Write a Personal Creative Manifesto

Have you ever written a personal creative manifesto? I love writing these because often, they’re the exact words I need to hear when I’m feeling down about my creative life. Sometimes I write them in moments of inspiration and clarity and then they later prop me up when I’m frustrated and blurry-feeling.

When I initially posted this prompt in our Creative Play Challenge group, the response was ah-mazing. Everyone wrote words that had me wanting to fist pump and say, “Yes!” I love how if we put our minds to it, we can write words of truth to ourselves. That’s so much better than getting down on yourself every time you make a mistake.

Even if you don’t feel like you’re a “writer”, I think you’ll benefit from this exercise. Truly, a personal creative manifesto is for your eyes alone (unless you want to share it) so you can write what you really need to hear. It’s pretty awesome.

Write a Personal Creative Manifesto . . . Some Thoughts

Okay, grab a piece of paper and a pen. We’re going to have a brainstorming session.

First, the hard stuff. Think about how you feel when your inner critic has a heyday. You don’t have to dive too deep here and make yourself sad, but allow yourself to think about this for a minute.

Write down the words that pop into your head that describe how you feel when you’re being attacked by that negativity. Think about what typically prompts those thoughts. You can list these ideas or mind map them, whatever works for you.

Phew. That was a bit hard. Now, read those words as if your best friend wrote them in a letter to you. Do you feel the fire burning in your gut? The need to defend her and show her those lies are just not true? That she really IS creative, and wanted, and wonderful?

Turn your paper over. And WRITE. Write the words YOU need to hear in those moments. Remind yourself of your worth. Remind yourself of the good. Be your own cheerleader.

You don’t have to be gushy and mushy if that isn’t your thing. You don’t have to dive deep if you don’t feel like it. But I do ask that you think about what your inner artist needs to hear in those moments that would encourage her to start again. So often we play these tracks in our mind of failure and not-good-enoughs that we would never say to a friend. Why is it okay to say these things to ourselves?

This is your personal creative manifesto. You can get fancy and write them in marker in your art journal, you can make a collage, you can type them out . . . whatever works for you.

For me, my inner critic shouts, “Not Good Enough!” and “You’ll Never Catch Up So Why Try?” at the most inopportune times. This has made me stop what I’m doing, curl into my proverbial shell, and not want to share my work with others. Writing my own personal manifestos and reading them when I’m feeling down has helped me remember the truth: that we’re all works in progress and no one has “arrived.”

This particular one was written one day after I bought a pack of markers. I was playing with them in my art journal and having a great time when the Good Enoughs came knocking.

“Wow, that looks like a toddler drew that . . .”

“Okay, maybe you shouldn’t waste your time on this . . .”

And on and on.

Thankfully, I was aware enough to notice these thoughts (instead of succumbing to them) so I turned the page, and began writing. My first version used every marker in the pack. It felt awesome to write it out because it was TRUE. That’s what I want your manifesto to be like for you.

A hug on a rainy day.

A high five after you’ve completed a hard project.

The encouragement you need to Keep Creating and Keep Giving.

Now it’s your turn.

Have a wonderful {and creative} day!

P.S. Here’s another creative manifesto for you.