When the creative anxiety is real

“For some of us, starting small is getting out of bed today. If that’s your start small, then celebrate it.” — Amena Brown

 

Amena Brown is a spoken word poet, author, podcaster, and all-around badass human who describes creative anxiety with wit and, of course, poetic flair, offering up some symptoms of, and remedies to, this affliction that gets at even the most seasoned of creatives.

This talk resonated with me because I think many times, as creatives, we are our own worst enemies. We have really refined tastes and an acuity for well-done work, so it’s easy to feel like we’re below average when comparing our draft one with someone else’s draft five or final. Knowing that this is a common feeling and practice gave me some comfort in my process, and it’s a great reminder that the best thing to do when staring down a blank draft is to just start typing and see what happens.

 

 

It’s an easy 19-minute watch and ends with a beautiful spoken word performance on perseverance. I encourage everyone to take a few minutes to enjoy it, and end your week feeling a little more comfortable in your creativity — and accepting of your creative anxiety.

~ Audrey Ward, Art Director, Copy