100 Day Creative Challenge Day 43 : dark night of the creative soul
Are you a writer, painter, dancer, musician, singer, knitter, ceramicist or creative of any sort? Then I’m sure you’ve had days where you want to give up and walk away from whatever it is you’ve been trying to develop forever.
I’ve had days where my self-talk has been:
‘I’m hopeless.’
‘I’m not good enough.’
‘That person has so much more talent than I do.’
‘This stuff is so bad, I’m going to bin it.’
I’ve had sleepless nights where I’ve cringed at what I thought I could do. Why would I ever think I was good enough to publish my work on the world stage?
I’ve had weeks where writing was the most difficult thing I’ve done and I’ve hated it. The purpose I thought I’d been called to in my writing was hidden in self-doubt.
When creative darkness hits, it feels like the whole meaning of your life has collapsed. You feel depressed, like you’re wading in quicksand and you lose hope of ever finding the will to begin again. You are in a creative crisis.
All the thoughts you’ve tried to suppress for years, even decades, finally bubble up to the surface and overwhelm you.
F. Scott Fitzgerald penned his famous line, In a real dark night of the soul it is always three o’clock in the morning.
How do we survive a dark night of the creative soul?
Light comes and changes perspective, renewed purpose and inspiration. We just need to get through the night however we can.
There’s something about morning light that gives hope. The Bible tells us that Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.Psalm 30:5
I recover my sense of hope when I accept encouragement from others. I have a break, put aside some projects and look at something fresh.
I travel.
I meet new people.
I attend a course.
But, most of all, I continue to move forward, even if it is one tiny, baby step. I persevere through the night and wait for joy to come in the morning.
