A Word on Creating

By Renee Childs

As we round up the year at Youth Be Heard, we’ve realized that #1 youth have crazy good talent and #2 youth, like all humans, have barriers to creating. This is why a big part of our work is inspiring you to inspire others.

Here’s how creating goes for many of us:

You have an idea. It’s full of excitement and inspiration. It’s the second-best feeling in the world.

Anxiety follows. “Should I actually do this? Is it a good idea anyway? Maybe I’ll just look at Instagram instead.”

The idea is pushed aside.

Belief in oneself is often low and therefore deemed unworthy of your own time and effort.

We might be criticized and we don’t know if we can take it.

It also isn’t beckoning our attention like Netflix, social media.

Consuming is passive, easy, and fruitless. Creating requires brain cells and is frustrating, but also rewarding.

Before long, the person with unexpressed idea after idea feels like a plugged-up volcano. It usually looks like irritability and angst to others.

But then something pushes you over the edge.

You do the hard work. You make the time. You create. You feel amazing and energized. You inspire yourself.

Then you face another yet challenge- something that threatens you to once again throw your idea and work away. Refining and editing. Getting feedback and being open to constructive criticism from others. This is where you grow.

If you’ve had the strength to be vulnerable, receive feedback, and made improvements, it is ready.

You fearfully put your work out there. Out there all exposed. The feedback is personal the first few times.

Then you get used to it and your creator-skin is thickened.

You’re stronger.

You can now care less and create more. You inspire others.

You have exhilaration and relief. You put something of YOU out into the world. You made a mark. You said something in a way only you can say it. You created something in a way only you can convey it.

You made a difference.

And it’s the best feeling in the world.