Friday 13 February 2009

secret No: 6 - conquering saboteurs


i am participating in the next chapter group reading 12 secrets of highly creative women

conquering saboteurs... dealing with gremlins can be our biggest hurdle to success, or if you take them the right way, they can be the very thing that guides you towards success.

i believe that when our self-critic comes along, we should deal with it in the same way we would deal with any other critic - listen politely, take any constructive ideas they may have, then remember your strengths and throw away the rest. if you know your own strengths and remind yourself of these often, it is not so easy to fall into a trembling heap - you know the power that you have.

gremlins have been hounding me for a while now telling me that my water-colour technique was not up to scratch. i believe that my strengths are colour and design. with this core of self-belief, i was able to listen to the gremlins when they told me to look at the quality of my work.

i could have torn up my efforts in disgust and cried or given up completely, but instead i listened. my work was not bad, it was just time to find some lessons on technique - a learning curve. read some books, watch a demonstration, do some research. things are falling into place now and i am moving forward with confidence, now that i have acquired some new skills.

so if you can find your strengths and remind yourself of them every day, you will empower yourself. if someone tells you they like something about your work, write it down. print out an encouraging blog comment, write your strengths in lipstick on your bathroom mirror! create a positive mantra built around them. then when the gremlins come along you will be able to stare them down, or better still, take away something useful.


14 comments:

  1. I like the idea of noting what people say about your work whether verbally or on a blog...I don't do that but I see how useful that can be in the future. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. good post on a tricky subject

    am really getting bogged down in the book subjects but moving house/studio and changing jobs at the same time is distracting

    your colourful art work is lovely it feels all fresh and spring like

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  3. Concise, inspired and really useful saboteur strategy. Love it! Thank you.

    It's so wonderful to be sitting here writing this and see your gorgeous, colourful work appearing, taking a stand for your talents and gifts :)

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  4. ("write your strengths in lipstick on your bathroom mirror!")
    Go Patti!!
    I love your approach to this chapter. You never cease to inspire me!

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  5. Awesome strategies--especially transforming the voice from criticism to guidance. Excellent post!

    Much Joy, Many Blissings~*
    Molly

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  6. Really good post on how to deal with those damn gremlims. It's so good that you point out what is and what isn't effective to listen to when they are talking. I think it's easy to get caught up in hearing the worst of what the gremlins have to say, but you show how to effectively dissect that inner voice and hear only what can help you move forward into new discoveries. That's awesome, and so important.

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  7. I would say that you have defeated the gremlin aspect and moved into a healthy relationship with your inner critic. Which is very possible. Whereas gremlins, by definition, are destructive. Everyone wishes for the type of inner critic you describe. You are very lucky to be in that place.

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  8. Inspired self talk...an inner wisdom that serves you well.
    This last piece diamond python is so beautiful!

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  9. Great post. I like the idea of keeping a reminder of the positive remarks as a way to ground yourself in the midst of doubt.

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  10. Patti, this is a wonderful post yes! Oh how we know them, those gremlins. And your way of dealing with them is so good! Your paintins always are awsome, it whatever techniques they are made. That is what I think of it:)

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  11. This is such a positive way to look at gremlins, i love it! Thanks for the great post!

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  12. yes! i just started doing that -- noting the good things people say and keeping a list! and then taking out the list and reading it outloud to the gremlins!! they hate it :) for you:

    YOU RULE!

    I think your art is absolutely LOVEly!

    You are a Creative Goddess!

    a zillion miracles to you,
    k-

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  13. Great post!
    Your positive approach to the gremlins and your suggessions to empower yourself are very useful points to keep in mind.

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