Let’s face it, when you put new creative ideas into the world few people understand it. Others may reject it. Overall it’s likely you’ll be met with resistance. That’s ok. Get used to it. Build that muscle. 💪🏼
Listen to the Podcast
Cynicism is Poison
You know as well as I do that some people in our lives discourage us and weigh us down with double and cynicism. If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s cynicism. It’s poison; I can’t have it in my life anymore. Cynics expect the worst of everyone and predict failure around every corner. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. If we need rocket fuel for our dreams to achieve escape velocity, the cynics in our lives turn on the fire suppression systems and keep us trapped by Earth’s gravity. It’s outrageous that so many of us tolerate so much hostility and negativity in our personal lives and label it “honesty”.
If this is happening to you, I can’t recommend enough to audit your circle. I shared recently in a previous episode called “how I changed my own life” that one thing that changed my life was to audit people around me. I decided to invest more time in people that lifted me, gave me more inspiration and creative energy in my life, and reduced the time I spent with those folks who were zapping my energy and tamping my passion down.
Because here’s the thing. The people trying to pull you down is directly proportional to how deeply they’ve stamped out their own creative sparks. The more you try to change, the harder they’ll push back because you’re reminding them of everything their limiting beliefs prevent them from doing themselves. The thing is, you don’t have the spare time or energy to reawaken anybody else’s creativity; you’re on your own path now.
The (not so) Secret to Bringing Doubters Along
Yet, let’s tackle the elephant in the room. You can’t leave everyone behind. Your family for example, are an important part of your journey and often we don’t want to leave them behind. So do what you can to bring them along.
Here’s how.
Instead of telling them about what you’re going to do and how great it’s going to be, focus on showing them. Go and do the work, whether they pat you on the back or not. Get up before your family does, and go to work at your drawing table. When they wake up, they’ll see you there day after day, doing the work. Demonstrate your passion and commitment. Make progress. Show, don’t tell. The people who love you are far more likely to be convinced by new behaviors than by new declarations of intent.
Once your family sees the positive effect your unleashed creativity has on your mental, emotional, and physical well-being, they’ll probably come on board. If not, it’s time to have a tough conversation. Lead with love and humility, and above all be honest: “This is something I need to do to be happy. I’m pursuing my creative calling. I would like your support.”
Getting them on board is not required but can be a miraculous source of strength and support. Accepting that support isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a profound human strength. Once you’ve established healthy relationships with people who will support you on your journey, it’s time to get to work. Because it’s always time to get back to work 😉
Nothing beats negativity or procrastination like creative DOING.