Your Creative Path Exists Inside Of You
We all grew up following worn paths. From one school year to the next, we were following in the footsteps of thousands, no, millions of kids before us. We were told what to learn when, we were taught the right answers, showed the way forward. Sure, our interests shaped the path a tad, but we were still kept well within the boundaries of the predictable.
So it’s not surprising that in our creative lives as well, we look outside ourselves for a path to follow. That’s what we were taught to do, after all. The opposite, to find your own path, is something we have much less practice in.
But when it comes to creativity, the path isn’t out there. It’s inside of you. And this is what I truly want to help creatives with. To find, trust and follow that path inside.
Lost in the paths of others
Sometimes, clients come to me after years of consuming advice and inspiration. They have taken all the courses, watched the Youtube videos, read the step by step articles. They have learned what they’re supposed to do.
Yet they still feel lost.
They feel lost because they haven’t found their own creative path, they have been learning about paths of others. They have been looking outside of themselves for what to do, where do go when in fact, they need to look inside.
We are most prone to seeking out a path to follow when we doubt ourselves. “Am I good enough?” we wonder. Are my ideas interesting enough? Do I have what it takes to pursue my creative dreams?
In this space of doubting ourselves, the urge is to look to others. We look for inspiration and signs. We crave a path to follow, the reassurance that what we’re doing will work. And there will be plenty of people, especially online, to tell you that as long as you follow these ten steps, you’ll be good enough.
So we hang onto the advice, to the paths laid out for us. Of course, they can help us a bit on the way. But as long as we only look outside of ourselves for our creative path, we will always feel a bit lost. Because ultimately, it’s not your path.
The path within me
Good advice is like a pair of good boots. They’ll help you on your path, no doubt. There’ll be a huge difference between a good pair and a pair that are too small or falling apart, making things incredibly uncomfortable for you.
But your boots can’t tell you where to go. They can only make your hike a little easier. Your direction, that’s something you have to figure out yourself.
When I redesigned my website, I decided to dig deeper into what my work truly is about. I thought about what I want my coaching clients to ultimately take away from working with me. I considered how I support people, what I want to help them discover.
I arrived at this - I’m not here to tell people what to do. I’m not the five easy steps kinda girl. I’m the person who helps creatives look within to find the path that is already there, entwined in their inspiration, experience, ideas, dreams and personalities. I want to help people trust that all of that has value. That their ideas matter. To trust and follow that path that they have within them.
At times, I have wistfully wished that my work was more straightforward, easier to explain. That the way I help creatives was simple, like the ones who share writing tips or make art tutorials. But ultimately, I’m always drawn to this complex, deep and personal work. That’s where I see my coaching having a great impact, and while I support practically as well, this inner work is what I truly want for my clients.
Nobody could have told me that this is the right work for me. It almost feels like the work has chosen me. But I know what it is - it’s the creative path inside of me that I have found.
Finding your path inside
So what do we do then, when we stand there with our expertly designed boots, looking out over the wild landscape? How do we know where to go? How do we find that creative path inside?
This, of course, is a big question that doesn’t have a single, simple answer.
But let’s start with a shift. Listen a little less to the people saying you should do this or that, and listen a little more to yourself. Be curious about your own ideas and the things you’re intrigued by. Explore your own dreams, your wishes and your creativity. Play around and allow yourself to try out different ways. Ask yourself: does this feel good? Does it feel right? Does it feel like me?
Maybe you wonder… is there really a path inside of me? Maybe I don’t have one. Maybe I’m just a follower. If so, I can assure you that you do. I see it over and over again in my coaching clients. There is so much inside of us all that shapes our creativity, our ideas, our styles and the work we’re drawn to. Your path might be different from the ones you have seen other people following. It might change and twist and turn. It might not look the way you expect it to look. But it’s there.
Go ahead, get the good boots. Get the backpack that doesn’t hurt your shoulders, the pretty yellow raincoat and the high-tech flashlight. But spend at least as much time out there in the wild, clamping around looking for your own path. That’s where you’ll find it, and where you’ll find yourself.
Save this blog post on Pinterest
