Welcome back to The Inspired Artist.
Each Friday, we explore identity, creativity, and the way who you are influences what you create. Then you'll receive a new mixed-media printable to spark your creativity.
When Anxiety Becomes Part of Your Identity
How often do you hear yourself saying, "My anxiety is acting up again"?
It's such a familiar expression that we rarely question what we're actually saying. We've taken an experience we're having and started describing it as something that belongs to us. Eventually, it can become part of how we identify ourselves.
And I think that's worth examining.
When we talk about identity, we're talking about the beliefs we have about who we are. Those beliefs influence what we expect from ourselves, how we interpret our experiences, and the choices we make every day.
So what happens when anxiety becomes part of that identity?
If you've spent years describing yourself as an anxious person, you may begin anticipating anxiety before you've even experienced it. You recognize familiar sensations, remember how you've responded in the past, and expect the same experience to happen again. Over time, that expectation can influence how you approach situations and what you believe you're capable of doing.
But experiencing anxiety doesn't mean anxiety defines who you are.
I think this is an important distinction because we can become so familiar with certain emotional patterns that we stop questioning whether we have other ways of responding.
Our brains learn through repetition. When we repeatedly respond to situations in familiar ways, those responses can become automatic. And when we begin identifying with those responses, we may be less likely to explore something different.
This is where conscious awareness becomes incredibly valuable.
The next time you notice anxiety beginning to influence your thoughts, consider what happens when you recognize it as an experience you're having rather than a definition of who you are.
You can acknowledge what you're feeling and begin questioning the thoughts that accompany it. You can notice when you're anticipating something that hasn't happened yet and consider whether there are other ways to approach the situation.
And sometimes, that awareness gives you an opportunity to make a different choice.
You can experience anxiety without making it your identity.
I believe the language we use about ourselves matters. When we continually describe ourselves through our familiar patterns, we reinforce an understanding of who we are that may limit what we believe is possible.
Changing that understanding takes practice. It involves becoming aware of the thoughts and expectations we've repeated for years and allowing ourselves to develop new responses.
And it's important to recognize that anxiety can also involve our nervous system, health, and experiences that require additional support. Choosing a different relationship with anxiety doesn't mean we can simply decide never to feel it again.
What we can begin changing is the belief that our familiar responses are the only responses available to us.
Think about what might become possible if you stopped approaching every unfamiliar experience through the expectation that anxiety would determine the outcome.
You might begin exploring opportunities you've avoided or discover that you're capable of responding differently than you have in the past.
Who could you become if you stopped defining yourself by the patterns you've experienced?
That's where I believe identity work becomes so powerful. We can begin questioning the definitions we've accepted about ourselves and consciously participate in creating who we want to BE.
And with that awareness, new possibilities become available.
From The Reclaimed Podcast: What Are You Waiting For?
Have you ever had something you really wanted to do, but kept putting it off because you weren't quite sure where to begin?
In episode 3 of The Reclaimed Podcast, Royce Hunt Bell and I are talking about what happens when we decide to start before we feel ready, and how taking action helps us develop confidence in ourselves.
Royce shares her experience of deciding to open a warehouse and completely change her business. She spent three months wondering how she was going to make it happen before realizing that she could begin with a few things she was capable of doing that very day.
That leads us into a conversation about perfectionism and how much we expect from ourselves before we're willing to share our work. We also talk about receiving criticism and how easily someone's comment can influence the way we see ourselves and what we're willing to try next.
I think this episode connects beautifully with our conversation about identity this week. When we begin questioning the thoughts and expectations that have influenced our choices, we can start exploring possibilities that previously felt out of reach.
And sometimes, the best way to discover what you're capable of is to begin.
We end this episode with a question I'd love for you to consider: What are three small things you can do toward something you really want?
From Anaconda Art: Introducing Thirteen Design!
I'm excited to share a new addition to Anaconda Art! We've teamed up with Thirteen Design to bring you a beautiful collection of original decoupage papers created by artist Virginia.
If you love vintage imagery as much as I do, I think you're going to have a lot of fun exploring these designs!
Virginia finds inspiration in old books, sheet music, photographs, movie posters, and other forgotten paper treasures. She takes these wonderful pieces of the past and combines them with her own illustrations, colors, and unexpected details to create decoupage papers filled with character and possibilities.
And that's one of the things I love about working with decoupage papers. You can take an image that catches your eye and make it part of something entirely your own. Whether you're transforming a piece of furniture, creating a mixed-media collage, or experimenting in your art journal, a single design can inspire an entirely new project.
I also love Thirteen Design's tagline: "Nostalgia That Sticks." It captures the wonderful combination of vintage inspiration and creative possibilities that makes these papers so much fun.
Explore the Thirteen Design decoupage paper collection at Anaconda Art using the link directly below.
