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Guide: Tips for Engaging in Self-Reflection as an Artist
Socrates said "Know thyself" but how much value does that hold within your artistic practice? Some tips for utilizing one of the most effective tools for growth: self reflection.
By Betsy Podsiadlo| 1/18/25
I came into self-reflection initially as yet another way to pinch and prod myself into some other person. Journaling felt like a prescription sold to me by the self-help and productivity Youtubers and bloggers as the end all be all of self improvement. I could be as harsh as I wanted to be and no one would ever know. I filled my journals with shame, judgement, and over-inflated goals for self improvement in the name of motivation.
To call out the first fallacy of reflective writing: A helpful reflective practice is not centered around self improvement but is instead focused on self understanding.
Knowing myself, as flawed as I am, without an agenda laced in self-hatred is about understanding what actually motivates me. While shame and negative motivation can be incredibly effective, it is not sustainable. Engaging with who you are and where you are in your artistic process right now works best when served with a side of acceptance.
Here's a question for practice:
When I'm feeling inspired to create something, what is my first inclination? Do I always gravitate towards the same processes?
This question is not directed at shaming the reflector for their first instinct, their process or their lack of consistency. Instead, the point of this question is to identify and become mindful of patterns of behavior.
Another classic fallacy surrounding reflective practices is that they should be relegated to the "creative" side of an artistic career or business. In my experience of teaching reflective practices and engaging with them myself, a deep understanding of yourself can illuminate difficult business and career situations, allowing you to align your values, vision for your life, and personal working preferences with choices you make as a professional.
Here's an example of a reflective question that encourages a deeper understanding of self and provides some key information to consider when making decisions in your professional artistic life:
Imagine: What does an ideal "regular day" for me look like? What is my schedule like? How much am I working? Am I working alone or with other people? How balanced is my work with my personal life?
Analyzing what your preferences are outside of capitalist and modern societal expectations can give you a blueprint for the life you are building.
In my own life as a freelancer, I have learned that my most productive time is from 9am-11am on week days. I do not start working before 9am if I can help it because I know that I won't be as efficient and because I know that a slow morning really jump starts my artistic work in a beautiful way. I learned a lot of this through trial and error with building my own schedule, but also from reflective questions assigned to me in graduate school by my mentor and friend of Art Grove Newsletter, Dr. Tanya Kalmanovitch.
The final fallacy we'll investigate together is the "woo-woo" -ism of self reflection.
While I am fond of tarot readings, astrology, and the wonder of coincidence in this world, I am infuriated by the "playing off" of reflective practices that relegates them to a realm not accessed by "regular people". There is no secret sauce to self reflection. You don't need a spiritual leader to explore the infinite chasms of your own identity and imagination. I think this is what sparks fear in the hearts of those trying to control mass amounts of people: the idea that earnestly exploring and understanding your self and imagination cannot easily be commodified, repackaged, and sold to you in shame. A better understanding of how you tick only serves to empower you in your life, the way you interact authentically with your community, and the way you build upon your values externally. While the excitement of a break through in personal knowledge can feel totally magical, reflective practices are accessible to everyone who is willing to question their habits and motivations without judgement.
Exploring the depths of yourself will make you a better artist and further empower you to make choices that align with your goals and values. As you embark on another year of highs and lows, roses and thorns, I invite you to engage with a sense of radical imagination and unbridled curiosity in your reflective practices and artistic life.
