perfectionism Archives - Melissa Dinwiddie | Create the Impossible™

July 29, 2016

Frustrated with Your Calligraphy (Or ANY Creative Skill You’re Trying to Learn)? Here’s Help!

Hey Letter-Lover,

Do you ever feel frustrated with your lettering? Like it’s never going to be as good as you want it to be?

Boy, I sure do! Story of my LIFE!

In fact, I was sharing in my Creative Sandbox community just this week that nothing brings out my perfectionist gremlins like calligraphy!

Letters are such small, precise forms. A half a millimeter in this direction or that could throw everything off!

But here’s the thing:

Yes, precision is wonderful. And yes, mastery and excellence are great to aim for.

But they are not everything!

If you’re not having fun, what’s the point?

Truth: part of [Read more…]

January 19, 2016

The (De?)Evolution of an Artist

For almost two weeks now I’ve had a new creative practice, doodling in bed every morning, playing with black line on white paper. I never know how I will start, and I never know what is going to emerge.

Even though all I’m using is a humble black marker, this is Creative Sandbox play at its best, totally detached from the outcome.

And the cool part is that [Read more…]

January 11, 2016

The Antidote to Perfectionist Paralysis

I’ve been trying an experiment lately.

Instead of waiting to do any art-making until after I’ve completed the rest of my morning ritual (which can hear all about here), I’ve been taking 15 minutes first thing after I wake up to draw in bed.

I always say, “The thing I do first is the thing that gets done,” and when life gets busy (which is most of the time, really!), it’s all too easy for creative sandbox play to not happen at all…

Hence this experiment: unless I have to rush to be somewhere (which rarely happens, because I do my best to avoid morning appointments!), at least I get 15 minutes of art time to start the day.

And that makes me happy!

Feeding my creative hungers makes my day go better.

Here’s today’s [Read more…]

November 12, 2015

The Surprising Results of My Crazy Experiment – a Case Study in Creative Courage

Two years ago I did a crazy experiment in tiny and daily writing.

I’d been wanting to develop a consistent, sustainable writing practice for a long time. I also wanted to learn to write poetry like my poet heroes.

I was already a believer in the benefits of a tiny and daily creative practice (namely, daily keeps your toe in the creative stream, and when you keep your commitment tiny makes you a thousand times more likely to actually make it happen, plus it helps you get back on the wagon when you stumble), but so far I’d [Read more…]

March 2, 2015

The Imperfectionist Manifesto

Ah, perfectionist paralysis — I know it well. It’s that belief that nothing I create is, or ever could be, good enough.

It’s what kept me NOT creating for decades.

And it’s epidemic!

If you’ve ever found yourself NOT creating, mired in resistance because your gremlins have convinced you that your writing/art/music/macaroni sculptures just weren’t good enough, this is for YOU. Read on…

Do you have a favorite musician, or writer or artist? Someone whose work touches you deeply, who moves and inspires you?

Maybe someone whose work got you through a tough time.

Or compelled you to think in a new way.

Or makes you smile as you pass it in the hall every day.

Or just jazzes you up when you need a little jazzing.

Now, let me ask you, how would your life be different – be lacking – without their creative contribution? [Read more…]

But here’s the thing:

Would You Like Some Cookies?