I'm an artist at heart, performer and songwriter, and a lover of all things creatively & artistically beautiful. In this little corner of the internet, we talk about how to live an artistic lifestyle, fit with the tools, techniques, tips, and community. Get comfy and cozy.
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You deleted it. Again.
Another project scrapped, another idea abandoned, another day of feeling like you’re the only artist in the world who can’t seem to get out of their own way.
Your chronic fear of failure isn’t just stopping your art anymore, but making you question if you were ever meant to be an artist at all.
I’m not saying this because it’s true — I’m saying this because it’s a common feeling from artists, and that you are heard and valid for feeling allll the feels!
Sweet friend, I’ve been there too. And I’m here to tell you that this moment of creative stagnation is actually a hidden doorway to some great creative healing. 🚪
This *doorway* really symbolizes a concept. The concept of “failing forward.”
But before we get into the new lens we can look at our creative lives in, let’s talk about how these creative blocks and anxieties can come to be in the first place.
Before we can work through our blocks, we need to understand what’s actually stopping us.
We’ve all experienced creative blocks, but we might not know much about them beyond that – they’re blocks. How complex could they be?
Well, I’ve found that creative blocks — subconsciously, one of many artistic setbacks that “protect” us from failing — come in 3 main ways.
You know that foggy feeling when you can’t quite access your creativity? Often, it’s not actually about creativity at all — it’s about how we’re treating our bodies.
Your body is your creative instrument. Dare I sound cliche and say… is it a temple?! Yes, I will, because it is!
It might sound super simple, but your body absolutely needs proper love, care, and nourishment and to maintain creative resilience.
That looks different to different people, and because I’m no health pro, I don’t want to suggest anything to you! However, I’ll tell you some things that I do that help me:
This might seem supperrrr high maintenance and I totally get that. I just want to use these as examples or inspo of how you might want to incorporate caring for your body in your creative life.
Some of my fav products & brands 👇
I love sharing *much-loved tools & products* with you. I get a commission from doing so with no additional cost to you. Whether or not you purchase, thanks for coming to my corner of the internet. ♡
I love sharing *much-loved tools & products* with you. I get a commission from doing so with no additional cost to you. Whether or not you purchase, thanks for coming to my corner of the internet. ♡
I love sharing *much-loved tools & products* with you. I get a commission from doing so with no additional cost to you. Whether or not you purchase, thanks for coming to my corner of the internet. ♡
I love sharing *much-loved tools & products* with you. I get a commission from doing so with no additional cost to you. Whether or not you purchase, thanks for coming to my corner of the internet. ♡
I love sharing *much-loved tools & products* with you. I get a commission from doing so with no additional cost to you. Whether or not you purchase, thanks for coming to my corner of the internet. ♡
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Hey! I love sharing *much-loved tools & products* with you, and sometimes I get a commission from doing so. It doesn't cost you anything, and you don't have to purchase through this link to buy. Either way, thank you for your support. 🤍
Hey! I love sharing *much-loved tools & products* with you, and sometimes I get a commission from doing so. It doesn't cost you anything, and you don't have to purchase through this link to buy. Either way, thank you for your support. 🤍
This could look totally different for you and that’s okay!! The important part is having some understanding around how your body and mind reacts to what it’s surrounded by.
When we honor our physical and mental needs, we’re actually setting ourselves up for artist breakthrough moments without even realizing it. ✨
🥗 Love food as much as I do?: Ultimate Vegan Food List for Beginners (+ 9 Simple Recipes!)
Have you ever noticed how some spaces just *feel* more creative than others?
This is so visceral and real for me it’s scary! If I’m in a space and it has a messy, thrown-together vibe, I start reflecting that feeling, too.
This is why I spent so much time dreaming up how I designed my home (plus, I love interior design and it’s so fun!). Because the environment that you’re in will show in you.
How can you curate your environment – your home & the spaces you dwell in – in a way that’s supporting your artistic growth mindset?
For me, I want the spaces I go into to feel like a warm hug, that’s full of intentional thought and a clean feeling. I get extremely overwhelmed with clutter, harsh, cool lighting, and spaces that feel dusty and thrown together.
The spaces you surround yourself in, ideally, feel like possibility, not obligation. Creating this environment is so important for overcoming creative blocks and finding your flow again. 🌀
🍵 If you wanna talk more design, meet me here → How to Bring Cafecore into Your Artist Lifestyle
This is often the trickiest type of block because it’s tied to our deepest fears and “creative failure” lessons.
You might have a crystal-clear vision but feel completely stuck on how to get there. Or maybe you’re overwhelmed by all the possible paths ahead, paralyzed by the fear of making the wrong choice.
Perhaps you keep postponing important creative decisions, waiting for the “perfect” moment that never seems to come.
I understand all of this, and honestly, I feel like social media always makes this feel so much worse. We’re at our Chapter 3, we scroll, and then compare ourselves to somebody else’s Chapter 23.
And even worse, if we’re working a job that’s paying the bills, but it drains all of our energy and doesn’t give us any time for creativity, it can feel like an endless cycle.
Now that we’ve broken down the blocks that make us stop creating, let’s talk about what makes us feel too frozen to create — even when we’re not blocked.
Failure is part of success, not the opposite.
Every artist you admire wrote dozens (if not hundreds of) “bad” songs, painted over countless canvases, auditioned hundreds of times, and faced rejection after rejection. Nobody’s showing that on socials because it’s not cute and curated.
In order for us to use failure as our teacher, we’ll want to use a “failing forward” attitude. We can accept and feel the hurt of “failure,” and in the same breath see failure as a step towards mastery.
Because isn’t learning (something we do every time we fail) something that helps us move forward, not backwards?
Let’s talk more about this. 👇
🌞 Read this to ritualize your mornings: How to Build a Sustainable Morning Routine *For Creatives*
Every creative “failure” is actually training for your next breakthrough.
When you’re failing forward, you’re building resilience that will serve you in bigger moments. You’re learning what doesn’t work, which is just as valuable as learning what does!
Through this process, you’re developing your unique artistic voice and getting comfortable with imperfection — which is where the real magic happens!
Imagine how much you’re learning every time you fail compared to people who aren’t even picking up the pen (figuratively). You’re doing, which will always yield results, even if it feels crappy at the moment.
Creative problem solving becomes so much easier when you’re not putting all your artistic eggs in one basket!
Something I noticed when I started my blog and YouTube channel was that once I started placing energy into them, I had this excitement about performing I didn’t have before. It wasn’t something I desperately needed or else I wouldn’t be seen and heard. I found another place to be seen and heard.
It’s kind of like not letting all my energy bank on that one audition. It’s a terrible feeling when it does, because I’m hoping on something that’s totally out of my control.
For you, think about how you might be able to work on a few projects at the same time. This can for sure help take the pressure off and keep your creative energy flowing.
Plus, it helps nurture the concept of failing forward — if you’re doing, you’re failing. If you’re failing, you’re doing.
We have such deep emotional experiences already — why not use those failures as experiences to draw from?
Those moments of struggle are hard, especially in the moment. I’m not saying they aren’t! But as an artist, as young as I can remember, as soon as I’d get scared, angry, frustrated, upset, I’d run up to my bedroom and write in a notebook what exactly happened and how it made me feel.
It’s almost like a “feelings bank”. This greatly comes in handy in my acting work when I need to revisit emotions for different auditions and scenework.
The path of an artist isn’t about avoiding failure — it’s about embracing it as part of our journey.
Every creative block, every setback, every moment of doubt is actually leading you somewhere beautiful — and I’m right there with you, doing it next to you.
Failing forward is always better with a friend by your side — so hey, I’m Kira, and I’m honored to be on this journey with you 👋
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Creative lifestyle
Creative lifestyle
Creative lifestyle
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I'm an artist at heart, performer and songwriter, and a lover of all things creatively & artistically beautiful. In this little corner of the internet, we talk about how to live an artistic lifestyle, fit with the tools, techniques, tips, and community. Get comfy and cozy.
BACK TO THE BLOG
I'll pass you little notes full of my latest musings, tips & fav creative tools for being your best artist.