I know what it’s like. I’ve felt it so many times. That feeling when someone gives you feedback on something you made - whether it’s a piece of writing, a work of art, or pie you baked - that it wasn’t good enough. And you aren’t good enough.

Let me tell you a story. There was once a writer, who poured hours and hours of time in to her stories. Choosing every word until it seemed perfect, re-writing sentence after sentence til it just seemed right, and making every story she wrote the best it could be.

And, then she handed it over to the person with the red pencil.

Every red mark on the page seemed like it was a red mark on herself and her character. And who she was. And it hurt.

If you haven’t figured out, that person was me. But I also know that that person is a lot of creatives out there. Because when you poor your time and energy into something, when you poor your whole heart into something, it becomes part of you.

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And yes, there’s a point where that’s healthy.

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But there’s also a point where you need to step back and remember who you really are.

Because my friend, you are so much more than what you create.

Did you hear that?

You aren’t what you create.

Why? Because you are a child of the King. And being His child, has nothing to do with whatever form of art you make. You are fearfully and wonderfully made by the Creator of all things. The One who knows the number of the stars and calls them each by name created you.
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And nothing can ever change that. No number of failed projects, no messy brainstorming docs, no project that won’t ever see the light of day. . . none of those things can change that fact.

So, today, I have a question for you. A question only you can answer.

If you stopped creating, who would you be?

A dear mentor of mine asked me this question a few months ago. I had to think over my answer for more than a few moments before I responded. I had put my worth in my writing, in the photos I’ve taken, and in the art I’ve made. But I knew it wasn’t where it should be.

Take a moment to answer that question. Grab a notebook or type your answer, whatever you do, think about it and answer honestly.

If your answer doesn’t fit with what I’ve outlined in this email, then continue reading, because I have 3 tips for you to that helped me learn to separate my identity from what I was creating.

1. Take a break. If I could tell you to do one thing, it’d be this. Sometimes taking a step back is all you need. While you’re on your break, spend time with God. Pray, and seek His guidance. Read His word, and remember where your identity truly belongs.
2. Find another hobby, besides this one. I’ve found that if I spend all my time focusing solely on one one thing, it’s often the only thing I think about. Finding another hobby that’s completely different than what you normally do is a good way to step back and separate yourself from your main creative projects.
3. Seek guidance from someone wiser. When I first found myself doing this, I first reached out to one of my writing mentors. She offered me wisdom, guidance, and reminded me of the truth. Find someone who’s older than you - a parent, pastor, mentor, or teacher - and take their wisdom.

So, lift up your head, creator, and create. Create with your whole heart, create with nothing stopping you, create with no shame because . . .

You aren’t what you create.

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