Ways to Keep Fear from Stopping Creativity

Lisa Franchi March 02, 2017

We all have a creative side. But sometimes, fear get in the way and stop us from being creative. Fear makes us unsure about ourselves, our abilities, and our strengths. It makes us doubt our true potential and discourages us from trying.

Fear is, without a doubt, the worst enemy of creativity. So how do you keep fear from stopping your creative mind? Here are some ways:

Acknowledge your fear. Ironic it may seem, but overcoming your fears start by acknowledging them. Avoiding it prevents you from moving forward. If your fear came from trauma, working with a therapist may be the best way to face it. Accepting what you’re fearful of can be a difficult and long process. But it can be done. For milder situations, a good strategy is to use mindfulness meditation to sit with your emotions, and notice what is arising. Just observe it as it is. Don’t try to resist it. As you do this practice, you begin to become more comfortable experiencing those emotions, and you realise that you are actually stronger and more powerful than your fears.

Create a character for your fear. Create a visual representation of your fear. It could be a bogeyman, a dragon releasing fire, or a terrifying lion. Pick a character that illustrates the fear in you. By creating a character for your fears, you get to separate yourself from it. You get to remind yourself that you are not your fear, and therefore, you can get rid of it.

Promote positivity. It’s hard to be creative when your mind is full of fears, worries and anxiety. A good practice is to promote positive thinking. You have the power to deliberately notice what is positive. Begin this by appreciating the little good things around you - the pleasure of a sunny day, the joy of seeing the one you love, the sweet, warm company of your pets, the beauty of nature. There are so many good things to see and experience. By developing a positive mindset, you give little room for fear and more opportunity for creativity.

Understand the logic behind your fear. Ask yourself - How real is the fear I feel? Where is it coming from? What was the instance in my life that triggered me to have this fear? Whatever the little voice of your fear is saying, it is probably not true. Think of the worst thing that could happen to you in one situation. Then ask yourself - how likely is it going to happen? Most of the time, the fear we experience is irrational and we think it’s likely to happen because we get so engrossed to that thought. By going into each detail of your fear like a detective, you will realise that most of your fears are far from the reality.

Get support. Many studies have shown that a very effective way to deal with fear is through social support. And there are many reasons for this. One is that friends and family can help us make a realistic assessment of our fears. They also give us courage to face our fears, and provide us encouragement to pursue our creative goals.

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