Maker’s Mantra

June 6, 2025

Every artist, at some point, meets the wall. That place where the inspiration fades, the self-doubt creeps in, and the work feels heavy instead of light. You sit down to create and nothing moves. You wonder if you're still any good. Or if you ever were.

In those moments, what carries us forward isn’t always talent or even discipline. Sometimes, it’s just a phrase. A few words we tell ourselves when the noise of doubt is louder than the voice of creativity. A mantra.

Not the kind you chant in meditation (though that has its place). This is a maker’s mantra—a personal, powerful phrase that brings you back to the spark that started it all. It’s a reminder of where you're going, what you're building, and who you’re becoming through the act of creating.

Because the truth is, what we say to ourselves before we begin can be just as important as the work itself. We can only be as bold, as curious, as fearless as we believe we are. And when belief gets shaky, a mantra is there to steady it.

Think about it: all art is, at its core, a form of self-talk made visible. The colors we choose, the words we write, the sounds we make—they all start with the inner dialogue we carry. So why not make that dialogue strong, clear, and full of intention?

A mantra doesn’t need to be fancy. It doesn’t need to be profound. It just needs to feel true. Something that lifts you when you’re low. Something that stirs that small but steady voice inside that says, “Yes. Keep going.”

Here’s mine:
“I create because I’m alive, and I stay alive by creating.”
It reminds me that making things isn’t just what I do—it’s who I am. And that the act of creating isn’t always about the outcome. Sometimes, it’s just about showing up, breathing life into an idea, and letting that be enough.

Your mantra might be different. Maybe it’s:
“Everything I need is already in me.”
Or, “This is the work that brings me home.”
Or even something playful like, “Messy is magic.”

Whatever it is, let it be yours. Let it be the phrase you whisper when the canvas scares you, or the page stays blank, or the doubt feels too loud. Let it be the thing that reminds you that you will arrive, as long as you stay the course and keep showing up.

The creative path isn’t linear. It’s a long, winding road with dips and dead ends and sudden moments of flight. A mantra won’t flatten the road—but it will help you keep walking. One foot, one word, one brushstroke at a time.

So if you're feeling stuck, try this: pause. Take a breath. Speak your mantra. Say it like you mean it. Say it until you remember why you started. And then, begin again.

Because you were made to make. And the world is waiting for what only you can give.