When Doubt Creeps In

It's not IF doubt creeps in, it's WHEN right? For me, it happens on a daily basis. Sometimes it's right after an idea I have or it comes up during painting, especially when I hit the "Valley of Disappointment" in a painting.

This happens in EVERY painting, it's amazing to me. There will be a stage in the piece where I do not like it and want to throw it out but I guess I'm stubborn and I keep with it, working on the parts I don't like. Most of the time I end up happy with it and I've learned a lot by "fixing" it's problems.

I used to listen to doubt a lot more, pay attention, agree with it and give up what I was doing. That's why I was inconsistent, I would start, stop, start again, etc

Now I've decided *&%$! that. Listening to doubt has never helped me grow, expand or do anything interesting. In fact, I can't think of when it's been helpful creatively.

So while I know that it won't stop creeping in I hope that as I learn to let it come and go without getting caught up in it, it will cease to keep me from realizing my potential.

This one is a piece that I just kept playing with. I've come to where I see it as a challenge to turn it into something I like - this is where the learning is. We have to put one foot in front of the other and when doubt creeps in, kick it aside and keep going.