fun, or glamorous, but when you’ve broken through a barrier and you start producing the kind of work you always dreamed you could, it will be well worth the sacrifices you’ve made to get there.

     I hope you found something here that was helpful and I wish you many hours of creativity and exploration. Keep painting, sculpting, and writing. The world needs you.