| How healthy would you say your thinking in is the | | | | You'd create more easily once you've rearranged |
| areas of creativity? How effectively do your | | | | your wardrobe, it's got really untidy. |
| patterns of thinking support you in being as creative | | | | Are you sure you have all the right equipment here? |
| as you can be? | | | | Shouldn't you go out and buy a few dozen more |
| All of us have negative thoughts to different | | | | colours and a wider selection of materials, just in |
| degrees. | | | | case? |
| When negative thoughts are effecting how creative | | | | Devious, aren't they? |
| you allow yourself to be - and even worse, when | | | | What these kid of thoughts all have in common is |
| they're limiting you without you really even realising - | | | | they cause you to avoid creating in some way, and |
| it time to ask yourself whether you're addicted to | | | | convince you that something else is far more |
| Toxic Thinking. | | | | important than getting started and creating right now. |
| Toxic Thinking is when you constantly sabotage | | | | So those are examples of two different levels of |
| yourself with negative thoughts and ideas. | | | | Toxic Thoughts. Which do you recognise? |
| A large part of this is obvious, and comes in the form | | | | The next question is why on earth do we get |
| of direct negative put downs. | | | | addicted to them, if they're so toxic and destructive? |
| How many of these kind of thoughts are ones | | | | The answer can always be boiled down to subtly |
| you've heard yourself saying in your mind? | | | | different versions of the same thing: To avoid pain, |
| Who told you you had any creative talent anyway? | | | | failure, disappointment. To keep you safe, protected |
| Don't you think it's selfish spending so much time | | | | and within known boundaries. |
| creating just for you when there's so much else that | | | | It's an understandable and powerful motive. |
| needs doing? | | | | So is there any way to overcome Toxic Thinking? Is |
| When are you going to give up these silly hobbies, | | | | there any hope, or are you destined to remain |
| they'll never earn you any money? | | | | frustratingly uncreative for the rest of your days? |
| Why do you even start creative projects when you | | | | The answer is to connect with the reasons why you |
| know they're likely to end unfinished and in the back | | | | create in the first place. What does creating give you |
| of a cupboard like all the others? | | | | that nothing else in the world can? Learn to listen |
| What makes you think anyone will ever enjoy | | | | again to that voice inside you that yearns to create, |
| anything YOU create? | | | | and hear what, how and why it longs to create. |
| Ouch. Painful as they sound, it's important to | | | | Once you start to get back in touch with these |
| acknowledge these thoughts if they sound familiar to | | | | indestructible creative forces within you, the Toxic |
| you. | | | | Thinking will start to seem a lot less appealing. |
| | | | Taking the time to reconnect in this way, combined |
| Other kind of thoughts are more devious. They're | | | | with simply being aware of when Toxic Thinking |
| not directly attacking you and your capabilities like | | | | appears and nipping it in the bud before it develops |
| those above, but instead they gently draw you away | | | | into anything too destructive, will ensure that it |
| from creating in other ways. | | | | gradually lessens its hold. |
| Maybe you'd feel more creative if you made a quick | | | | Isn't it time to let go of some of the Toxic Thinking |
| snack first? | | | | that's running riot in YOUR mind? |