Shame could be why you're not marketing your art

Have you ever heard someone say that you should love the parts of you trying to protect you? In this blog, I'll be talking about my own experiences with this. Last week I wrote about how shame gets in the way of my marketing, and I promised to view four of the artist interviews I have recorded, which I hadn't had the heart to view until now. (A bunch of them are here, if you’re interested in hearing creatives of all types talk about money, pricing, meeting the inner critic, inspiration, and a lot of other topics).

I watched these YouTube interviews to bust the shame I felt about them (I look weird! The lighting isn't perfect! I have wrinkles! Nooooo…..).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zicx5p3Htg0

My latest interview is with Atira Robinson, who is a painter of canvases and faces. She is inspired by Jamaican folklore, female empowerment, and gorgeous, bright colors. We talk about inspiration, pricing work, and how she manages her inner critic. Check it out and leave a comment to let me know your thoughts.

But, surprise, they're not bad!

We get into some deep discussions about money, what success looks like, the purpose of their art, how to price, what they love about their creative practice. We also talk about shame, any fears they have about showing up in marketing their creative services and products.

The hard part was the part right before I hit 'play'

Although I've been making these video interviews for more than a year, my shame kept me from watching them after the fact. Even though I've done a lot of inner work getting to know different parts of myself, I just mustered up the courage to view them. But it turns out, the hardest part was right before watching, not the actual watching itself. The anticipation, not the reality. Shame was trying to keep me from looking at them as a pre-emptive strike. It was trying to protect me.

What if I could love this shame?

Or at least appreciate how protective it is? Understand and have compassion for its fear?

I took a coaching program a few years ago, and the lead coaches used to say this:

“You can’t change what you don’t love” So, what if you could love the parts of you trying to protect you? Maybe the parts that make you feel fear or shame about being visible?

Have you ever tried loving your shame?

Or, tried to love the parts of you trying to protect you?

What does loving your shame look like? And how do you do it? If you'd like some help with this, let’s chat.

Remember, our work matters, even if shame, with the best of intentions, is trying to get us not to do it.