How Perfectionism shows up in my work...

and what to do if it shows up in yours.

“Perfectionism is not a quest for the best. It’s the pursuit of the worst of ourselves, the part that tells us nothing we do will ever be good enough.”

Julia Cameron

I can’t

I’m not

It won’t

I’m scared…

All challenging blocks that have bubbled up in my pursuit of easeful creativity and publishing on Substack. All blocks I moved through. I had to. Perhaps you resonate?

Growth Mindsets and Play

Here on Substack, we are at a wonderful 24/7 party (I like to imagine Great Gatsby Style) where there are best selling authors, celebrities, those who earn 6 figures mingling with those who are starting out.

When I brought the first influx of new people here to Substack from Instagram, you know what I heard the most?

“I feel late to the party, I feel like I’m somewhere everyone knows each other and the rules.”

This was my first invitation to build a community here at Sparkle on Substack that is whole heartedly inviting above all else. A place people feel welcome, a place people can easily find what they need in that moment. A place where imposter syndrome was squashed and the individual voice was celebrated.

It took me a year to feel like it was ‘done’, that this space was ‘enough’. That anyone from any walk of life could arrive here and feel welcomed not only by me but by you, the readers and members that make

Sparkle on Substack

what it is.

💌

Muscle Memory

I know it can feel difficult to start. A Substack, a post, a podcast. It can also feel difficult to unravel what it is the piece is asking of you. It can trap you in a cage, it can get stuck in a forever draft.

When you start, you have already moved towards celebration. Celebration of your words. The joy of hearing what it is you want to say, sharing your work with the world and all the feelings and reciprocity that come with that.

“I write to better hear my voice.”

Last year, I showed up weekly to write for an hour over at

Suzy Walker

’s

Heart Leap

writing group. In the zoom room group, bound by the time constraints of an hour and in the presence of other writers something happened;

I stopped faffing around with my ‘to do’ list and wrote what was on my heart.

To write this piece for you today, I made the space to go to Suzy’s group knowing that it would give me the space and the container to get this piece written. I do what works to get my work out in the world…

What works for you? Perhaps you need a supportive writing container too with colleagues too? Perhaps to make yourself a special nook or take yourself to a cafe? ¹

Photo by Simone Dinoia on Unsplash

Turn on, show up, get clear

In the container of that first year building this space for you I didn’t listen to perfectionism - not once but I did hear her a lot, a helluva lot!

I was still showing up for my members and my readers. I was publishing, organising the A-Z archive, questioning myself, tweaking the focus of the member calls. Listening to what people needed.

Getting clear on your WHY for Substack is essential if you want to quiet the noise of imposter syndrome. ²

Imposter syndrome would say to me;

“this person is more qualified to teach Substack, people can ask the chat bot, people will buy x person’s course, there’s no point in you doing this work.”

Compassion says;

“Show up with your whole heart and share your story and unique work with the world, people are waiting to hear what you need to say, people need the permission slip to start.”

Comparison would say;

“That person is confused, you are terrible at this work”

Compassion would say;

“Look, you can always improve the user experience, what is the one thing you can work on today to work towards making things clearer for a wide range of people?”

✨

Discovering your unique creative eco system

We have time, there is so much time.

In 2017, I decided I wanted to make a journal for women. I had no idea what the journal would be but I knew it was linked to creativity and wellbeing. I didn’t do anything much about making this dream a reality and then a year or so later I saw someone had a wonderful journal for sale and you know what I thought? What imposter syndrome and perfectionism told me to be true?

“There’s no point in making yours now, because this one exists and it’s brilliant she has 30k instagram followers to sell to and you don’t even have 3000. No one cares and no one will buy it. There’s no point.”

In 2019, I made a journal funded by Action for Children for teenagers with an illustrator and a calm coach. It was a struggle to get it to work aesthetically, I didn’t really enjoy the process but I learnt a lot about how to bring ideas like this to life.

In 2020, I received £11,000 from Arts Council to run a year long project for mothers who wanted to be creative and take care of their wellbeing on maternity leave. In 2021, as part of the same project, I made a journal with a writer, an illustrator and a designer and I am still so proud of bringing that journal to life. I’m so pleased 100 people ordered and used it. I’m so happy I didn’t listen to the noise of perfectionism and imposter syndrome from 2017. I wouldn’t have made this book back then even if I’d have tried, I had lessons to learn.

In the middle of making that journal, I decided I would make/ write a book every year for 10 years to teach myself more about my unique eco system and creative process. I’m now in year four.

If you hear that voice of perfectionism, if imposter syndrome tells you no! Ask it what it needs, perhaps give it a character. Mine is a Wild Hare - she is grey with a pink nose. She usually needs rest and a blanket. She needs to not see all the things or the big picture. She needs quiet, solace, magic.

We can lean into feeling uncomfortable and ask; What is my creativity asking of me? What does fear need me to know?

We can converse with the muse of a creative project or piece. We can take ourselves out of the centre of our own story and ask instead; Who needs to hear this today? How can my words be a balm for others in ways that feel easeful to me?

Let me know if this resonates for you and if you’ve had perfectionism or imposter syndrome crop up here on Substack recently?

Claire

PS - It’s mindset month here in the membership at

Sparkle on Substack

and we are meeting next week for a group mentoring session to help you get out of your own way and build the Substack of your dreams. I can’t wait!!!

Member resources/ dates are here.

Diamond Member resources are here.

1. I can’t recommend Suzy’s heart leap writing group enough. There are also regular classes hosted by

Esmé Weijun Wang

and writing hours over at

London Writers' Salon

2. Imposter Syndrome was a term made popular in self development teachings to help explain the emotions we feel when stepping into something new or uncomfortable. It speaks to the primal need to be accepted and the fear that we can’t possibly be welcomed if we are not ‘good enough.’

My books - 1. Five Ways to Wellbeing for Teens, 2. Creativity Island for Mums, 3. Your Beautiful Reality, 4. Self Seed your Business, 5. The Substack Journalling Companion, 6. How to Build a World Class Substack with Russell Nohelty.