This week, I am going back in time to the good old advice column. I have three amazing questions on the topics of creative despair, if you should leave your marriage, and coming to terms with being the bad person in someone else’s story. Even if you don’t agree, I hope you can find something you can relate to. xo, Carissa
Hey Carissa, it’s no surprise to anyone that the economy has affected a lot of small businesses and creative businesses. I find that when I’m stressed, my creativity really suffers. It’s harder to want to create or come up with new ideas. And then when I don’t have new ideas for my work, it doesn’t help me feel less stressed or bummed about it. How can I get myself out of this loop and stay positive in a bummer economy?
This question is from Joy Cho. Her Substack is Crazy. Mad. Joy. It is awesome. Highly recommend.
I love this question. Because I can relate. Nobody knows how creativity works. I think most people would agree that it is personal and unique for everyone. For some, perhaps they can relate to the idea that the bummer stuff in life fuels their practice, the idea that you can take lemons and make lemonade. For others, stress is infectious, the bummer feelings just put a raincloud on everything in life. Both seem like natural ways that we could have adapted to hard situations, both have merit.
I am going to share my thoughts on this topic with the very real assumption that you have enough to eat, are generally in good health, and have shelter. That there are people who love you and depend on you, reciprocally. This feeling of melancholy is related to business/creativity/self-worth. And there is a certain enmeshment within that and everything else in your life that matters.
For me, I embrace the bummer. I make work about it. I indulge in the sadness, unpack it, and roll around in it. I think most people might feel like that is too far. But for some reason, I feel attracted to it, like a sad song. I also have concluded that all good art comes from transformative experiences, good and bad, and I try to keep the faith that something meaningful is in this. I try to remember that things change.
I don’t think this is helpful information for you. From your question, and from knowing what little I do about you, you are not a person who likes to dwell in this space. The following is going to be presumptuous, and mostly a projection of the feelings that I am working through internally at the moment. So take it for whatever.
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