As creatives, we stumble and delay stepping into the role we are working towards. Whether we wish to be artists, photographers, burlesque performers, models or witches, we generally have this perception that we need to achieve a certain level of work or experience before we can refer to ourselves by these labels. Yet, by stepping into our desired role before we are deserving (I really detest that word), we are able to centre our actions and mindset around that which we seek to manifest much easier. An amazing thing happens when you claim the title you aspire to.
You might not feel like you are worthy of the title yet. It might be something you are working on or wish to be, but when we claim the title we see ourselves in a different light. We hold ourselves differently, we walk with a more confident strut and start to see ourselves through the eyes of success and (this is key) we can use this to take actions in the direction we wish to go.
For example, there’s a competition you dream of entering coming up, but you don’t think of yourself as an artist, so may feel like you need to take action (i.e. create art good enough) first and then think about entering, which inevitably may not even happen. By reframing it and considering yourself an artist right now you start to think like an artist immediately and find solutions to the challenge ahead. Rather than seeing it as a hurdle you see it as a goal. It all starts on the inside. Claiming your title will not bring you to your destination, but it will get you on your train.
Of course, there will be fear surrounding this as we are putting ourselves out there boldly to be judged. We need to remember that the ego wants us to be safe, so when we hear other people’s snide remarks questioning our audacity, so may feel the need to shrink back to our safe selves. Whenever we go bold or claim more space or presents we will face criticisms and that’s okay, it’s just part of the territory. As they say, magic happens outside your comfort zone.
So I encourage you to step into your dream title before you think you are deserving of it. Now obviously I’m not telling you to go around claiming the title of Doctor unless you are in fact qualified. I’m clearly talking about owning the creative roles we seek. We all need to step into these roles completely.
Telling yourself and others that you are an aspiring burlesque performer or you are trying to be an artist holds you in a thought pattern of not having achieved enough yet, but if we reframe it we start thinking in a different way we form new thought patterns. The possibilities start to be apparent. Rather than seeing the things we are yet to achieve we start seeing ways in which we can achieve them. So the next time you meet someone new and they ask what you do, tell them you are a burlesque performer, an artist, a youtube content creator or a witch.
Claiming your title does not instantaneously give you oodles of talent or experience (you still need to do the hard work), but it does open the gate to your creative journey and that’s way more important than arriving at your destination.