Many people struggle with perfectionism–the fear of failure, the self-criticism, the feeling of never being good enough. One activity that triggers perfectionist thinking in many people is art making. When you imagine making art, do any of these thoughts spring to mind? “I’m not an artist.” “I can’t draw a straight line.” “I’m going to mess up.” But the fact that art making triggers perfectionism is exactly what makes art such a powerful tool to release it.
How Art Can Help
Art lets us experiment with things we can’t do in the rest of life. For example, maybe you feel like you can’t make mistakes in life. But when you make art alone or with an art therapist, mistakes have no negative consequences! Maybe in life you struggle with accepting when things don’t go the way you expected. Art making is a great way to practice noticing when things go differently than you planned, and being curious about what might happen next. In fact, you don’t need a plan at all when you make art! You can experiment with different materials, colors, lines, or shapes, just to see what happens. Don’t think about the end product. No one needs to see it. You can even destroy it right away if you don’t like it.
No Right or Wrong Way
When you explore art materials just for fun, there’s no right or wrong way to do it. Art is a chance to go with the flow, follow your curiosity, and let mistakes take you in a new direction. This can feel like an amazing release, especially if you don’t feel like you can approach the rest of your life that way. Even better, practicing flexibility and self-acceptance through art can help you learn to apply these attitudes to the rest of your life, too. If you can’t imagine approaching art this way, don’t worry. An art therapist can help you work through your fears around art, and apply this learning to the rest of your life, too.
How To Get Started
You don’t need anything fancy to get started. A pen and paper is plenty. Check out the links below for ideas about arts activities to try, and for more information about art, perfectionism, and art therapy. Feel free to reach out to one of our art therapists for support!
Resources
Roizen, S. (2020, March 1). Perfectly Imperfect. Art Therapy Spot. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://arttherapyspot.com/2020/03/01/perfectly-imperfect/
Design Team. (2021, November 16). Messy Art Activities For Overcoming Perfectionism | 10 Fun Craft Ideas For All Ages. Archer and Olive. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://www.archerandolive.com/blogs/news/messy-art-activities-for-overcoming-perfectionism-fun-craft-ideas-for-all-ages
Herrild, B. (2022, August 30). Art, Perfectionism, & Your Child. Outside the Box Creation. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://outsidetheboxcreation.com/art-perfectionism-your-child/
