Avoidance Is Hurting Your Creativity

For the Neurodivergent Artist Afraid of Failing

It’s actually very difficult to ask for help when “needing help” is the thing that’s gotten you into trouble.

Many neurodivergent people, including myself, are used to being chastised for asking questions. I am not oblivious to that fact. However, not knowing is actually the first step toward knowing. Asking questions, for example, is what lets someone know that you’re curious about something. It may even be a signal that you are curious about the person themselves. Most people want to feel that they are interesting. As a professional artist, I can honestly say that nothing connects artists more than curiosity. This is why not knowing everything—and being comfortable not knowing everything—is actually essential to our growth.

If you are working on building your confidence when it comes to building creative community, you worry that you don’t have all the answers when it comes to your art, or you’ve been finding yourself sensitive to rejection lately, you might be suffering from creative avoidance.