You don’t need anyone’s permission to be creative.*
I was listening to Ira Glass on a podcast this morning when he said this, and it resonated with me. It had me thinking all day.
Of course, it’s a brilliant and self-evident statement. You might even be thinking, “I don’t look for permission to be creative.”
However, are you looking for validation of your creativity? That’s the aspect of “permission” that struck a chord for me.
Whatever creative pursuit brings you joy, it’s common to worry about making mistakes or what others would think about it.
A writer friend of mine wrote about how he continues to work a corporate job so that it doesn’t affect his relationship with his creative work. There’s never any pressure to meet the expectations of “them” in his writing. This freedom allows him to write what he loves rather than what sells.
Step out of your comfort zone. Be Brave. You don’t need anyone’s permission to be creative.
Don’t worry about what others may think about it. Just go for it.
If you need permission, you have mine. I can tell from here that your work is beautiful.
As for me, I’m continuing to play my guitar. I’m just trying to get my fingers used to the strings again. OUCH!
* He’s not the first person with this thought. A quick search showed a few sources including a video by Ethan Hawke.
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