It was comical. To have a small group of women and no real voice to use to communicate with them.

It was that time of year. When spirits start to sag, immune systems go down and suddenly, although Spring has arrived the weather has not yet fully turned and we are anxious.

For myself, attending a film workshop the day before and being sent home due to not being well enough to be in front of a camera. Debilitating. An artists spirit is to work and when work is like a slug how do we cope?

I laid the question on the table. Knowing they would see.

"What are the struggles so far in 2014?"

Each arrived and suddenly I heard a quip.

"Do you want me to write an essay?"

It seemed the timing was right on mark with these Halifax Creatives.

The answers?

Comparing myself to others
Accepting, transisiotning out of things and into new things
Feeling inspired, yet lacking the desire to follow through
Self Doubt
Physical distractions (Sickness etc.)
To be clever
Money, or lack thereof
People
Condifence

And as one so perfectly put it: "Well, theres the whole 'life' thing..."

How do we overcome our personal issues and use them to benefit our work and energy rather than getting bogged down by them?

Simply that

Use it.

Take the lack of confidence and turn it into a piece about 'simply that'.

Get at work whether it feels good or not.

Creatives are not brilliant because every piece they create is brilliant. No, they are brilliant because they work at their craft whether it is understood or not. Whether it is appreciated or not. Whether the pay is there or not. Whether they are healthy or not.

Creatives create because they were called to.

We began to listen to one another, and listening during a season of 'lack' can be exactly what a spirit needs. Listening to the heart beat of another, the doubts of your inner self...

"Doubt is a signal of the creative process. It is a signal that you are doing something right - not that you are doing something wrong or crazy or stupid. The sickening chasm of fear that doubt triggers to yawn open beneath you is a huge abyss into which you are going to tumble, spiralling downwards like you are falling through the circles of hell. No, doubt is most often a signal you are doing something and doing it right." - Julia Cameron 'Walking in this World'

March 2014 'Artist Struggles'