The artist Emma Haddow (who gave us today’s quote) will have her own thoughts about this, but what is it that lurks beneath the surface for you? Maybe you feel overwhelmed by deadlines, expectations, or criticism. Maybe you struggle with self-doubt, perfectionism, or imposter syndrome. Maybe you worry about your finances, your future, or your artistic vision. Whatever the cause, stress affects our mental and physical health, as well as our creativity and productivity.

Join me for today’s episode, in which we will talk about how stress and anxiety affect us as creative artists, what myths surrounding them should be stamped out for good, and how you can “navigate the storm”.

Questions for Exploration

* How do you currently cope with stress and anxiety?

* What are the main sources of stress or anxiety for you as a creative artist?

* What are some myths or tropes that you have encountered or believed about how stress and anxiety affect creative artists?

* How do you balance your creative work with your personal life?

* What are some goals that you have for yourself as a creative artist?

* Who are some of the artists that inspire you or support you in your creative journey?

* What are some of the benefits of creating art for your mental health?

* How do you balance your passion for your art with your well-being?

If you feel brave, share what you found via our community on Substack.

If you are interested in exploring mental health and creativity through a lens of storytelling, please also check out my newsletter The Sandman: Shadow Truths, which alternates with The Creative Cure and also has its own companion podcast.

You can also join my Facebook group or follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

Performance Anxiety & How The Performing Arts Teacher Can Help

Li, W., Li, X., Huang, L., Kong, X., Yang, W., Wei, D., Li, J., Cheng, H., Zhang, Q., Qiu, J., & Liu, J. (2015). Brain structure links trait creativity to openness to experience. Social cognitive and affective neuroscience, 10(2), 191–198. https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsu041

Thanks to Aleksey Chistilin of Lexin Music for creating the music.

If you are a subscriber and would like to change how you receive emails: You can opt to either get the newsletter, the podcast or both by adjusting your account settings.