The Life of a Creative: weird coping mechanisms and why you should view courage differently.
“Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.”
This quote by Mary Anne Radmacher beautifully illustrates the life of any creative.
The creative journey is a voyage into one’s own psyche. It is a battle with the Pressfield-defined resistance in our heads.
COVID has been the single best thing to ever happen to me as a creative. It forced me to reevaluate where my focus was heading and how to direct more suitably. What I've found over the past few months of being a work-at-home student is that the weird shit we do to get through the day is the day.
We all have weird ways of coping with stress. Some like to browse YouTube, getting sucked into the deep dark web of memes, tech reviews and conspiracies. While others may indulge in self-soothing adult entertainment websites to relax and wind-down.
I, on the other hand, while not denying I part-take in all sorts of fucked up coping mechanisms, find myself throwing a green ball up and down while laying flat on my back on my yoga mat beside my desk. It's strange but oddly satisfying. I now just let it happen. When I find myself judging myself I just think: 'hey, this is just a temporary way to wind down -- embrace it.'
Whatever your weird coping mechanism is, own it, and don't link it to a failing on your part.
We only see the finished products in society. We don't see the compulsive, probably psychotic behaviours, that preceded the creation of end-products. I bet you Elon Musk does some weird shit when he is solving a problem. I'm the first to admit that sometimes I have no fucking clue how I finish a task that I've got on my table. It just happens by some mysterious mechanism.
But, there are times when I get caught up in my incremental 'failings' as a creative that I forget to look at the bigger picture. Sometimes I have those days where not even a seared medium-rare rib-eye steak can fix. That doesn't necessarily paint a picture of the project as a whole (or your life as a whole).
Your daily 'failings' are just corrections -- or in trading terms: pull-backs. Pull-backs can be healthy as they create areas of support.
What if your bad days are actually creating scaffolding for your good days?
Courage is not some Maximus-type roar that shouts at the Colosseum of people observing, 'Look! I'm still here motherfuckers!'
Instead, courage is that silent voice that subtly tells you that this too shall pass. It is the thought that tells you to try again tomorrow. The feeling that nudges you, lets you know that tomorrow is a new day.
Courage is listening to your gut.
Courage is being patient.
Courage is not stopping -- no matter how small or slow the step.
Courage is the ability to be kind to yourself in your own mind.
As always, I would love to hear your thoughts. If you feel you have transformed and changed via meat-based eating, pop me an email hello@joshsnyman.com so we can connect. I'm always looking for people to come on my podcast to chat to.
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