Not giving in to Imposter Syndrome
Have you ever felt like a fraud, despite putting in the time and effort? For an artist, this feeling can be particularly common. When I first started painting, I would laugh to myself when mixing paint colors that resembled mud or pea soup. Or when my final creation didn't turn out the way I envisioned. Despite these mistakes, I continued to paint frequently, practicing my craft, and getting lost in the process of expression and creativity. But somewhere along the way, I began to become a harsh critic of my work. I started setting unrealistic expectations and questioning myself as an artist. This internal battle turned my creative journey from a mindful practice into a cycle of self-doubt. I was experiencing imposter syndrome. I felt like a fraud. Who was I to call myself an artist?
Imposter syndrome is that feeling that you are not good enough, even when you know you have the skills. Perfectionism, on the other hand, is when you set yourself such high standards that mistakes feel like failures, not learning opportunities. And for me, perfectionism stifled creativity. I stopped embracing curiosity, failure, and growth. The solace and mindfulness I was seeking turned into constant fault-finding of each piece. Not allowing for mistakes impacted my ability to be expressive, inspired and imaginative.
The truth is perfectionism is a type of imposter syndrome. It locks us into rigid expectations, not allowing for mistakes, which is essential to creative expression. I've learned this from my own experience.
My creative journey has been a lesson in patience and grace and unlearning the habit of perfectionism. It's about embracing the process of putting paint to canvas and discovering what it becomes—sometimes beautiful, sometimes messy, but always authentic. Accepting that I am an artist and that I am still learning and growing in my skills is something I must reinforce every day.
Art is self-expression, and there is no wrong way to express oneself. Learning to be patient and kind to oneself is an expression of self-love. It means focusing on the dedicated time and space for creativity, one brushstroke at a time, without the burden of perfection.
Every artist has their own path, and the journey is just as important as the destination. I am not an imposter; I am an artist—and so are you.
“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.”
~ Mary Lou Cook
