The creative process is a wonderful opportunity to balance the hard work and effort of mastering an artistic discipline with the gentleness and warmth of patience and compassion for oneself.

Everyone experiences challenges when striving creatively—and sometimes after many hours of effort we have to start over, having produced nothing we like. Failure and imperfection are inevitable aspects of the creative process—anticipating these common frustrations prevents unreasonable expectations that inevitably lead to disappointment.

We can cultivate a gentler attitude of kindness, accepting inevitable challenges. Remembering ahimsa, the attitude of non-violence, we do not scold ourselves, just as we would not scold a puppy. With compassion—recognizing how just like me, everyone struggles with self-criticism—we can create some space to relax and breathe. We become less caught up with self-criticism and can more thoroughly enjoy the process. By being more gentle with ourselves, we create the conditions to extend our compassion to others.

Wabi-sabi is a Japanese aesthetic concept which emphasizes the beauty inherent in unfinished, imperfect, or broken things. Studying and aspiring to see one’s own creative work through this lens can help us relax our rigidity and develop more self-compassion.

We can develop a nonjudgmental attitude toward our creative process by anticipating and accepting challenges. This can help develop a sense of warmth and optimism in the creative process. Self-compassion means taking a kind and non-critical attitude toward oneself when encountering challenges and difficulties.

Reflect on the experience of creating art.

Reflect on the challenges or feelings of self-doubt that may arise and how they can hinder our creative process. Pause and let go of self-judgment, and then reflect on the experience of creating art with a non-critical attitude.

• How does attitude affect the creative experience and outcome?
• When do you feel relaxed and enjoy the process?
• When do you feel discouraged, self-doubting, or frustrated?
• What's the difference between focusing on the creative process and focusing on the final product?
• If your inner critic and your inner wise friend were personified, what would their qualities be?
• What language would they use?

Create art with a gentle, non-aggressive attitude toward self and process, and evaluate the balance between enjoyment and healthy precision/self-critique.