How to manage creative energy

Thank you for replying! ❤️

They both sound like good ways of self care.

I think a lot of my frustrations come from the unreasonable envy I feel for people who have been able to make something, whether its an indie netflix series or book series. I so badly want to create a series or something that people can follow and love and feel impacted by, and I have lots of ideas in my head but theres a struggle to get them down on the page.

(Not that, I need to add, I dislike these people in any way, its incredible what these creatives are able to do, and so much of their shows and media have helped me in so many ways, I just want to be able to do that for people too)

@ferdie22 yes, this is exactly what I've experienced as well! It's totally valid to feel jealous, and I rly admire the fact that you've been able to open up about this on ReachOut. I also admire the fact that you want to make something that has an impact and can be loved by people. It tells me that you want to make a positive change to people's lives, which is rly sweet 

I try to tell myself that I will progress at my own pace, in my own way, and try not to compare myself to others too much. Perhaps you could try this out as well? Again, I rly admire your ability to open up about your experiences on ReachOut 

Thank you for your responces, it's really nice knowing I'm not the only one who feels like this.

I think you're right in saying I shouldn't compare myself to others, I think this is something I do a lot for lots of different reasons! Are there any ways in particular you combat this feeling?

Hey, @ferdie22 I have too experienced this. For me some strategies that helped with self-comparisons/reasoning behind it and how it made me feel. Was to detox my social media, to limit the amount of time I was on and what I was looking at. I also used the coping strategy of flipping each negative thought or telling myself that although they are ___ doesn't mean I cant be and I should let this inspire me not put me down until I believed it. I started slow and paced and soon change my thoughts around things for you it may be changing your thoughts to something more like if one person finds this inspiring I have done it or if I find inspiring and I think it looks good for me at this and then I know someone else will too. Although for you it may be more helpful to like @GioDes suggested to join a Facebook group to find a supportive community to boost your confidence to help you less harshly judge/compare yourself. 

@GioDes and @featuringme have given some great suggestions and thought-provoking comments.

I really like the idea about detoxing my social media and limiting the amount of time I'm online. I feel like this would be a really helpful thing to my every day life. I think social media impacts my life in other negative ways too, aside from comparing myself to others, such as feeling like I always need to be in contact with people or else they would forget me and feeling like im never enough for some people - but that is going sort of off track to what this conversation is about haha

Thank you everyone else for your helpful comments too. Knowing that I'm not the only one feeling stuck like this is really helpful.

Hey @ferdie22,

It's so great that you are finding comfort and support within this community.  

I understand it may be difficult to decrease social media time, particularly as you would like to be in contact with others.  Thinking that people will forget about you must be very uncomfortable you.  How do you think you will go with less time on social media with this in mind? 

Comparing yourself with others and not thinking your good enough must be very hard to deal with.  I'm wondering if you have rather high expectations for yourself?  What do you think would help you believe that you are good enough?  Is there anything that you think would help you with increase your sense of being good enough?

There is no obligation for you to answer these questions on the forum if you do not wish to go there.  It is of course, your choice.  

I'm not sure - I think I use social media a lot as a way to distract myself so perhaps I need to find some other ways to keep myself occupied. I really wish work was giving me more shifts, I always feel so much better after a day at work because it's like I actually accomplished something.

I never thought I had high expectations for myself, I thought I actually have really low expectations so I never ended up trying very hard but that might just be because I have this voice in my head that there isn't any point trying anymore because I wont be able to achieve things to the extent that i want.

I think maybe finishing a project might help me believe I am good enough, or maybe even just being able to start a project at this point. But it feels impossible, like I've got too many ideas or too many things I want to do that it overwhelms me and I end up just sitting there doing nothing all day.

I wish that i could just make my brain focus on one thing at a time, but it's like it's no where and everywhere at the same moment. Maybe if I start making lists or journal-ling my thoughts it could help this?

Thank you for your responses. I really appreciate being about to talk about these thoughts to someone, even if my responses do seem sort of whiny haha.

Hahaha I feel you with that too, I always seem to exit twitter, then click back on it again straight away. Not to mention the obsession with Tiktok, I could scroll for hours - I think this is because it's so fast moving it keeps my brain really occupied.

Time limits on my phone sounds good, I think I would struggle to uphold them though especially when I've not nothing else really going on in my life at the moment. I think I need to learn how to enjoy spending time with myself again to be able to do this.

I think the idea of small lists might be good though, and I definitely agree that checking things off makes me feel accomplished. I think I also need to learn how to be happy with what I produce instead of feeling my worth is based off what important people think of me.

For example, there is someone on Instagram who I admire but despite having a few fun conversations with them they never followed me back, and this makes me really uninspired or frustrated. It sounds silly when I put it like that, haha. I wish I didn't need acknowledgement from important people to feel worth something. I know realistically they're just humans like I am, but I want so badly to be in that circle of people who are doted upon instead of being the person who does the 'doting'.

I also know the only way *to* get noticed is by producing more, or getting better at the work I'm producing, but I'm not sure this is really healthy.

I think this plays into that creative energy, and the feeling of never really being good enough.

I totally agree @ferdie22! I think it is definitely fast moving apps that are designed to keep you using the app. Before you know it, it has been hours.

That makes sense about the time limits, especially if you don't have a lot on at the moment. Do you think it would help to form some kind of routine with hobbies or other activities? That way, you can have a routine for doing things that you like or want to do. It might also help with motivation and progress towards your goals too. I know if I don't have a plan for the day, I sometimes end up doing nothing for majority of the day.

A lot of people rely on external validation, you definitely aren't alone. It can be such a difficult habit to kick but it is definitely possible. I have heard that is helpful to try to focus on what you enjoy about doing the work and why, as opposed to doing it to impress others. This comes back to what you said before about needing to be happy with what you have produced. I am wondering if you have thought of chatting to a professional about some of these issues that have come up for you?

Hi @ferdie22, thankyou so much for sharing here, as @featuringme also said, it is such a normal and valid response! In terms of combatting comparing to others - I was wondering if you have tried allowing those feelings to be a part of your wonderful, day to day human experience? In my own life I am trying (and often failing lol) to practice understanding that it is soooo normal to feel insecure and envious when I feel stuck, and am also trying to recognise that sometimes these feelings can actually inspire some creative and constructive expression if I am gentle with myself and focus on just enjoying the process!  I was also wondering if you would be open to collaborating with others for some inspiration or joining some online communities or forums where people discuss the creative process?