Creative Permission
By Erika Davis
Whether you want to get a promotion, quit your job and travel the world, or publish your first book, you need to understand how the process works.
What happens when we are successful? How do we deal with fear and roadblocks? How do we deal with feelings of isolation and/or scarcity?
I'm a graduate student studying psychology, an entrepreneur, and a full-time teacher and coach. I share my process to help you connect with your own. Join us daily for inspiration, accountability, and support.
Creative PermissionNov 11, 2019
Priorities
In this episode, we discuss values, priorities, and how we spend time and energy.
Why is it important?
When you make an effort to better your life, your life changes. And, as your life changes, you want to reassess your priorities to ensure you're heading in the direction that is in alignment with your values.
On Trusting Yourself
What do you think of when you hear "trust yourself"? Do you feel there is room for your doubts? How do you know when to trust your doubts and when not to? What is your relationship to your own defenses?
In this episode, I talk about some skepticism and cynicism around "trusting yourself" and why it's important to trust yourself alongside being willing to be wrong; being willing to accept challenge and disagreement; being willing to fail and admit when you don't know everything or you need help.
There is danger in "trusting yourself" as a blanket statement, yet nobody would think it's a bad thing. It's nuanced, right? Hope you enjoy the episode!
What would happen if. . .
In this episode, we're exploring what it means to feel stuck, how we can understand our negative beliefs, and the impact of feeling caught in a position where everywhere you go feels like the wrong way.
"What would happen if . . . " suggests understanding there are possibilities there for you that you cannot see clearly in the moment--a pep talk I'm giving myself, too-- and that it's okay to feel stuck, to feel frustrated or sad, and to let yourself process the loss or grief of letting go of your past beliefs. Even when they limit us, they were once something we aspired to.
The Creative Process
**Please excuse the echo in this episode. I am recording in my office instead of my podcast den today due to time. My soundproof mic box is going to arrive tomorrow.
This episode explains what I talk about on this podcast when I say 'creative process'. It is the act of taking a feeling, thought, or impulse from inside of you and expressing it in the world.
Perhaps one of the most basic ways we do this is by speaking to one another. Writing is another way. Visual arts are another, yet I see that most people consider themselves to "not be a creative person" if they are not skilled or practiced in visual arts. With this episode, I aim to chip off that old maladaptive way of thinking and pose an alternative thesis: we are all creative, and by working on our creative process we become more actualized.
Getting Started
I asked my friends, peers, and and network at large to send me the burning questions they had about overcoming mental blocks and enhancing their own creative process. Many of them asked me how to start.
Since I'm starting this podcast, I figured I'd talk about starting. How do you get started when you feel stuck?
In this episode, I talk unrehearsed and unedited about how I got started, left my corporate job, and created work and a life for myself that is more aligned with my values and what I want in my life.
The thing is, it's not a one-step process. We are constantly starting, learning, growing, adjusting or pivoting, and starting again.
Listen to this episode for thoughts on how to change your frame, understand the 'process' vs. 'outcome' mindset, and get going towards making your ideas a reality in the world.