Ahh, a creative life. As I lamented in my newest book, a creative life is the one that makes all the difference. I truly believe it does – but what does the reality of building a creative life look like? Sometimes, the reality is far from the romanticized image we may have in our heads. Today’s blog takes a deep dive into the reality of building a creative life, and the rollercoaster that comes along with it.

Creativity can mean a lot of different things to different people. It could mean making art, or having creative hobbies. It could be having a creative field as a source of income, or your main source of income. For me, I view a “creative life” as having a combination of all of these factors. Enjoying as many creative pursuits as I can, building connections with a community of creatives, and creating my own work to sell. For the purposes of this post, building a creative life will reference these multiple aspects. In particular, I want to focus on the mental/physical health aspects, in addition to the financial aspects.

As a creative, the mental/physical health aspects seem to always be infused, one way or another. I often find that the creative process can help when facing mental health struggles. This has always been the case with me, and I know with many others: creating can help to find solace against the struggles we face. It is one of the biggest reasons why I write. Creating simply for you to enjoy and to be is one thing – a beautiful thing. But if we try to broaden this and create for others, such as by creating work to be sold, a lot of other concerns can creep in.

Concerns such as… Am I good enough? How will it be received? Are people going to look at it, read it, like it? Am I going to make an impact? Will I find the right people, who truly need to experience this art? Will they even care?

All valid concerns that I’m sure every creative has come across. When you add in a financial component, this can get even more complicated… How many sales have I made? How much money has it generated? Why is it under-performing? I’ve invested so much, was it worth it? Why can’t they recognize the work I put in? And the worst of all… How can I make the next thing?

We can get so caught up in creating for others that we may lose the creative spark that generated it all in the first place. If you are a creative who sells their work for purchase, finding the balance between these conflicting dynamics is paramount. Unfortunately, living in a capitalistic system and wanting to make a living as a creative sometimes means it is necessary for these conflicting dynamics to come together. It is something that I’m currently really struggling with. When these struggles do come up, it can turn what used to be a form of solace for mental health concerns… into suddenly being the very thing to cause different mental health concerns. Questions of identity, worthiness, self-confidence, and more may all come up in relation to the perceived monetary success of your creative work. They have come up for me a lot lately, and I’m sure for others too. But regardless of the perceived monetary value or success, all of the creative work we do is still worthwhile.

Sometimes I do feel lonely, in that no one will ever truly know the extent of the work that goes on behind the scenes. Unless, of course, you’re a creative yourself. The endless hours put in, monetary investments, months and years of work, intellectual and emotional and mental exhaustion, the stamina required… it is truly something else. It can be very fulfilling, but also very exhausting. If you’re in the position where you feel like you’ve been working your ass off for years and “the dream” still feels far away, it can be an even more bitter pill to swallow. And yet, there are still so many of us who keep on keeping on, holding on to the dream of living a creative life.

Despite the many struggles that we may face in the reality of building a creative life, I know that the only way we could truly “fail” is if we stop and choose to give up. But I can tell you, I’m never going to stop. This creativity is a part of who I am, and I couldn’t stop if I tried. I know that there are other creatives out there in the same boat, feeling that the desire to create is the only option, and there is no other path. There is only creating, and navigating the consequences of having it be your driving life force. I believe building a community of creatives who are facing similar struggles and challenges is very important. Today, I am aiming to focus on generating community to feel less alone, all while building this creative life.

And truth be told, living a creative life really does make ALL the difference. ❤