My theme for the Blogging from A to Z challenge is Creativity. When doing something creative, it’s important to trust yourself.
You must trust your own viewpoint, your instincts. Listen to the voice inside you; don’t shut it out, don’t ignore it. Trust it!
We tend to look at projects from an intellectual point of view. This is necessary. But we also need look at them, feel them, with our hearts.
As Lord Byron said, “There is no instinct like that of the heart.”
Many people are afraid to trust their instincts when it comes to creativity because they’re afraid of failing. I’ve said this in other posts: there is no failure, there is no wrong or right, when you’re creating. The same goes for being worried about ridicule. It takes personal trust and sometimes courage to go against what’s popular or what’s expected.
Trusting yourself means it’s all about you, it’s what comes out of your heart, your knowledge, your life experiences. If you’re afraid of failure or ridicule or whatever is holding back that trust, you won’t listen to the voice inside you. You won’t feel the emotions coming from your heart, the emotions that are necessary to make your creation unique. Remember to trust all that is “you.”
And don’t forget to give yourself a pat on the back. If you aren’t completely satisfied with your results, look for positive aspects of your project. This will help build trust in yourself.
I’ll end this post with this wonderful quote from Golda Meir: “Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.”
Do you trust yourself when it comes to your creativity?
Linda Covella, Author 
Love that quote by Meir!
I struggle with trusting myself. I go back and forth…I guess I have to revise my trust over and over same as I do with my work? Not sure lol Thanks for the great post, now you’re making me think about this. And that’s a good thing 😉
S.K., I’m glad I got you thinking. 🙂 I think it can be difficult to completely trust ourselves and that it can take courage at times to do so!
Do I trust myself? I think I do. More or less. I’m sure it will improve as time goes on. I’ll be working on it. 🙂
This makes me think of gut instinct… that little “voice in your head”… often called intuition.
They say you should always trust your gut instinct which is normally 90+ % accurate…
Michelle, I agree about gut instinct. Maybe that’s also “heart” instinct(?) Thanks for your comment!
In writing, at least, the best decisions I’ve made were in times when I trusted myself. The story impacts the reader when there is a sense of honesty to it, and that only comes from deep inside us, from our fears, our joys, our darkest moments. It’s not easy exposing those times, but that’s what makes great art.
A wonderful post, Linda.
Silvia, all so true and so well said. Yes, that honesty comes from trusting ourselves!
Great post. I must trust myself to some extent to be willing to share my writing with complete strangers.
~Patricia Lynne~
Story Dam
Patricia Lynne, YA Author
Patricia, I would say you definitely trust yourself from what I’ve seen of your posts during this challenge. Those little stories or excerpts obviously (at least to me) come from deep inside you!
Lovely quotes. Trusting yourself seems easy until it is time to show the work to others. Then the self-doubts emerge.
http://katloveswriting.blogspot.com/
Thank you, Kathryn! It’s scary to put yourself out there, and you’re right, that’s when the true test of trusting yourself sets in. I liked your “Think” post and the acronym. 🙂
It took a good long while, but yes. I do. 🙂 Great post, Linda!
Linda, same with me. I think the older I get, the less I worry what others think and trust myself more. 🙂
Ha! The one good thing… 😛
Linda 🙂
I trust my outside voice more then other ones.
Stop in from A to Z challenge.
Coffee is on
Peppy, I want a piece of that torte!! Thanks for stopping by.
That’s good advice. Most writers are so insecure, always needing outside confirmation that they are “good.” The thing is, there’s no harm in believing we’re good when we’re not … the other way around is a creativity-killer.
Kari, yes, we need that trust and self-confidence!
A Absolutely trust myself…to say what I have to say the best way I can. Sometimes I’m able to say it, sometimes not. But if I don’t trust the words that come to me, they would stop coming, and then, where would I be? That’s exactly how I’m writing a story a day for the challenge.
To me writing, or any sort of creativity demands a leap of faith, a sort of courage to undress in public, to relinquish the ego, to say everything the way it is, irrespective of what that might make the audience think or feel about you. But that’s just my two cents 🙂
Damyanti, a lot of value in your two cents! 🙂
Lovely post on trust and creativity for our own intuitions guide us — if we listen. Both quotes (Byron and Mier) are well worth reflecting on. Makes me want to read what you’ve written the rest of the month!
Thank you, Beth! I stopped by your blog, too. Your poem was touching.