The Art of Being You.

Creative Block → 046

Apr 17, 2025

Creative Block is a newsletter that gives you a glimpse into my life, creativity, design, and music. It's like a little pick-me-up that you get delivered straight to your inbox.

I want to tell you about a conversation I had recently with my friend Rocky.

We were talking about creativity and how vulnerable it feels to put something out into the world, especially when it’s personal. I told him I’ve been wanting to write this newsletter every week. I have the ideas. I have the heart. But every time I sit down to send something, a little voice creeps in:

What if they get tired of hearing from me?
What if it’s too much?
What if people unsubscribe?

And Rocky calm, stern but lovingly said:

Whew.

That stopped me in my tracks.

Because if I’m honest… I’ve been holding back.

Not just here in this newsletter, but in other areas of my creative life too. I’ve toned things down. I’ve questioned my ideas. I’ve reshaped my work to fit a version of what I thought people wanted…sometimes without even realizing it.

And in doing that, I’ve sometimes lost sight of myself.

I know I’m not alone in this. If you’re a creative, you’ve probably felt it too—that quiet pull to make something “safe.” To make something that pleases instead of something that moves.

But here’s the truth: when we create only to be liked, we’re not really giving people anything to love.

Love comes from honesty.
From showing up fully.
From daring to be yourself, even if it’s not for everyone.

I think about this a lot when I design.
Some of my favorite pieces weren’t the most popular. But they were the most me.

They carried my story, my memories, my heart. And those are the ones people connect with the deepest—because they come from a real place.

So I’m reminding myself (and maybe you too):
You don’t need to shrink to be accepted.
You don’t need to play small to be loved.
And you definitely don’t need to be perfect to be worthy of showing up.

You just need to be honest.
That’s enough.

So I’m going to keep writing this newsletter. Weekly. From the heart.
And I’ll do it not for the approval, but for the connection.
Because someone out there might be waiting for something real—and if I’m hiding, they might never find it.

Thanks, Rocky, for the reminder.
And thank you all for being here, still reading, still showing up with me.

CALL TO ACTION:
What’s something you’ve been scared to create—but can’t stop thinking about?