The mind is only one aspect of who we are, but it tends to run the show a lot of the time. Take the power of the mind and combine it with our “inner software” – fears, challenges, old patterns and varying levels of confidence and it runs off, rethinking, reworking and trapping us in a relentless review of what we create.
Sometimes it can seem like the mind just loves to dig back into spots we thought were a clean slate, dragging us into a previous version of ourselves or shredding a new idea that’s starting to take shape because it’s “different” or untested.
This tug of war with the ego may be frustrating but it’s also enlightening, as it points to the biggest opportunities for personal transformation.
So how can we spot the ego’s tricks, while allowing it to show us where we need to step into more self-healing and self-compassion to create without guilt, perfection or need for approval?
Get Clear on What the Mind Sees as a “Mistake”
How does your mind define a mistake?
Is it an action-oriented thing done out of impulse or habit that you wish you could change? Or a thought you regret after the fact? Maybe it’s something you wanted to turn out a certain way, but it blew up and shattered expectations.
Are there perfectionist tendencies keeping “mistakes” top of mind, overriding successes and clouding how you see yourself?
On a deeper level, do you see a part of yourself as a “mistake” or as always doing the wrong thing? If this is true for you, even a little bit, how can you ever really feel good about your creativity or gifts?
Defining what a mistake means to you goes a long way in realizing when the mind locks into old energy patterns that hold a vibration of regret, guilt or shame, causing us to get into a constant review of what we create. It also calls for us to dive into vulnerability while working through why we don’t believe or trust what we create has value.
Creative Vulnerability Goes Beyond Trust, and Takes an Explorer’s Heart
Being vulnerable is about more than admitting the truth to ourselves and being willing to “go there”. It’s about exploring where things can go deeper and taking action to expand on them, even when we are 50 shades of uncomfortable. Our vulnerable, gooey center is not something to “get over” but integrate, as we embrace the fears that keep us at the edge of exploring our creative callings.
One of the biggest challenges we all face is accepting that the mind will always want to ask why we are creating, building, stepping forward, changing, loving, connecting…and on and on. The ego wants a purpose that fits it’s programming; a goal that keeps it safe and essential.
Our path is to explore the ego’s boundaries, push beyond them and continue to create while maintaining faith it’s worth it – even when there’s no purpose beyond the act of self-expression. Then, once a “creation” reaches a state of completion within our heart, allowing it to stay done without the mind circling back over it with a red pen.
It’s in these moments we are given an opportunity to build the power of our creative voice and self – to be vulnerable and meet the mind head on when it inevitably throws out fear, excuses or lots of other reasons to stay small and keep on just as we are.
In a culture of entrepreneurship and constant selling, it’s not always easy to create to simply to express yourself without having to feel it needs to be “sellable”. Yet it’s essential to our creative soul.
The tension created by these parts of ourselves facing off invites us to redirect energy away from a relentless review of what we create to focus on the energy of how it feels to create what’s meaningful to us. It’s the road we walk as human beings and how we continue to transform through our creative self expression.
Forgiveness and Self-Love Redirects the Energy of the Cycle
When we can practice forgiveness and self-love in the present moment, we are able to redirect energy away from the cycles of the mind and build something different. Our power goes into shifting and healing to develop a positive re-patterning that’s more mindful and focused on honoring the creative spark. Instead of getting negative about where the mind is going, we simply see it as a reminder that we want something different, in alignment with creating positive change.
Some simple ways to help shift away from over thinking or negativity:
- Meditate regularly, even if you start at 5 minutes a day
- Journal about what you are thinking to get it out of your head
- Develop a forgiveness practice
- Listen to relaxing, healing music or get out in nature to recenter
- Do one thing each day that reminds you of your true creative essence
To step beyond what the mind tells us means dealing with being vulnerable in ways we don’t expect. Yet, the wholeness we feel when we can create from our heart fully, without being compelled to relentlessly review it’s quality, transforms how we see ourselves, create and open to learning something new.
What are some ways you’ve been able to overcome relentless review of your ideas, projects or creative endeavors?
For additional reading on a similar topic, check out my post Reframe Creative Hiccups to Move Forward with Confidence. To get a little extra guidance on how to move through perfectionism or stale energy cycles, connect with me for an intuitive reading. For insights on how to tap into your inner wisdom and grow a healthy self-care practice, check out my podcast, Flirting With Enlightenment.
Photo credit: Energy redirect – Eddi van W.