Episode 98: Releasing the Fear of Other’s Reactions
Fear and Control
Our fear of what others think is often rooted in our need for control. When we hold back, we’re trying to protect ourselves by controlling how much people see of our true selves and our art. Thanks to Episode 97 with Caroline Zook and a recent Workshop in The Tillage Village with Liz Kohler Brown, this idea hit home for me recently. It made me realize that by holding back, I'm actually trying to control the narrative and avoid potential negative feedback.
Reactions Don’t Below to Us
Elizabeth Gilbert’s book, "Big Magic," offers a profound insight: “Recognizing that people’s reactions don’t belong to you is the only sane way to create.” This quote is a game-changer. We can’t control how others react to our work; we can only control our actions and our decision to keep creating. Holding back due to fear of others’ opinions limits our potential and stifles our creativity.
Clutching Fear and Relasing
Think about what you’re holding back from due to fear of others’ reactions. Imagine your hand tightly clutching this fear and control. Now, what if you opened your hand and released that control? What possibilities could you open yourself up to? Write down your fears, make a plan for your first action step, and tell someone to keep you accountable. As creatives, we have the power to bring ideas to life that inspire and beautify the world. Let’s stop holding ourselves back due to fear. This is a rallying cry for us all to create with reckless abandon and pursue our dreams despite what others might think. Thank you for being here, for listening, and for taking your self-development seriously. It takes work to uncover what holds us back and to restructure our thoughts. I appreciate you and I am rooting for you as you do this work!
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
The fear of how others perceive your art and ambitions can significantly hinder your ability to express yourself and pursue your dreams.
Often, the reluctance to fully reveal your true self or artistic expression stems from a desire to to control how others see you. Clinging to this control is like holding your hand in a tight fist, preventing you from opening up to the abundance of opportunities. By letting go of the need to control perceptions, you can free yourself to embrace your creative potential.
Negative comments will come and they can deepen creative wounds and amplify fears of judgment, so it’s important to build resilience and find constructive ways to handle criticism in your creative journey.
Identify the fears that hold you back and write them down as a first step towards confronting them. Set actionable steps to tackle these fears, and remember that each small step forward will build your confidence and reduce the influence of fear in your creative life.
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