How to figure out what kind of help will actually serve your creative journey
One of the big lessons I’ve learned along the way in my creative journey has been to find support when you need it. Sounds simple, right?
But, if you've ever signed up for a class, workshop, program or coaching series, only to figure out it's not exactly what you needed, or that the timing wasn't quite right, you know there's more to getting help than you might think.
In this article, I'm going to talk about three components of getting support when you need it to move your creative work or business development (or anything else, really) forward.
Nobody Does It Alone
Everyone needs help of some kind. Everyone. I remember feeling this watershed of relief when I first heard and recognized the truth of that statement. (I wrote about the experience here.)
We ALL need assistance, in some way or another. Once you open yourself up to the fact that as human beings we are inherently needy, you can then put your focus on finding out what, exactly, would really be beneficial.
Once you recognize and accept you might need aid, whether that's moving forward on your creative dream or building your business basics, you can make clearer choices, aligning what you ask for with what you really need.
So, if you're feeling stuck on your creative project, your business development or in any other area of your life, you can ask yourself: do I need some assistance here?
Then, if you do, you can ask what type of support you need.
Here's what I've noticed happens when we don't acknowledge we need help: we spin our wheels, returning to the same problems over and over without making real progress. That stubborn independence often leads to burnout and your creative project stalls out. You might even start to resent the work itself, when really what you're resenting is the unnecessary weight of doing it all alone. The voice in your head that says "I should be able to do this myself" becomes louder than the voice that says "I have something important to create."
What Kind of Help Are You Really Looking For?
There are, obviously, many different types of assistance you might need. It might be something as simple as getting additional rest or calling a friend to act as a sounding board or it could be something more complex, like a realizing you need to learn an additional skill or have some mindset obstacles that seem to be standing in your way.
There is so much available: videos, therapeutic counseling, spiritual guidance, intuitive guidance, practical tools, skills-based courses, bodywork.
And so much more.
When I signed up for the 90-Day Novel workshop a few years ago, I knew it was the right workshop at the right time. Why? Because earlier that year, I had committed to starting the draft of my novel.
I'd been to several workshops by the author of The 90-Day Novel so I knew his approach. He was also suggested by a trusted writing teacher and felt he was a good fit. So I bought the book and dove in.
The problem was I kept encountering doubts. I had questions. I wasn't sure. I was feeling stymied. I kept showing up, every day, to do the thing I wanted to do, but I could feel my momentum slipping. I simply hadn't done this before and at a certain point, I knew I needed guidance.
I could have gone several different ways. Find a writing coach. Form a writing group. Take a course of craft. And so on. The thing is, I knew this approach was spot on for me. But I needed something more interactive than a book.
There are any number of ways to get clear about your needs. You can talk out your situation with a trusted friend or advisor or write it out on the page, take it to meditation or get an intuitive energy reading, for example.
You might have to try several different approaches to usher in clarity.
But when you skip this step of identifying your actual need, you run the risk of signing up for programs that sound good but don't address your real challenge, spending a good deal of money along the way. Maybe you take a course on marketing when what you actually need is help finishing your manuscript. Or you hire a coach for accountability when what you're really missing is technical skill. This scattershot approach doesn't just waste money and time, it can deepen your sense of being stuck. Each mismatch becomes another piece of "evidence" that you can't figure this out, that maybe you're not cut out for this work after all.
Not All Help Is Helpful (For You)
Soon after I realized the book wasn’t working, I received an email from this teacher about a workshop slated for September that would walk participants through The 90-Day Novel process. I know when I'm trying something new, something difficult, it's important for me to have the ability to ask questions. I also thrive on group energy. And the accountability of live calls.
My intuition told me this was a great fit.
It's also really useful to know what doesn't work for you.
There's this lovely author, blogger and course creator, and I've been following her work for years. She creates these beautiful courses, filled with gorgeous pictures, prompts, information. Every single time I hear about one of her courses, I want to sign up. (She has one she's sharing now on Tarot…I'm SO tempted!)
But I no longer sign up. (Instead, I share them with friends, family or clients that I think might like them.)
That's because I've learned they don't work for me.
It's not that her courses don't work for anyone. It's that most DIY, home study, do-at-your-own-pace courses don't work for me. Without that live group component to commit to, I tend to get backlogged, or fall behind, then taper off, and often never finish them.
I've tried, believe me. I realized it's not that I don't need or want help, I do, but the format has to be in a way that works for me. For other people, these types of courses are perfect.
The important thing is to know what works for you - and what doesn't.
Because here's what can happen when you don't discern what type of help is best for you: you can accumulate a pile of half-finished courses, workshops you meant to complete, or books with bookmarks stuck at chapter three. Each abandoned program can become an obstacle, a way of thinking you've "failed" at following through. Eventually, this pattern can make you stop seeking help altogether, convincing yourself that support doesn't work when really, you just haven't found the right fit yet.
When you're doing your creative work or building your business' foundation or simply trying to live more in alignment with your values, there will be moments when you realize you need some help. Knowing what you need, and when, is then the next step. Sitting in meditation, talking to a friend, or asking for guidance are all wonderful ways to assist you getting more clarity. Once you know what you need, you then can begin to look for that in the way that works best for you.
With a little support along the way, you'll soon be bringing more of your beautiful work and self into the world. And that’s something we’re all looking forward to. <3
What might become possible if you had exactly the help you needed, in exactly the form that works for you?