I find this is my current struggle – dealing with maker comparison…
When I started this blog, I didn’t realize there would even be a “diary of a maker” section. But, God had specific plans and I have come to enjoy when I feel another post stirring in my heart.
The words seem to just spill out onto the computer screen and I know that they are not my own, but those of the Holy Spirit. I get excited that someone might find encouragement and comfort with them because that is who our God is: the Seer and Full-filler of our needs.
that comparison beast
Lately, (and for quite some time) I have just felt discouraged about my creative business. (You can tell from the amount of these posts there have been in my short 7 months of blogging) 😉 Building a blog is hard work…and work that you don’t see the fruits of for a while (in most cases). It’s easy to think, “what am I doing wrong”, “why is this taking so long”?! I love sharing my designs and creations and am so thankful for a platform – like a blog – to do that on. But it’s so easy to get caught up in comparing yourself and your journey with someone else’s.
Social media can be such a positive thing for promoting your business, but it can also be a source of a lot of anxiety and stress…at least for me this is true….Sometimes, I feel like I’m not creating fast enough, or not creating desirable enough patterns or content. I have to be so careful not to get caught up in this kind of comparison because it truly does kill creativity…not to mention joy.
The problem – or one of the problems – with comparison is there is never an accurate lens through which we compare. We compare our failures – or what we see as failure – with someone else’s successes. We don’t even take into account how long it took them to become successful, or how much discouragement they faced on the road to success.
the truth
I have come to realize that my designs are usually a bit “out of the norm”. Unique and quirky things are my jam and I try to apply those qualities to my creations as much as possible. However, this sometimes means that my designs, patterns and content won’t be as popular as someone else’s with a more classic style. I used to feel insecure about this a lot. And still do sometimes. But this is me and I want to be me!
God has shown me time and time again that it’s OK to be me! It’s OK to feel the way I do. It’s OK to like the things I like. And, It’s OK to be different!… In fact, that’s exactly how we were made: each made with unique gifts, talents and perspectives that point to what a complex and amazing God we have! We each have a specific part in the divine story. How sad would it be if we didn’t embrace ours?? We would miss out on so much that God has so beautifully and carefully prepared for us.
in conclusion
Now, if only it was as easy to implement believing these things as it is to type it on a page. 😉 Let’s try to embrace who He made us together! Even if it means things look different than we had expected. When we do this we are saying we trust God’s divine plan and know we have a place in it! Then, we can rest in the outcome because we know it’s authentic. There is only one you and the world needs it!!
Thanks so much for reading!
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Dealing With maker Comparison – Diary Of A Maker
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