Letting the Creator Lead and the Critical Mind Turn Off
Owning the tittle of creator is a recent identity I’m trying on. To be a creator, I used to believe I had to be an actual artist. To be legit, I needed to be physically making something with my hands. Getting dirty with paint. Crafting sculptures bigger than my body. Selling my art through galleries or an Etsy shop.
With the internet there is hunger for endless content. There are many people calling themselves “content creators.” Making income by creating reels, stories, Youtube videos and interviews chopped up in quick edits to grab hold of people’s attention. Creating at speed and in large quantity is rewarded.
My soul wants to speak. She wants to create. I can feel the pulsating eagerness to share like a constant knocking on a door. She’s yearning for connection through her expression. Whether it is a blog post, podcast episode, meditation or social media post, I want to support people connecting to something inside themselves. Feeling their own humanness. I want them to feel seen, heard, inspired. Most importantly, not alone.
Yet, I realize this is my agenda. My intention. I can’t be attached to the outcomes. But it is so hard.
In a recent Centered in the City podcast conversation with Sarah Simon (aka The Mint Gardener on Instagram) she discussed that “good is the enemy of great.” That phrase hit me deep. All of my years of trying to put down the perfectionist creeped up. I thought to myself, “Do I settle for good too much and not push myself to greatness?” “Have I ever tasted a creation that I felt was great?”
I realized I am in this phase of creation where I just want to be in the consistent rhythm of birthing it. I am working on quieting the inner critic so that they don’t even have a chance to label my work on the spectrum of good to great. Do I secretly want everything to be fucking amazing. Of course. But that’s my ego popping in.
When I sit at my desk in the mornings to write, I enter creation mode. I feel alive. A warm bright energy lights up the trunk of my body. My heart and soul feel they are receiving the warmest hug. They whisper, “thank you.” My insides feel like a thirsty plant finally getting watered. Sometimes I catch my mind chirping in and saying, “But what’s the end game here? What’s the point of writing? Lets turn it into something productive.”
Owning creator helps me find my own voice. I get to connect to my authenticity amid a noisy world. A world that tells me to produce over breathe. In this same podcast interview, Sarah Simon, mentioned when she teaches painting retreats she leads people through an exercise where they paint the same painting twice. There is a practice round and then there is a final round.
Sarah said, “Nine times out of ten, people like their practice round better than their final round.” She explained how the practice round gives people permission to play, try something new, live out side of the box and break the rules. The final round makes people feel like they have to follow the rules. This beautifully demonstrates how easily our human minds get caught in programming to follow suit. The impulse to fit in is strong, which can go against the grain of our own inner wisdom and self-expression.
My DNA structure is unique. Just like yours. The courage to lean into that authentic imprint is where living comes alive. I notice that’s the space I try to get up close and personal with while I write these posts. My soul leads and my fingers follow on the keyboard—trying to release the mental critical filters.
’s recent post, Tell Your Story (Part 2), reminded me to connect to my Sparketype®, The Sage, to support me telling my story. It was confirmation of my intentions when writing—to awaken insight. To share my noticings in hopes they offer a mirror into your own heart and mind.So what are you noticing in this moment….
What does it feel like to let your creator lead?
When do you let your creator lead? (ie. in the kitchen, with paint, in the garden etc)
What prevents you from creating more?
If your creator spoke to you in this moment, what would they say?
Share your noticings with me in a DM or in the comments below.