Creative And Feeling Alone? What To Do When Your Friends Don't Support Your Creative Life

Everyone is potentially creative in some way.

It’s a core part of being human, an essential need that we all have, to express our individuality.

Maybe this is through one of the classically recognised creative disciplines like writing, painting or songwriting. Or maybe it’s through something less obvious, but no less creative, like cooking, or gardening, or party planning.

Many of us are fortunate enough to have found some of the ways we can be creative.

Many others maybe know how they can create, but for whatever reason don’t feel able to create right now. Others still maybe haven’t yet found the best ways for their creativity to shine.

When we’re not as creative as we’d like to be, being exposed to people who are “actively creative” – those who create regularly and openly – tends to provoke one of two reactions:

Reaction 1: We feel inspired by the person creating and this increases our own creativity, spurs us on and motivates us to explore more about what we can create.

Reaction 2: We feel envious, intimidated and threatened, and feel we can never create like that, or be as good, so why should we bother trying. This of course stifles our creativity further.

The aim is to become more like the first of these, and find other creative people who are also like this to support us and join us in our creative journey.

Another factor is that even our closest friends don’t necessarily evolve and grow at the same rate we do.

When someone finds a new outlet for creating or a new interest, it can make their friends feel left out, left behind or overlooked.

It can also make them look closely at their own lives and wonder why, although all seems well on the surface, they still feel there’s something missing.

The most important and valuable friends are there for the long haul and will support you in becoming the best person you can be, as a creative as you can be.

If there are people around you right now like this, value them dearly.

Tell them as soon as you can how important they are to you, and how much their presence and support helps you be who you are.

And for those who aren’t supportive of your creativity? Maybe it’s time to give them a little distance.

Those that aren’t genuine friends with your interest at heart will soon fall along the wayside. When they do, and when you start to look around in a few of the right places, new supportive people will be there to leap in to fill the holes…