Permission To Create Garbage

There’s a fine line to walk here, but there may be someone who reads this (me) that this could help. I want this post to give you permission to create without the boundaries of expectation.

With the Internet creating space for everything to be everywhere for all time, this ugly beast has been forged of comparison and perfection. I have a million hobbies. Some of them I do are fairly decent. Others I have plenty of room to grow within.

Given the current cultural climate of creativity being the ‘side hustle,’ the impetus of every new hobby begs to be sold on some mass market. Why does every drawing I create need to be posted to RedBubble? Why can’t I be content with getting three likes? Why aren't two viewers on Twitch enough?

What these temptations end up spawning in me are a cultural hesitance and lack of creating anything at all.

Even with these daily blogs, I’ve asked myself if they are too personal, if the perspective is okay, or if the verbiage is too colloquial. Do I use em-dashes too often? Is that the proper plural of em-dash?

At my best, I am working against these interests and allowing myself to create that beginner garbage so that I can get better.

We all have room to grow. Especially in the beginning of learning something.

If we allow the hesitance created by perfection and comparison to stop our creative process, then we will never move forward with the gift of a passion explored.

Odds are - the garbage you’re creating at first isn’t actually garbage at all.

It might be, but it probably isn’t.

So you should post it anyway. You should share it as an act of accountability. You should share it for the off-chance that you get affirmation from another artist. Or you should post so that you can come back next year and see how it compares to where you are then.

So you have my permission, if you need it.

Create garbage and share it with the world. I can’t wait to see how you come out on the other side.

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March 12th, 2022