by Jenna | Apr 13, 2012 | Writing Articles
If you’ve ever felt called to doing something artistic or creative, you’ve probably also realized by now that it can be pretty uncomfortable to share that work with other people.
There’s a deep vulnerability that comes with sharing our voices, art, words, acting, performing and other creative expression that can be so unnerving that many people never quite get past the word “Go” and instead sit on the side lines, reluctant to put themselves out there.
- I see it with writers who never quite seem to finish their writing projects or stall when it comes to developing plans to get their work into the world.
- I see it with actors who are terrified of going to auditions and postpone calling their agents until they “feel ready again.”
- I see it with artists who hide their work away in their studios and never make a sale.
I have something to tell you.
This is all driven by fear.
Fear that you aren’t good enough, won’t measure up, don’t have something new to say, that what you say won’t be liked, think you’re being presumptuous to think you deserve a place at the table and more.
I know because I feel ALL of those things myself. Every single one of them.
The key is to not to let the fear stop you. I like to help you look directly and compassionately at the fears and old wounds that hold you back so you can move forward more comfortably and courageously. Usually those fears aren’t so scary when we nudge them out into the light.
An experiment
If you want to experiment with this, write down a fear that’s swirling around in your head right now (I’ll wait, and yes, I really do want you to write it down in black and white on paper).
Okay, now ask yourself, “Is this true? Do I know this for sure?”
Then ask, “How can I reframe this belief?”
Here’s an example:
- The fear: “My script isn’t good enough.”
- Is it true?: “No, I don’t know that for sure.”
- Reframed: “I’m going to focus on the strengths of my script and do my best to make sure they shine.”
by Jenna | Mar 7, 2012 | Writing Articles
Being in the spotlight means having your creative work witnessed and responded to by an audience.
It means being read, seen, heard.
Being in the spotlight means having an audience.
Whenever our work is seen, we are seen.
- If you’re a novelist, you’re in the spotlight when you publish your work, whether you publish it online or in print. Writers are in the spotlight through their books, articles, on their websites, at public readings, and in interviews.
- If you’re a blogger, you’re in the spotlight every time you hit the publish button. People are reading your words, thinking about them, and responding to them.
- Artists are in the spotlight whenever you share your creative work, and receive feedback on it. Think of gallery showings, exhibits, and studio tours. Or website galleries online.
- Actors are in the spotlight when you are on stage, on the big screen, or on television. And celebrity actors are in the spotlight anytime they are in public.
- Screenwriters are in the spotlight when the movies you’ve written play on the big screen or when someone reviews your writing publicly.
- Poets, journalists, public speakers, radio broadcasters, and many more professions are seen, heard, and read.
I’m surprised to discover how many people feel drawn to the spotlight even while they (we) also have contradictory instincts toward strongly preferring peace, quiet, home, and solitude as a general rule.
Many artists, actors, introverts, sensitives, empaths, and writers much prefer the solitary life, but still feel some pull to sharing their work and being seen, read or heard in some way.
by Jenna | Oct 19, 2011 | Writing Articles
I watched a beautiful yet horrifying video recently about how conventional tomatoes are picked green then forced to ripen in a gas chamber before going to market. Hence their perfectly even red coloration. I know, right?
Following an odd little breadcrumb thought trail, I started thinking about how those of us called to the spotlight are no strangers to the land of the false tomatoes.
A “tomato fear” is used to describe the fear of having rotten tomatoes thrown at you while you are performing your art.
(Your art = that Thing you do, e.g. write, speak, act, dance, sing, paint, etc., for your audience.)
The thing is, your tomato fears don’t fool me.
Are they fooling you?
Here’s what I know.
Fear is fear, nothing else.
Our silly and oh-so-sweet-and-well-meaning, reptilian-brain-driven inner critic voices would like us to believe, “No, really, I’m serious this time, you could really die from this, you better pay attention,” but we know better.
Fear is just that thing that stands in the way of our big dreams.
But we — and yes, I do mean we — simply cannot allow ourselves to be swayed by that voice of fear.
Steven Pressfield said, “Figure out what scares you the most and do that first.”
See, I know you are terrified to pursue your dream.
I know you think you are just bored and haven’t found what you are passionate about yet.
But I also I know you picture yourself being laughed off the stage or out of the audition.
Or that people will secretly say behind your back about your writing, “She’s not really that good.”
I know this, because your tomato fears don’t fool me.
I know you are petrified.
I am too.
Let’s do it anyway.
