Over the last year I’ve read numerous blogs, tweets & IG posts on creatives dealing with anxiety. These posts vary in some form, or another, anywhere from mild to chronic anxiety. While some creatives halt completely, others tend to push through their anxiety. One thing I do know is that at times anxiety can halt my success toward any kind of creative process. I’m writing this not because I’m a mental health professional- clearly I’m not- but as a person that deals with regular anxiety. You may seem surprised by that and that’s alright. I don’t share about this on social like many of you brave artists do. I’m offering support to all of you by sharing some of my strategies that work to aide in continued creativity with anxiety.
It’s important to know that anxiety happens to famous creatives. Oprah struggled with anxiety so much so that she nearly had a breakdown in 2013. Adele deals with anxiety while on tour as she’s afraid of audiences. Also note that audience anxiety is something many performers deal with. Emma Stone dealt with anxiety since childhood has been on medication for years and wrote a book about it. Sarah Silverman wrote about anxiety in exactly the way I’ve been experiencing anxiety in my life:
“Every breath is labored. You are dying. You are going to die,” she said. “It’s terrifying. And then when the attack is over, the depression is still there.”
-Sarah Silverman
Artists such as Vincent Van Gogh are thought to have suffered from extreme anxiety and was diagnosed during a stay in an asylum. He wrote letters to friends mentioning his ‘fits of anxiety’.
Uncertainty can cause an increased amount of anxiety especially after the last 18 months of our lives. Some artists persevered through this uncertain time, some struggled silently. I’ve gone to the emergency room twice and had my husband call the paramedics four times thinking I’m having a heart attack and I’m going to die. We found some other things wrong with me and I’m working toward better health every day. However, most of these consistent attacks belong to anxiety.
The Arts As Support
One of the ways I battle anxiety is to continue to create. No matter what. Many of you have leaned into the arts. If you’re one of those that haven’t been able to do that yet, It’s alright. The last thing anyone needs is more pressure, fear, and mounted anxiety for what they are not doing.
Which brings me to this- as an artist I tend to be judgmental of myself in my productivity. The reality is that some days are better than others. On the good days I can create, on the bad ones, not so much. I try to give myself inward kudos for the things I can do versus what I didn’t get done.
When I do engage in writing I feel better. Writing and creating supports my mental wellbeing. I wrote a previous article on Positive Benefits of Creativity that discusses this. It’s a matter of getting into the space where I can focus on it. If I only do one thing, instead of berating myself for not finishing, or for being way behind, or for not writing enough, I commend myself for what I did do. I declare success no matter how tiny it may be.
Engage with the Arts
If you’re not producing- engage! Read a book, watch a movie, look up art museums online, take a walk and discover nature again, view visual arts, listen to new music, or listen to old favorites, watch a play. As you engage in the arts your brain receives a break enveloped in beauty. My mind logs this stuff, curtails negative emotions, and files the experience away for when I’m ready to open that laptop, or pick up the pen.
This year I bought some beautiful art from artist Rachel Chansler-Djoko that I have in my home. It’s helps me to gaze at them and uplifts my spirits.
“Variety of form and brilliancy of color in the object presented to patients are an actual means of recovery.”
-Florence Nightingale
Get Back in the Creative Flow
As I begin to write my brain nags at me: It’s not good enough, who do I think I am to be a writer, I don’t have talent… blah blah blah. I have to make a conscious effort to stop the noise. Some days are better than others. Having a good writing support system helps with this. I started a writing group nine months ago. This craft support in place is a creative lifesaver. I hold myself accountable for showing up every week. We also talk to and lean on each other sharing our experiences and asking advice. This is a buoy for me. (Reach out to me if you need a group.)
Once I’m back in the creative flow it’s divine. Sometimes I can be there days, even weeks on end. Sometimes it’s spotty. That’s also okay. I’m learning each day to erase expectations on my creativity and create in the moment. That’s a huge step! My consistency continues to improve and anxiety around what I’ve accomplished, or not accomplished is dissipating.
Doable Goals
I’ve also learned to break things down into small doable goals. Instead of telling myself I’m editing my entire book I break it down into chapters, sometimes even working on one specific item to add, or edit. This makes the craft more palatable and is definitely easier to accomplish that the thought of editing an entire 64,000 words, or writing 1000-2000 words a day, or sending 10 queries. Small goals work for me. As the weeks go by, before I know it, I’ve edited an entire book and sent out 15 more queries.
Why I Create
More so than before, I create because the world needs art. Art of all kinds. Art of all mediums. It’s why I brought back to life my website Indie It Press. My goal is to encourage and support artists in all mediums. To me, creating ART is what we all need to heal. It is THAT important. I do have anxiety that I deal with regularly, but my life is better because of the arts. I will continue to do what I can everyday to create, make my life better and maybe make someone else’s life better as well.
