A Guide To Get Over Anxiety
We all feel the pressure and anxiety to succeed. As an artist, this can be intensified with so many people commenting on and judging your creations. Sometimes it can cause so much anxiety that it can be paralyzing to artists. I have come up with a list of things that help me deal with my anxiety and hopefully can help you too.
Give Yourself A Break
It’s okay to put it all away and take a break. Watch a movie, listen to music, eat some cake. Just do something you enjoy that is totally unrelated. This will help your brain focus on something else which will help you destress and get your mind off of it.
Look At Fellow Artists
I have specific artists that I look at when I feel stagnant or uninspired. Everyone should find these people, and Instagram is a great place to follow your favorite artists. Elly Smallwood and Michael Hussar are two of my favorites to look at just to get inspired to get back to work.
Systematic Tasks
I like to find pieces that require small, repetitive work. I use this as a way to calm my brain if I’m stressing about a larger or more complex work. My favorite way to do this is making Lino Block prints. This way I am still being productive with my art, still working that part of my brain, yet my brain is allowed to calm down for a while.
Embrace “Failure”
All artists fail. It can become very discouraging if you take each rejection personally. When reaching out to galleries or entering shows, don't attach your self-worth or value as an artist to whether or not they like you. For one, art is very subjective. Everyone has different taste in art. Secondly, artists are constantly developing and changing. Just because no one is buying your work right now does not mean that you won’t be successful as an artist. If you love creating art, keep doing it!
Find Your Zen
This is similar to the first thing, but more stargazed. Exercising is a great way to relieve stress so find your way to do that. My favorite ways are Yoga and dance. I teach both of these so I can do it, relieve my stress, and get payed all at the same time. But even if you do Yoga alone in your house with a YouTube video, you’d be amazed how much it can help.
Just Do It!
Yes it is terrifying, but sometimes you have to just go for it. I always remember that I can paint over something if I mess it up. That takes off some of the pressure I feel to make it perfect. But even then, I still sometimes just have to force myself to get over the anxiety and put myself out there. Ultimately, it does not matter what people say or think about you and artists have to be okay with people expressing opinions about their work without getting offended.
I hope you have found some of these tips helpful, even if you are not an artist you can apply these tips to whatever you do!
Give Yourself A Break
It’s okay to put it all away and take a break. Watch a movie, listen to music, eat some cake. Just do something you enjoy that is totally unrelated. This will help your brain focus on something else which will help you destress and get your mind off of it.
Look At Fellow Artists
I have specific artists that I look at when I feel stagnant or uninspired. Everyone should find these people, and Instagram is a great place to follow your favorite artists. Elly Smallwood and Michael Hussar are two of my favorites to look at just to get inspired to get back to work.
Systematic Tasks
I like to find pieces that require small, repetitive work. I use this as a way to calm my brain if I’m stressing about a larger or more complex work. My favorite way to do this is making Lino Block prints. This way I am still being productive with my art, still working that part of my brain, yet my brain is allowed to calm down for a while.
Embrace “Failure”
All artists fail. It can become very discouraging if you take each rejection personally. When reaching out to galleries or entering shows, don't attach your self-worth or value as an artist to whether or not they like you. For one, art is very subjective. Everyone has different taste in art. Secondly, artists are constantly developing and changing. Just because no one is buying your work right now does not mean that you won’t be successful as an artist. If you love creating art, keep doing it!
Find Your Zen
This is similar to the first thing, but more stargazed. Exercising is a great way to relieve stress so find your way to do that. My favorite ways are Yoga and dance. I teach both of these so I can do it, relieve my stress, and get payed all at the same time. But even if you do Yoga alone in your house with a YouTube video, you’d be amazed how much it can help.
Just Do It!
Yes it is terrifying, but sometimes you have to just go for it. I always remember that I can paint over something if I mess it up. That takes off some of the pressure I feel to make it perfect. But even then, I still sometimes just have to force myself to get over the anxiety and put myself out there. Ultimately, it does not matter what people say or think about you and artists have to be okay with people expressing opinions about their work without getting offended.
I hope you have found some of these tips helpful, even if you are not an artist you can apply these tips to whatever you do!
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