Episode 014 – Creating for Fun

In this week’s episode, we discuss the joy of creating and trying new things just for the fun of it!

Answer the question of the week in the comments below: What new creative thing you’re going to try?

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Transcript

Hello Navigators. Welcome to Writer Roadmap, the podcast for writers seeking inspiration, guidance, and support on their creative journey. I’m your host, Holly Lyne, and today we’re exploring the importance of creating for fun and setting aside our fears of not being good enough.

As a multi-passionate creative, I walk in several creative worlds and so I hear this more often than most probably do: I wish I could do what you do but I’m not good enough.
I hear words to that effect all the time. Be it about writing, bullet journalling, art, or music.

People tell me they can’t bullet journal because they aren’t an artist. They tell me they love to sing and it brings them joy but they can’t carry a tune so never sing in front of other people. They say they’re too old to learn an instrument. Or write a book.

Enough already!

Ability means nothing if it’s something you enjoy. It’s ok to create for your own pleasure! Maybe that’s news to some people but to me, it’s a long-held, fundamental truth.

People who think they can’t bullet journal because they can’t draw have misunderstood what bullet journalling is. It’s understandable given the photos that proliferate social media. But the bullet journal system, at its core, is simply a bullet list of tasks. That’s it. No drawing skills required. Read Ryder Carroll’s book, or watch his introduction video to see what I mean. Bullet journalling isn’t art journalling. They are different things.

As for the other examples I gave, if singing or writing brings you joy, do it! Share it with others too if you feel so inclined but you don’t have to. The point is to not feel shame about your ability. Dance for fun in your kitchen even if you’re not a trained dancer! Sing in the shower. Hell, sing in the car with the window rolled down and the wind in your hair and wave at pedestrians who look at you! Chances are you’ll make them smile, not judge you!

I only took up singing again in my late thirties after a twenty-year hiatus during which I could only sing in front of close family. I started guitar lessons just before my 40th birthday. While I’m certainly not old, I once thought that the time for pursuing musical dreams was long past. But I was wrong. I’m never going to be a famous pop star, but I can participate in my local music scene and enjoy the ride.

Many writers only take up the practice in their later years so if that’s you, you’re in good company. It’s not as if it requires the physical stamina of youth in order to do it! Although we should all be mindful of taking care of our bodies and not being too sedentary. Writing and flexing the imagination can have enormous benefits later in life. Writing can help to improve your memory and cognitive function. It can help you to make sense of your life experiences and facilitate better communication with others. Writing, especially when drawing on your own experiences, can help to increase your sense of self-worth. And, in some cases, it might provide an extra income, which can be valuable later in life.

You are never too old to try something new and you should never let anxiety about your ability stop you from creating if it’s what you want to do.

But the general lesson here is applicable to all, young, old and anywhere in between. Fear of not being good enough holds so many of us back from doing things that we otherwise want to do. It can stop us from trying new things, or reigniting former passions. Ask yourself what you’re really afraid of. Is it fear of being judged? If so, think about the worst-case scenario. What could happen if we try and are judged harshly for our performance? We may encounter hurt pride, but no real physical injury can come from that. What do we really have to lose? And conversely, what might the best possible outcome be? What might we gain from trying that new thing, from creating the art?

Our minds have a habit of believing that there’s a tiger waiting to eat us if we venture beyond the cave. But there is no tiger. It’s not really life or death. Nothing bad really happens if we write a story and it’s rubbish. I promise. And the more we write, or sing, or play an instrument, or draw, or journal, the more naturally it comes to us. The journey of trying can be joyful and exhilarating and can help us to form new connections with people. So ask yourself, and not just rhetorically, what have you got to lose?

Keep in mind this quote by Rebecca Solnit: ‘So many of us believe in perfection, which ruins everything else, because perfect is not only the enemy of the good; it is also the enemy of the realistic, the possible, and the fun.’

So, let me know what new creative thing you’re going to try. Answer in the comments on the show notes for this episode at writer roadmap.com or on Spotify, or on my social media posts. You can find me on Instagram and Facebook at writerroadmap.

As always, I’m here to help guide your writer’s journey. If you’d like to get regular group or individual coaching with me as you navigate these ups and downs, you can do so at patreon.com/hollylyne
Don’t forget to subscribe and share this podcast with your fellow writers.

Until next time, happy planning.

Writer Roadmap intro and outro music used under license from Pixabay. Music track “Salangseuleoun” was Created by “Dayfox”.