Cultivating the Self in Self-Expression
Today, I'm talking about developing a sense of self, why this matters, what this looks like for creatives. Common obstacles that many women of color creatives face when attempting to express themselves. Some obvious and not so obvious outlets that you can use to practice self expression and practical ways you can practice cultivating a more authentic version of you.
If this sounds interesting to you, please stick around because I think this is going to be a good one!
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Heavy Focus on Mastering Skill and Technique
So let's start off by talking about how many of us creatives got started on this journey by wanting to imitate our creative heroes. If you're like me, you likely have been impacted by some type of art that really had a profound effect on you and then you thought to yourself, I could do that.
I would love to do something like that and touch millions of hearts. This got you on a track to wanting to develop your skill, a technique, or just mastering your craft.
But I think that what happens when we do this is that we get really caught up in comparing ourselves, especially nowadays with social media and just the constant exposure to all the things that everyone else is doing.
The Pressure to Put Ourselves Out There
We also put a bunch of pressure on ourselves. To have an opinion, to force ourselves to share everything about ourselves, because we think this is how you’re vulnerable and how you connect with people, which is not entirely not true, but we just feel like we have to share everything. And, we feel like we can't limit what we share with the world.
There are also very real and scary reasons as to why we might be hesitating to share ourselves with the world. I mean, I'm literally doing it right now, I'm doing this podcast. I’m kind of forcing myself to get out of my comfort zone and put myself out there. Believe it or not, it's a very vulnerable place to be in because people are paying attention to you and they are paying attention to what you're saying. This can feel heavy for a lot of us who have grown up feeling like our voices didn’t matter.
As women of color, many of us have experienced serious fears because we know what it's like to be judged and alienated for being who we are. There is racial trauma. There could be a history of violence or abuse in our lives. Many of us have been misunderstood and left to feel very lonely because of our neurodivergence and our sensory needs. People might see us as being very picky and sensitive, difficult to be around, and so those feelings can really keep us from taking risks and putting ourselves out there.
Lacking a Genuine Identity
Also, many of us were raised and forced to take on certain identities out of survival. Maybe you were the people pleaser, the caretaker, or the black sheep. You might have even been raised by toxic people, negative people, who didn't see and didn't understand you. Those experiences forced us to take on personalities and coping mechanisms, even behaviors that aren't really our true identity, but we did it out of necessity.
We developed a distorted sense of self based on what others told us we were. We didn't stop to question whether or not those distortions were accurate. As we know, many people, regular people, the non creatives and neurotypicals have no idea how different it feels to be in our shoes. To be creative people with neurodivergence and all the other things that make us who we are. It's crazy to think that we've given them so much power over ourselves.
For example, growing up, I was told that I was very sensitive and I really believed this. I remember people joking (in a hurtful way) or making fun of me. And, when I would say that I was hurt and didn’t like it, I was told I was too sensitive. This really made me question myself and my feelings. I don’t think I’m alone in this experience.
So many of us have been told that we were crazy because we would speak up about things we didn't like or agree with. The worst is when we internalize those feelings and think there's something wrong with us.
Losing Our Way
Then, somewhere along the way, we forgot that our art wasn't just the way to earn our self worth.
We stopped taking into account what we wanted to experience and express with our art. Instead we became very focused on what others expected of us.
And, we not only let them define us but also our creative work.
Defining “Self-Expression”
With all of this being said, what does it mean to self-express? Well, in simple terms, expressing yourself is to share your unique point of view, your thoughts, your opinions, your feelings, ideas, basically who you are with others. So, you need to have a clear sense of who you are before you can express it.
This is not to say that you have to wait until you figure out everything about yourself before you can make art. It does mean that you have to be intentional about how you want to express yourself. Otherwise, you can end up creating art for art's sake without the self-expression part. And, this can leave you feeling very unfulfilled, so you have to set an intention to use your creativity to express yourself.
Common creative outlets for self-expression
Now, let's talk about some common creative outlets for self-expression (in case you're wondering which one might be best for expressing yourself). These might feel familiar and maybe even obvious but I still wanted to share them here (in case someone is new to this or hasn't explored all of these different outlets), and briefly discuss why they work.
Storytelling - Storytelling is really powerful. I think it's at the core of many other creative outlets because telling a story really allows for using our creativity, imagination, and finding ways to say what we really want to say. It can take the form of a video, song, written story, picture (yes, even illustrators use storytelling to create a series of images).
Writing/Journaling - I’m putting writing and journaling in the same category, even though they're really the same, but the idea is to work with words. With writing you can tell a story, document a series of events, or get clear about what you think and feel about anything. Writing is really accessible and a great way to share what you really think.
Illustration/Comics - Again, these are slightly different but here we're working on creating images/pictures to tell a story or share an experience. I think a lot of us are very familiar with the little cute comics that we see on Instagram. They feel so relatable because they illustrate an experience we all can feel identified with.
Performance/Acting - Whether it's music, dancing, singing, you can really do so much with performance and acting. It's fun to get into the mindset of a different person, character, or simply somebody else living a completely different life than yours. It really helps you to understand how other people think, and develop empathy. It also gives you an idea of the kinds of characters you relate to and the characteristics those characters have, which can tell you a lot about yourself.
For example, stand-up comedians process their emotions and experiences by telling funny stories in front of a crowd and engaging with their audience's laughter.Fashion - Growing up being an alternative kid (being into punk rock and heavy metal music), I have always loved expressing myself through band shirts, spikes, and dark colors. I have always been inspired by observing the way other people also shared their love for this music as well. So many people use fashion as a way to share who they are, whether that's being a minimalist, a maximalist, or anything in between, there's so much room to share who you are through the way that you dress.
Less obvious outlets for self-expression
Less obvious ways to express yourself can include any of the following things:
Collecting Items – Building collections of things that interest you, like rocks, stamps, memorabilia is a really great way to showcase the kinds of things that you're interested in and passionate about. You can also tell stories about how you got those items and it can be a great way to talk about yourself.
Body Modification – It includes piercings and scarification, which allows you to showcase your fashion sense, identity, cultural connections, and personal journey as a human being. These physical changes can be really transformative and validating.
Organizing or Decluttering Spaces – This one is a favorite of mine, it’s about how somebody organizes their space, the way that they decorate, the way that they place different items throughout their space. It says so much about who they are, their inner state, the needs that they have for peace, order or even creativity.
Customizing Personal Items – This is about customizing personal items like your phone case, water bottle, or the lid of your laptop. This really shows your unique taste, your humor, maybe even your creativity through your everyday objects.
Digital Communication Style - This is becoming more commonplace with the internet and social media, people using memes, GIFs, and emojis to showcase their sense of humor or the way they react to certain situations. This is a great outlet for when words are not enough and it’s becoming an art in itself.
After going over this list, you can see there are a lot of different things you can explore when it comes to self expression. There might be things on this list that you might want to try and haven't done before. This can really get you out of your comfort zone. And, you might even be surprised to discover something new that really does it for you. A way of expressing yourself that allows you to share who you are in a way that feels intuitive and aligned with the kind of person that you are.
So, I highly encourage you to reflect on this list and think about the different creative outlets that you're using to express yourself currently.
Simple ways to cultivate an authentic sense of self
Let's discuss simple ways you can start to cultivate a more authentic version of you.
Personal interests - Diving into the types of things that interest you and are passionate about are going to be key things to cultivate as an artist. This can prove to be quite hard for many of us. I know I had this problem for the longest time, struggling to give myself permission to like what I like. To be a little quirky, a little odd, and strange with the things that I'm into.
For example, I love taking classes and learning. I'm a bookworm! These are some of my favorite activities but for a long time I felt self-conscious about this. Because most people don’t see these as fun activities for well adjusted adults. The conventional and acceptable activities for adults are to go to parties, be very social, constantly extroverting but that is not who I am. I had to work hard to accept that my personal interests are different from what most people enjoy or would consider doing on weekends and such.
Journaling - A powerful way to get to know yourself and it doesn't have to be complicated! Start by exploring prompts that really resonate with you and help you examine areas within yourself that you’re curious about.
In my personal experience, journaling has been a total game changer because it helps me clear my mind by letting me dump all my thoughts onto paper. This helps me gain clarity about what’s been going on in my mind. Somehow this process of clearing my head helps me to make better art (it ends up coming through in my art).
Exploring your cultural heritage - As women of color creatives, we have so much to pull from when it comes to our cultural heritage.
Personally, this is what I’ve been up to in the last few years, exploring my indigenous roots and unpacking what all that entails. Also, what it means to be Mexican in the context of growing up in the United States as an (undocumented) immigrant.
No matter what your background is, there are a lot of aspects of yourself that you can explore here. You are sure to have a rich history that you can dive into. Learn about your ancestors, your geographical area, or whatever else interests you the most as a starting point.
Ask yourself, what are some themes that I would like to explore and can inspire my next project? Or even my own personal development?
Discovering your personal values - This is all about discovering what’s important in your life, whether that's family, friendships, creating, or making the world a better place, whatever it is, those things are a really great place to look into further.
Understanding your personal values is fundamental as a creative person. This is because your values can help you to make better decisions. For example, when tasked with deciding whether or not to do a project or to create something for a social cause, you can check-in with your values. This is going to serve you over and over throughout your career, creative journey, and even simply as a human being. Understanding your stance on issues affecting you in your immediate environment and overall life is highly valuable. This will ensure that you stay on the right path for you. And, you’ll know when you start to stray from your path or when you’re not being true to yourself.
Taking personality tests - In my experience, taking personality tests has been life changing. I started with the Myers-Briggs Personality Test and CliftonStrengths Assessment.
For a long time, I didn’t really understand myself. I didn’t know why I felt so different. I have a very contradictory personality in many ways (not to mention the neurodivergence stuff).
I recommend you work with whatever tools speak to you most and help you learn about yourself and the value you bring. When I learned about my own strengths, I realized how I could use them (actually, how I was already using them in a very intuitive way) for my own benefit. Nowadays, I lean into my strengths for everything. Because why would I want to struggle and make things more difficult for myself?
There are many free quizzes online, so check them out. Just keep in mind, whatever results you get through these tests, take them with a grain of salt. Don’t make your results your whole personality. They are just tools and a starting point in your exploration of self. Don't let the labels define you, hold them loosely.
Many people get caught up in labels and this defeats the whole purpose of this exercise. Proceed with caution.
Questions for reflection
Before ending this episode, I want to leave you with a couple of questions for reflection. You can take them to a journal or record a voice memo with your thoughts. Don’t overthink it, just let the answer rise to the top.
What are you trying to express with your art?
In what ways do you feel the most free to express yourself? And, in which ways do you feel the most restricted?
To recap, today we talked about:
The heavy focus creatives put on themselves to master technique and skill, while sacrificing their need for self-expression
A simple explanation of what self-expression is
An overview of various creative outlets to explore self-expression, and
Practical ways to develop a more authentic sense of self
By getting clear on who you are and using your art as an intentional tool for self-expression, you can experience more joy and fulfillment in your creative process while also creating more unique and personal work.
If you need support exploring your identity and infusing it into your creative work, I would love to help! Schedule your free discovery session today and take the first step towards a more fulfilling, creative life!
Renata is a creativity coach empowering neurodivergent and multi-passionate women of color creatives to overcome creative blocks with therapeutic art making and strategic planning so they can create with ease and achieve their creative goals. She’s currently offering a free copy of her therapeutic art making workbook when you sign up for her email list. Sign up here to get your free copy.
