Having a creative mind is a gift that not a lot of people understand. It is true that us creatives see the world differently, and we all have this burning desire inside to create beautiful works of art in every medium, but we are also consistently fighting our own thoughts day and night. There are a plethora of struggles creatives have on their mind at any time, but I’ve narrowed it down to the five thoughts that seem to have created a permanent home in the back of my mind.

1. You will always feel a little envious of other creatives.

No matter how amazing you are at what you do, you’ll always compare yourself to other creatives. The feeling of not being good enough can tear you apart. Jealousy can really impact you and your work, but you just have to remember to flip that jealousy around and turn it into inspiration.

2. Going from a million ideas to zero ideas.

Being creative means constantly having new project ideas running through your mind 24/7. This is great and all, but what happens when you have absolutely no clue where to start, and what happens when all of these ideas start to keep you up at night? Even worse, what happens when you suddenly have no ideas and you feel completely lost? It sucks. It really sucks. But never ever give up! Your creative juices will always come back.

3. It’s hard for people to take you seriously.

Any form of art is often looked at as a hobby rather than a profession. People just don’t understand that you CAN be a successful, professional, creative. Also, the myth that creatives are just “starving artists” is just a bunch of bologna.

4. Your mind and your creative space are a hot mess.

You’re a little messy and a little unorganized. That’s okay! We all are. Once you get in the zone, your mind will run a million miles a minute, and anything and everything you use to create your work will be all over the place - on your clothes, in your hair, in your nails, on the floor, and even in your nose (One time, I was blowing charcoal dust out of my nose for days…yuck!). This is just something your friends and family have to accept. Besides, it’s all just organized chaos, right?

5. No one will understand our struggle.

It’s not all fun and games. Contrary to popular belief, creatives don’t just sit down and create amazing works of art whenever they want. And honestly, no one will ever understand that until they actually try to do what we do! Us creatives are driving on a bumpy road, but it’s important that we just follow it through, and continue to follow our passion.

And always remember...