4 Ways to Deal with Self Doubt

So self doubt pops up in almost all aspects of life, and it can especially happen when you are trying to create. When you create, you are putting a part of yourself into what you are making, so it is very easy to start to doubt yourself and your work. I think it’s especially hard when you are just beginning your creative journey in a medium, because beginner’s work is always rough and you see a lot of amazing things others have created, making it hard not to compare. Keep in mind that everyone struggles with self doubt, even those who’s work you admire. It’s just a part of the process and I think it helps push us forward to create even better things. Think about it, if you never questioned what you were doing, you would never bother to improve or push yourself more.

Ok so here are my 4 ways to deal with self doubt:

1| Keep Making!

Whether you just made your first piece or your hundredth, if you were trying for something amazing and it turned out really bad, that can be quite a blow to your confidence. It is good practice to note what parts of your piece you really dislike, so that you can try to avoid that in the future. However, don’t fall into nonconstructive negative thoughts. You know those thoughts that say stuff like you’re not good enough and give up, push those guys away. You just want to make constructive notes and move on. Start fresh and make something new, even if you’re feeling defeated.

2| Share your Creations

This might seem kind of odd, to share your creations when you feel like you’re not making great things, but trust me it works. There are a lot of people in the world and chances are some will like what you make. My favorite platform to share on is Instagram. It allowed me to right away connect to many people who were on a similar creative journey as me, but also it connected me to people who just liked what I’m making and that is pretty awesome! My beginning, like so many others, was not pretty or perfect. Sharing helped me gain confidence and a desire to keep pushing myself.

3| Learn about Someone Else’s Beginnings

Whether you talk to someone in person, or read about it, it is always helpful to learn about someone else’s beginnings. It really solidifies the idea that everyone starts somewhere and everyone struggles, even those who are super talented. One of my favorite beginning stories is Maryanne Moodie’s interview on the Woolful podcast. If you haven’t heard of Maryanne Moodie, then #1 whhhaatttt? #2 Google her, you’re in for some great woven eye candy!

4| Stop Trying to be Perfect!

Whenever I’m feeling especially frustrated and down on my work, I stop and ask myself am I creating freely, or am I trying to be perfect? Nothing kills creativity quicker then trying to be perfect. Being perfect is impossible, and if you’re trying to be you will quickly run into self doubt. And when I say you’re trying to be perfect, it maybe that you have something pictured in your mind that is just not working. Instead of forcing it, try just going with what is happening and owning it or try moving on. I wrote about a time I had to start over here, and it really helped me gain confidence in myself back.

Are there other ways you overcome self doubt? Was there a time when you pushed through self doubt and accomplished something great? I’ve love to hear about it.

Happy Weaving!

Kate

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