Keep Trust with Your Artistic Soul

An artistic soul is a delicate thing and it needs to be protected and nurtured. If you don't do this, it will remain small and rather stunted in growth, afraid and trembling and unable to step into the full sun and spread out its branches. What can you do to make sure your artistic soul feels safe inside of you?

Take chances. Tell your artistic soul that anything goes, that you aren't afraid of failure.

Make a safe, sacred space for your artistic soul to dwell that is away from the world of commerce.

Try other arts. If you're a writer, try dance. If you're a visual artist, write a song. If you're a theater geek, try painting.

Surround yourself with people who love art and who specifically love your art.

Make boundaries between the world and your art.

Write down your dreams, both literally and figuratively.

Give yourself permission to have a messy house.

Stop answering the questions of people who ask if they have heard of your book, if you've made lots of money on your book, or if you think you'd like to collaborate with them.

Create anywhere.

Steal from anyone at any time. Wherever you are, whatever you see, it belongs to you.

Tell yourself you are good enough. Print out a “Real Writer's certificate,” if necessary.

Play. Read. Go out to movies. Watch television. Find joy in life.

Fail. And fail big. Hate failing. Cry about failing.

Never develop a thick skin about rejection. Every rejection should hurt.

Read about other artists.

Fall in love with the wrong person. Then fall in love with the right person.

Find the kind of security that matters to you. Creativity is blessed by a deep security.

See people around you. Fall into their skins. Live their lives.

Daydream. Noodle around. Forget about time.

Do your work, even when you are afraid of it and afraid of your own deficiencies.