The Discomfort of Creativity
Can you have a creative life and support yourself at the same time?
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As a creative something I’ve been wondering a lot lately is this; can you live a creative life, have a truly creative career, and support yourself at the same time? We’ve all heard of the “starving artist” cliche, but sadly there is some truth to this notion. Creative living can be a lifetime commitment, regardless of the results or monetary compensation (or lack of), you continue to create because that's what you set your mind to, it's what you’re passionate about, it’s what you believe in. But at what cost?
Creatives are sensitive creatures, I’ll be the first to admit it. As a creative I get lost in my ideas, I get consumed with my work, sometimes I can get so lost in what it is I’m creating I really don’t know how I came to the final result. Having a creative mind can mean sometimes you’re in your own little world, which isn’t always a bad thing - but it's not always the easiest thing either.
The discomfort of being a creative means sometimes you have to get really comfortable being uncomfortable. There's those moments of self-loathing, when you want to take back all the work you’ve created, when you wish you’d never published that piece of work in the first place… But that's creative living as I’ve come to know it, it’s also part of growing as a creative.
That old saying “do what you love and the money will follow” is a lie we’ve been fed. If you have a creative career you’ll understand that there's no clear marker between our creative efforts and success. It’s widely believed that creatives will go to any lengths for their art, that if they just take the plunge and pursue their dreams, in one way or another they’ll be rewarded for doing what they love (whether that's via a pay cheque or otherwise). The truth is it’s just not that simple. Yes, I’d love to spend my days creating carefree without worrying about life burdens, but I’ve got bills to pay and things I need to take care of - that's the reality of it.
Whilst I do believe it's possible to have a creative career, live a creative life, and be able to support yourself fully, I don’t think there's any harm in exploring other avenues of work so that you can make your creative dreams come true. That's what I’ve been telling myself recently anyway, 2020 has taught me to become realistic if nothing else.
I’m a creative at heart, I always have been, and that's not going to change anytime soon. My way of thinking and being may not always be logical and it may not always make sense but it can produce some pretty incredible results if I do say so myself, and that's what being a creative is truly all about.
One thing I have learnt over the years is that creative living takes courage. I often worry that as a creative I won’t be taken seriously, that I’ll embarrass myself by putting what I’ve created out there into the world, that people will mock me and make fun, that someone else has already done what I’m trying to do and they’ve done it better. But I’m not allowing that to stop me anymore.
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and Twitter to see more of what I’m up to, and I’ll see you same time same place next week!
Catch you soon,
J’Nae
WHAT I’VE BEEN READING:
- I’ve just started reading Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino and wow, mind blown. This collection of essays by The New Yorker writer is a nuanced and thoughtful reflection on how to think about the world, and a really enjoyable education on pop culture, feminism, and American Life. Normally I can read a book in a few days, but this is one I want to savour and enjoy without rushing through it.
WHAT I’VE BEEN WATCHING:
- Spooky season is here, and with that I’m grateful Netflix have released ‘The Haunting of Bly Manor’ their second instalment in The Haunting Series. I loved the first series, and I’m hooked on this one - even if it means I’m jumping up off my sofa half the time wondering what's going to happen next.
WHAT I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO:
- Burna Boy ft Stormzy’s new song Real Life is a great depiction of what it can mean to be young and black living in London, the powerful video is 100% worth a watch. I love the spoken word verse in it too.
WHAT’S CAUGHT MY EYE:
- This article by Fast Company made me think about the way I consume clothes and the way we as a society consume fashion. As someone who's worked in fashion and media for the past decade, it's always worth taking a step back and thinking about the way I and the industry I work in impacts the world on a larger scale.
ON MY BLOG:
- I’m currently in the stages of revamping my blog and the type of content I post, so for now here’s a throwback post ‘Shopping Secrets I Swear By’.