The Artful Mind

SELF CONFIDENCE

Welcome to another post on the Artful Mind. Our previous edition dealt with the importance on trusting our Intuition and the role it plays in our creative efforts. Today we will talk about a crucial aspect of the artistic journey: Self-Confidence. Whether you’re a painter, writer, musician or any type of Creative, self-confidence can be the key to unleashing your creative potential.

The importance of Self-confidence in any creative endeavor cannot be underestimated. Testing your Intuition and Self-Confidence go hand in hand in any endeavor, whether you’re a Creative in the Arts or not.

Here are four reasons why self-confidence matters:

  1. It fuels creativity by allowing artists to take risks and experiment with new ideas. Believing in yourself will enable you to push boundaries and explore uncharted waters.
  2. It builds resilience, a special ingredient needed to bounce back from rejections, criticisms and other negative influences. Resilience will change your perspective and you will, instead, see opportunities instead of obstacles.
  3. It enhances performance. Whether performing on stage, showcasing your art or talking about your work and aspirations, a confident demeanor can make your presentation much more compelling. Not to speak of making you feel more comfortable throughout the process.
  4. It attract opportunities because people are attracted to confident individuals. When exuding self-confidence you are more likely to attract collaborations, commissions and other opportunities that can advance your career.

How to build your Self-confidence:

Sometimes we artists get bogged down in our frustrations, the difficulties inherent in our profession or “life” in general. Building our self-confidence is easier than expected.

1. Acknowledge your achievements by regularly taking stock of your accomplishments, be they big or small. Celebrate your successes: a glass of wine, a trip to the corner diner, that art marker you yearned to have for so long.

  1. Set realistic goals. If you’re a goal-setter break down your ambitions into baby-steps, which will make your goals more manageable. Celebrate when accomplishing each step!
  2. Embrace failure but first shift your perspective on failure. Instead of seeing it as a negative occurrence view it as a learning experience that contributes to your goals as an artist.

4. Surround yourself with supportive people be they part of your network or supporters who encourage and inspire you. Their positive feedback will reinforce your confidence. Creating art can be a lonely activity; knowing that you belong in a group of people who understand where you are and where you want to get will give you the emotional support when you’re working on your own.

5. Practice Self-Compassion by understanding that artists have (many) moments of doubt and discouragement but that it is OK to have these feelings. Treat yourself with the same compassion you would extend to a friend.

6. Keep learning and improving by continuously seeking new knowledge and improved skills. The more you grow as an artist the more confident you will feel in your own abilities.

History is laden with artists who faced self-doubt and despair and overcame them through persistent belief in themselves. Vincent van Gogh, despite his struggles with mental health, produced works that have become timeless masterpieces; Frida Kahlo’s unique voice emerged from her deep-seated confidence in her vision and identity.

Let us remember that self-confidence is not the absence of fear, despair, doubt but the courage to continue despite them.

Self-confidence is a dynamic process. It evolves with each piece of art you create and each challenge you overcome. A confident mindset enhances your artistic abilities, helps you trust your intuition and paves the way for a more fulfilling creative journey.