7. You're Allowed to Take Up Creative Space
If you’ve spent years following a path laid out for you by others — whether parents, society, or circumstance — you might feel like creativity isn’t really your place to inhabit.
Note: This website contains some affiliate links. If you click on them, I may receive a small commission. The commission is paid by the retailers at no cost to you. This helps to support our website & keeps these articles free for you to read & refer to for your creative journey.
There is Always Enough Space for Your Unique Voice
Maybe you think:
I’m too late.
I’m not good enough.
There’s no room for me here.
I don’t deserve to be seen or heard.
If any of this sounds familiar, I want you to pause and breathe for a moment, because I have something important to say:
You are allowed.
You are allowed to take up space with your art, your ideas, your voice — simply because you exist and create.
Why Creative Space Matters
Creative space isn’t just a physical place — though a cozy nook or a blank page can help. It’s a permission slip we give ourselves to be fully present with our creativity. It’s a mental and emotional freedom to experiment, fail, learn, and grow without judgment.
For many late creatives, taking up creative space means reclaiming time and energy previously devoted to “more practical” things. It means saying yes to yourself, even if the world expects otherwise.
It’s a radical act of self-kindness.
The Myths That Keep Us Small
We carry stories that tell us creativity must be perfect, productive, or profitable to be valuable. We tell ourselves we should have started sooner, or that it’s selfish to put ourselves first.
But those stories? They’re just fears dressed up as facts.
They keep us shrinking when we’re meant to grow.
You don’t have to wait for permission from anyone — not your family, your boss, or that inner voice of doubt. Your creativity belongs to you, and you have every right to share it in your own way, on your own terms.
How to Begin Taking Up Space Today
Here are a few gentle ways to start carving out your creative space:
Set a small boundary: Let someone in your life know you need 15 minutes a day to create. Protect that time like it’s a meeting with someone important (because it is).
Create a dedicated spot: It can be as simple as a corner with a notebook and pen, or your favorite chair with your headphones. Make it your creative sanctuary.
Speak your truth aloud: Tell yourself, “I deserve this. My creativity matters.” Repeat it when doubt creeps in.
Celebrate every small victory: Finished a sketch? Played a song? Wrote a paragraph? That’s progress. Own it.
You Are Enough — Exactly as You Are
You don’t need to be the best artist or the most prolific creator to deserve creative space. You don’t need to have a plan or a finished product. You only need to show up for yourself.
The world needs what you have to offer — your perspective, your stories, your unique way of seeing and shaping the world.
By taking up creative space, you make room not just for yourself, but for others who might be waiting to do the same.
If This Resonated With You…
Try this: Create a small ritual that marks the start of your creative time. It could be lighting a candle, playing a favorite song, or simply taking three deep breaths.
Reflect on this:
What fears or stories have I believed that keep me from taking up creative space? How can I gently challenge them?
Remember: Your creativity is not a burden or a luxury. It’s a gift—to yourself, and to the world.
You are allowed. You are enough.
And your creative space is waiting.
Staying quietly in the background & playing it safe is denying the world what you have to offer. Even the smallest acts, done with intention & sincerity, can have deep, long lasting impacts. Claim your space in the creative sphere! Here are some suggested books that could help you on your way:
Never Play It Safe: A Practical Guide to Freedom, Creativity & A Life You Love by Chase Jarvis
Creative Calling: Establish a Daily Practice, Infuse Your World with Meaning & Succeed in Work + Life by Chase Jarvis
Find Your Creative Voice: The Essential Guide to Working Your Creative Magic by Lisa Congdon
We Need Your Art: Stop Messing Around & Make Something by Amie McNee
Make Your Art No Matter What: Moving Beyond Creative Hurdles by Beth Pickens
Your Art Will Save Your Life by Beth Pickens
Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity & Get Discovered by Austin Kleon
Welcome to the Creative Club: Make Life Your Biggest Art Project by Pia Mailhot-Leichter
Coming soon - Post # 8: