Words to Inspire Your Creative Journey
Updated: Oct 6
February is a special time in our membership community. It’s a moment for pause and internal reflection. This reflection becomes part of the words we use every day. These words shape our emotions, influence our behaviors, and quietly reprogram our minds.
Have you noticed how a single utterance can lift you or weigh you down?
Words are powerful tools. When chosen with care, they can become gentle guides. They motivate our inner selves to feel better, stronger, and more inclined to engage in something creative.
Knowing how much you love quotes, I’ve updated a printable resource for you to enjoy. It’s ready for you to download and look at whenever you are ready to enter your mindful practices.
Taking care of your mind while filling it with uplifting words is the right place to work from.
Imagine glancing at encouraging words that remind you of the lingering greatness within. It’s a simple act that builds self-confidence, fuels your creative journey, and carries you through the days that follow. This isn’t just a task to master; it’s about our support and community connection.
Let’s explore how language, especially the words we choose, could transform our mindset while nurturing our creative spirits.
Why Our Words Matter - The Language of Self-Belief
Words are more than just sounds or letters. They start much earlier than that! In fact, the unspoken words can be even more powerful than the ones we say out loud.
They carry deep meaning that seeps into our subconscious mind. These words shape how we view ourselves and the world around us. For example, when we say, “I can’t,” or “I’m not good enough,” our brain internalizes these as truths. They become personal beliefs. But what if we replaced those negative words with something more positive? Phrases like, “I’m learning,” or “I am capable enough,” can shift our perspective. Wouldn’t this change how you see yourself?
Of course! Here’s why.
This shift in language is a form of reprogramming. Just as we can believe negative things about ourselves, we can also embrace new, positive statements. When we consistently use encouraging words, we begin to change our internal narrative.
This new story about who you are can boost your self-esteem. It can encourage resilience during creative blocks and inspire you to take risks when trying new things. Just like we did last week when we planted those Dahlias and painted them in a new color combination for the first time!
The words we say to ourselves can help us embrace newness and the mistakes that come with discovering things as part of our growth.
Instead of saying, “I’m terrible at painting Dahlias,” try telling yourself, “I’m exploring new ways to create and express myself with colors I don't know.”
Shorten the words if you want something quick to tell yourself. Notice how that small change in perspective opens up a space for curiosity and gives you a little more self-kindness.
"How we use words to fuel our creativity might feel hard at first, but with an open heart and a willingness to sacrifice a page in your sketchbook, you might be surprised at how much you like it after all." - Tanya J. de Wet
You might wonder how to start using better words. Here are some practical steps to help you harness this powerful part of language so your internal dialogue can change your life for the better.
Step 1: Identify Your Words
It's important to know what words you use. Equally important is finding alternatives. Start by creating your personal words list. Write down the words you catch yourself saying. These can be single words or phrases that make you feel less empowered.
Next, write down words that feel better, create calm, and fill you with joy. For example, if your words include "I'm stupid," you could use "I am capable." Here are some uplifting words you could exchange for negative ones: curious, resilient, creative, willing, and one of my mentor's favorites, "I am enough."
Step 2: Use Personal Affirmations Daily
It’s nice to have and use personal affirmations every day. Pick a few sentences that resonate with you. Say them out loud each morning during your morning magic practices. Simple affirmations could sound like this: “I am a vessel for creative expression,” or even simpler, “My ideas have value.”
Step 3: Surround Your Workspace with Reminders
Surrounding your workspace with little post-it reminders can be very helpful. Write out quotes that inspire you. Once you have them, swap some out with others or place them where you’ll see them often. One of my favorite places is inside my sketchbooks. There, they can live with me as my creativity grows.
Step 4: Journal Your Thoughts
Journaling our thoughts is like therapy! Every time a negative thought creeps into your mind, write it down using the Asemic Writing technique I teach. Then, rewrite it using kinder, more supportive language. This practice helps retrain your brain to think differently.
Step 5: Speak to Yourself as a Friend
This month comes with beautiful reminders of the words we need to use. Find the updated version of the "10 Things You Must Start Saying to Yourself".
The front cover of the PDF looks as lovely as the other printables. It will add to the collection of resources you are gathering for your practices. Every time you look at one on your desk, you can trust that you are telling yourself uplifting, gentle, encouraging words.
By integrating these new words, you’ll notice a shift in how you approach your creative projects, your daily life, and how you communicate with yourself. It’s a beautiful way to embrace your creative self as you journey with self-kindness and words that don’t sting!
How Our Printables Support Your Mindset
To make this journey easier, I design printables filled with carefully chosen quotes that celebrate your inner strength and creative ability. They are helpful because:
They are visually inspiring - Pages to hold and look at while you practice positive words and phrases to help embed them in your mind.
They are easy to access - When you open your practice page (aka the membership link), you are instantly shown what to print out. You can have it ready when you are prepared to return.
Community connection - It’s not just you trying out things. I'm in it with you every day as we use our words, share our hearts, and make the quotes our own. This echoes the supportive spirit of our membership, reminding you that you are not alone.
Using this printable is a simple yet powerful way to motivate yourself. It’s like having a happy little cheerleader whispering encouraging words right when you need them!
A Note from the Studio
In our Creative Way to Mindful Self-Mastery, we believe that an unlocked creative heart has more potential when supported on a journey of self-discovery, slow practices, and care. Tanya’s mindful therapeutic sketchbook practices are designed to awaken a sense of peace, belonging, and self-care through accessible watercolors, imaginative sketches, and shared mindfulness. Her words are always ready to carry you through whatever life is showing you.
Remember, how you choose to describe your creative process needs to feel like play. That’s what will give you access to the joys of awakening to yourself and what you can do right now.
So, why not start today? Pick a quote from the printable, write it in your sketchbook, say it aloud, and let it remind you of the greatness that lives within you. Your creative journey is unique, and with the right words, it can be joyful, fulfilling, and deeply healing.
"Every single word or phrase you continue to speak to yourself is a seed planted to become part of who you are. Planting nourishing words of kindness will help you see your creative garden bloom into something beautiful." - Tanya J. de Wet
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