Permission Slips for Creatives: 10 Beliefs to Let Go of (And 10 Alternatives to Adopt)
“Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in one’s own sunshine.”
The quote above gets shared widely because, while yes, it’s a poetic image, I think it also speaks to something that most of us recognize on an intellectual level: our beliefs matter and they can have a powerful effect on our lives in ways both good and bad.
This sounds simple enough, but the reason this knowledge usually stays on an intellectual level rather than becoming an emotional, embodied understanding is that these beliefs can be hard to identify. You know how you stop noticing the smell of your own home after a while? It’s kind of like that with beliefs. They blend into the background of our thoughts and feelings. After a while, they are just there, and we stop asking ourselves whether they are helpful or actually a reflection of reality.
This matters, because even if we’re not aware of them, those beliefs are still operating behind the scenes. Helpful beliefs encourage us to try new things, support our resilience, and give us the self-trust and confidence to keep going. Unhelpful beliefs sit there, draining our motivation, joy, and belief in ourselves and our work, sometimes without us even realising it.
Some of the signs that you might have beliefs that aren’t helping you include:
You get stuck in the same patterns within your work process without understanding why
You have a sense of unrealised potential: you feel your creative work could be much fuller than it is, but you don’t understand what that looks like or how to get there
You struggle with self-criticism, procrastination, fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of success, or one or more of any of the other plentiful fears and anxieties that can affect creatives.
If you have experienced one or more of the above, you are in good company. All these experiences are common, and having them doesn’t mean anything more than that you are human. But understanding the beliefs underlying them and being able to reframe those beliefs matters is the difference between getting stuck in these experiences, and finding a way to move through them.
With that in mind, today I want to share some common beliefs and some permission slips to go with them. These are an invitation to think about beliefs you might hold, whether they are helping you, and think about what you want to believe about yourself and your work.
Belief: “I need to feel inspired and/or motivated in order to begin.”
Permission slip: You have permission to begin imperfectly and let inspiration meet you halfway
Belief: “I’m too late to the game/too old/too busy…”
Permission slip: You have permission to start exactly where you are, at exactly this age, with exactly this much time. Your path is yours; it doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.
Belief: “I’m not a ‘real’ artist/writer/musician/creator/etc.”
Permission slip: You have permission to call yourself what you are, without needing a certain level of income or following or a certificate to make that valid.
Belief: “I have to finish what I start. Never give up, right?!”
Permission slip: You have permission to let go of paths and projects that are no longer right for you.
Belief: “If it’s not original, it’s not worth doing.”
Permission slip: You have permission to remix, borrow (ethically), and explore ideas in your own way. Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon is a great book that goes with this permission slip.
Belief: “If I take a break, I’ll lose momentum/fall behind.”
Permission slip: You have permission to pause, replenish yourself, refill your creative well, and attend to what needs attending, and return when the time is right.
Belief: “I have to do everything myself.”
Permission slip: You have permission to ask for help and to be supported. Collaboration isn’t cheating; it makes the experience richer and it’s how some of the best work in the world gets made.
Belief: “I’m not successful unless I… {insert someone else’s definition here here}
Permission slip: You have permission to define success in a way that aligns with your values, priorities, and ideal life.
Belief: “It doesn’t count unless it’s shared/gets likes/goes viral.”
Permission slip: You have permission to create in private, for your own enjoyment, growth and satisfaction
Belief: “If I’m not working, I’m not worthy.”
Permission slip: You have permission to rest, create for the fun of it, and separate your self-worth and identity from your productivity.
Reflective questions:
What beliefs have you been working with that don’t feel true for you anymore?
If you were to let them go, what would you give yourself permission to do?