N: Naysayers

As many of you know, I have been working with a close group of friends through a book called, The Artist's Way. It is a phenomenal book and I recommend it to all creative souls.


One of the big topics in TAW is naysayers. In creativity, we all face naysayers and critics. Some of the worst ones are the ones in our heads.



Creativity is hard. It's hard because through our art, we bare our souls. We leave ourselves exposed and vulnerable for all the world to see. When our art isn't received well, it cuts us right to the core. The critic is not only rejecting our work, but they are rejecting us.



One thing that I love about TAW is that they discuss why people are negative. Very often, a naysayer is a jelous creative. They are angry and resentful at themselves for not creating and when we do create, their envy becomes the whip with which they beat us. Naysayers are the ones who are too afraid to create. Stuck in a mental box of fear and self-hatred, they displace their anger upon us in order to feel better about themselves. After all, isn't it so much easier to criticize someone else than to be daring enough to reveal our own souls to the world?


Each and every creative will ALWAYS encounter naysayers. It is simply a part of the world. However, we need not take their criticism to heart. Knowing and understanding where they are coming from (and that their negativity is really just misdirected) makes it easier for us to not take their harsh words personally.


So when you have a critic and hear a naysayer, don't feel badly. On the contrary. Feel good because it means you are far more courageous than they! ;)