Author: Josten Dooley

“Let Your Creativity Shine: A Guide to Embracing Your Creative Journey”

Let Your Creativity Shine: A Guide to Embracing Your Creative Journey

Creativity is like a light—it has the power to illuminate not only your path but also the lives of others. Yet, as creatives, we often dim our own light, held back by self-doubt, comparison, or fear of failure. It’s time to step out of the shadows and let your creativity shine unapologetically.

Whether you’re a graphic designer, a calligrapher, or an artist exploring your craft, embracing your journey starts with believing in your unique vision. Here’s how you can let your light shine and inspire others along the way.

1. Embrace Imperfection

Creativity thrives in imperfection. Too often, we get stuck trying to perfect every line, pixel, or stroke. But the real beauty of your work lies in its authenticity. Allow yourself to experiment, make mistakes, and evolve. Every “flaw” you see in your work is a stepping stone to growth.

2. Find Your Why

What drives you to create? Is it the joy of self-expression, the desire to inspire, or the hope of making an impact? Keep that “why” at the forefront of your creative process. When you align your work with your purpose, it becomes easier to push through moments of doubt or creative block.

3. Stop Comparing and Start Sharing

In a world of social media highlights, it’s easy to fall into the comparison trap. Remember, no two creative journeys are the same. Instead of comparing your work to others, focus on sharing your unique perspective. Someone out there is waiting to connect with your style and your voice.

4. Build Daily Habits

Letting your creativity shine isn’t about a single moment of brilliance—it’s about consistency. Set aside time daily or weekly to hone your craft. Create small projects for yourself, explore new techniques, or revisit old works with fresh eyes. Over time, this discipline will amplify your creative confidence.

5. Seek and Build Community

Creativity flourishes in collaboration. Surround yourself with other creatives who uplift and challenge you. Join design groups, attend workshops, or simply share your process online. Encouragement from like-minded individuals can fuel your passion and push your boundaries.

6. Share Your Light with the World

Don’t let fear hold you back from sharing your work. Post that design, release that product, or showcase your portfolio. Each time you share your light, you give others permission to do the same. And who knows? Your work might just be the spark someone else needs to start their creative journey.

7. Celebrate Your Wins

It’s important to pause and celebrate how far you’ve come. Whether it’s completing a project, gaining a new skill, or simply feeling more confident in your abilities, these moments are worth acknowledging. They remind you that your light has value and is worth shining.

Creativity is a gift meant to be shared. When you let your light shine, you inspire others to do the same. So pick up that brush, tablet, or pencil and embrace the journey ahead. The world is brighter when you create unapologetically.

Be Back Soon

I know it has been awhile since I have made a post here. But I will be back to posting soon

How to Sketch in Procreate

Sketching in procreate can be difficult to learn how to do properly. The video here I explain a bit of my process and how I go about sketching in the Procreate App on my iPad Pro with my Apple Pencil.

Why Graphic Design is Important

Graphic design is more important than we think it is for our daily lives. I go over the reasons why it is important in the video above.

Being Grateful even after Job Rejection

Being able to stay grateful even after going through multiple job rejections to secure a position as a graphic designer. But I will have to say at times it was very hard to stay grateful for all that I have accomplished and will accomplish. Some may take this post as “Maybe you just have not tried hard enough”.

Well let me tell you first I have and will continue to be a positive well rounded motivated designer. I just know that this journey that I am on is for a reason. The dream that many designers have of working full time at an agency I have learned is now what seems like a fantasy. Simply saying that from how I have watched the industry simply reject applications over and over again. As well as have designers do useless “Tests” as part of the application.

I am saying all of this that it can definitely demotivate someone who’s eyes became wide open when they found out what graphic design is. The way that we can stay grateful is from all of the what seems like doors being shut in our face is to first learn what we stand for.

By knowing what you stand for is what will help you not feel like “Man I missed out on that Job” Or I thought I crushed that Job interview. Then thinking I don’t understand why they didn’t give me a call back. When I first went through these situations I did not know how to deal with them at first. In the moment I had to say to myself “don’t get bitter get better” and listen to yourself.

While you may be upset with rejection after what seems like rejection its a better approach to be grateful that you got your foot in the door enough to even have an interview. Because there are many people who will not and or never make it as far as you have. Remember that a lot of things are a marathon. I realized that what separates me from other designers is me and who I am as a person.

Being confident is the first step to being grateful even after rejection. Because if you are a confident person you know that its only a matter of time that you will have another opportunity and etc. So don’t dwell in the rejection keep trying and using different methods to achieve what you desire. You can do it and you can also learn to be grateful.