It seems that a burst of self-doubt has adjusted our course. I'm doing everything I can to get us back on track, but I need your support in this. 

If you could stop second-guessing me and let me do my job, that would be very helpful. Can you do that?

Your beloved creative project, the one you were so pumped up about, the one you dreamed about, has transformed. Where you once could barely keep your fingers away, you now have to drag yourself. It takes some time for you to accept it, but it's ever so apparent once you do.

You've fallen out of love with your project.

How could this happen? You were so good together. 

We have too much respect for The Craft.

We do! Just listen to this exchange that went on the other day.

The Craft said

You will write something neat and proper and interesting.

And I responded, head bowed

Yes master.

To begin something, whether it's a creative project or something else, rarely happens in one moment.

Beginning is a process and it's a hard one. There are so many moments when it can end before you get past those first steps. So many thresholds you need to be brave enough to step over.

Let's look at the four steps of beginning, and what we have to do to not get stuck halfway through the start.

2016 was my Fear Year, but it was also a year filled with creative moments big and small. I'd like to highlight a few that I especially want to remember.

Both happiness and bravery happens there, in the small moments.

To sell is scary. There's the responsibility and the risk of messing up. There's feelings of turning into a one of those super-salesy persons you hate. There's the fear that you're creativity isn't worth paying for.

Let's have a look at the fears that come with selling, all fears I had before I opened my art shop. These are fears turned into objections that can keep you from being able to put your creativity out in the world, if you're not swimming in money and can give it all away.

Opening a little shop on my website has been an act of turning dream into reality.

It's saying yes to a tingling idea, to a longing tugging my heart.
But it's also saying yes to learning to do things I've never done before.

It's giving my dream a chance.

This is what I've learned about the process from idea to reality.

Is it possible to be scared of a word? Yes, yes it is.
Even if that word isn't Voldemort.

I'm scared of the word art. Of what it implies, of calling myself an artist, of choosing a label for myself.

Silly? Maybe. Common? Yup.

She opened her eyes.
Found herself all alone on a big stage.

Uncountable pairs of eyes looking straight at her.
A sea of white eyeballs.
Dead quiet. 

All she could hear was her heart, beating like a hammer.
Du-dunk. Du-dunk. Du-dunk.

Have you lost you creative inspiration? Everything feels boring or hard? Don't panic, read on!

I want to tell you a story.

Inspiration and I were out and about, skipping and singing, life was a blast, my head was in the clouds. Some hippety hops and suddenly the world changed. I looked around - grey grey grey - and inspiration was gone. Poof.

You just... can't.
You want to, long to, but you can't. 

Something is standing between you and creating, and it's a big, fat block. 
Telling you over and over not to create.

Sitting down to create gives you anxiety.
You feel lost and have no idea how to go on.
Creativity becomes so hard, it's practically impossible.

It's a state that wrecks projects and kill dreams.
Let's break it together, before it's too late!

My creations are not good enough for the world.
I need more practice. More time. 
There's no room for me. 

I'm not good enough. 

I will hide from the world, because I fear that the world will tell me what I already know. That it's bad. That I'm bad. That I should keep quiet.

Sounds familiar? 

Sharing your creativity is scary, but there's a reason you should do it anyway. 
What you've made matters to the world, whether you believe it or not.