I’m Not Ready

A while ago, my partner (noticing the growing stash of art I was churning out) started nudging me to exhibit my paintings and drawings.

He brought it up quite a few times, but I kept saying, “I’m not ready.”

I’ve shown my artwork before, many times and in many places. It might have been a while as book illustration captured much of my attention over the last decade, but I still felt certain that what I was doing needed to be developed a bit more.

While I think there was some truth in that - sometimes we are not ready for the next step and we don’t need to rush into it - I also think that sometimes we can get stuck in, “I’m not ready.”

So where’s the line?

It’s not always easy to see. My partner let it go for a bit, but it wasn’t too long before he started encouraging me to put my work out there again.

I still felt the resistance. I still wanted to say, “I’m not ready.” However, I realized I actually had a cohesive body of work coming together and an opportunity to show some of it literally fell in my lap.

Suddenly, “I’m not ready” had another flavor to it and it had nothing to do with the development of the work itself.

This flavor was about my own fears and insecurities. This flavor was about feeling exposed and vulnerable when I thought about my work hanging up on a wall in such a public way.

That’s when I realized it was time to take the risk. I seized the opportunity and exhibited a painting despite the voice that said rather desperately, “I’m not ready!”

I listened to that scared voice, gave it a hug, reminded it that we have been through this before and that it might even be fun. I told it I was ready enough.

Since then, each time I talk about my art and connect with other artists, the importance of showing what I have created before I feel completely ready is actually what makes me more and more ready. “Completely ready” is merely an illusion - a trap that sabotages our creative journey.

What are you saying, “I’m not ready,” to? Lean in a bit more closely. Is there a concrete milestone you can identify to help you be ready enough?

Or have you completed the necessary milestones and this voice has changed from fact to fiction? Is it time to take a risk?

★ CREATIVE CHALLENGE ★ Doodle the truthful "I’m Not Ready” voice that helps you to take your time and develop something thoroughly. Doodle the fictitious “I’m Not Ready” voice that keeps you from your creative goals. Getting to know them better will help you know when you are ready enough!