The Artist’s Way, Week Ten: Recovering a Sense of Self-Protection

This is my series on The Artist’s Way, a workbook focused on creative recovery.  Check out my posts on Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, and Week 9 if you haven’t already. This week explores toxic patterns we cling to that block our creative flow and what to do when hazards ambush us on our creative journey.

Overcoming Creative Blocks

As an artist, it’s important to be self-aware of the toxic creative blocks we choose that shut down our flow. Cameron lists three very common creative blocks: unhealthy food that causes you to be sluggish, an overload of work that sucks up your time, and romantic relationships that cause obsessive thinking. Cameron clarifies that food, work, and sex are all good things, it is the abuse of them that serves as a block. We usually grab our blocks out of a sense of fear and anxiety over our creative projects. Instead of dealing with these fears head-on and overcoming them, we numb the fear with our drug of choice.

The Comparison Trap

Another way in which we shoot ourselves in the foot as artists is by comparing ourselves to other artists. Instead of looking outward at what other people are doing, Cameron urges us to search inward for guidance. Work towards a spirit of collaboration, not competition.

“The desire to be better than can choke off the simple desire to be.”

— Julia Cameron

Tasks

At the end of every chapter, Cameron lists several ways we can take action on this week’s lesson, we are meant to choose a couple that speak to us and complete them throughout the week. 

Here are the tasks I chose:

1. The Awful Truth - answer the following questions:

1. Tell the truth. What habit do you have that gets in the way of your creativity?

2. Tell the truth. What do you think might be a problem?

3. What do you plan to do about this habit or problem?

4. What is your payoff in holding back this block?

5. If you can’t figure out your payoff, ask a trusted friend.

6. Tell the truth. Which friends make you doubt yourself? (The self-doubt is yours already - but they trigger it)

7. Tell the truth. Which friends believe in you and your talent? (The talent is yours - but they make you feel it)

8. What is the payoff in keeping your destructive friends? If the answer is, “I like them,” the next question is, “Why?”

9. Which destructive habits do your destructive friends share with your destructive self?

10. Which constructive habits do your constructive friends share with your constructive self?

2. Cherishing:

1. List five small victories

2. List three nurturing actions you took for your artist.

3. List three actions you could take to comfort your artist.

4. Make three nice promises to yourself. Keep them.

5. Do one lovely thing for yourself each day this week.