Expressing Your Truth Without Fear

Somewhere along the way, many of us decided (or were told) we’re not creative.

Maybe it was a teacher who criticised your drawing.
Maybe you were told to be “realistic.”
Maybe life got so full of responsibilities, survival, or caregiving that you forgot how to play.

And yet, if you slow down and listen, there’s likely a part of you that still wants to colour outside the lines. To write. To dance. To dream. To make a mess and not be judged for it.

Because creativity is not a talent—it’s a birthright.
It’s not about being an artist. It’s about being alive.

What Creativity Really Is

In IFS, creativity is one of the natural expressions of Self. When we’re in Self-energy, we become open, curious, and playful. We see possibilities where before we saw problems. We begin to create—not just art, but experiences, solutions, connections, and new ways of being.

Creativity isn’t limited to painting or poetry. It’s:

• The way you arrange flowers in a vase.

• The voice you use when reading to a child.

• The questions you ask in a moment of reflection.

• The instinct to try something different in a relationship or routine.

Creativity is about expression. It’s about letting your truth move from the inside out—without shame.

Why We Silence Our Creative Parts

So many women I’ve worked with tell me, “I used to be creative... but I don’t know what happened.” And when we get curious, we often discover parts holding fear, shame, or old burdens around being seen.

Parts that say:

• “Don’t draw attention to yourself.”

• “You’re not good enough.”

• “That’s silly or self-indulgent.”

• “You should be doing something more productive.”

These parts learned that creative expression wasn’t safe, wasn’t valued, or wasn’t allowed. Some of them carry legacy burdens—beliefs handed down by family, culture, or society.

And yet, within the same system, there’s always a flicker of something different. A spark. A longing. A part that remembers the joy of creating for its own sake.

The Joy of Creating Without a Goal

When we’re in Self-energy, creativity isn’t about outcomes. It’s not about impressing anyone. It’s about playing, exploring, expressing, and experimenting.

I often invite women to give themselves permission to create something that no one else will ever see. To write the messy poem. To sing in the shower. To paint with their fingers. To try a new recipe, just because it feels fun.

Because creativity without pressure becomes healing. It becomes a bridge back to joy.

A Personal Moment: My Own Creative Return

There was a time when I stopped writing for pleasure. I was writing for work, for structure, for deadlines. But my creative parts felt silenced—like they were being used, not celebrated.

One evening, I lit a candle, grabbed a notebook, and wrote a letter from my creative part. I asked her how she felt.

She was hurt. She missed being spontaneous. She missed freedom. She missed colour.

So I made a promise. Not to “use” her—but to visit her. To listen. To let her play.

Since then, creativity has become a daily conversation with my inner world. And it’s changed how I move through life.

Try This: Journaling With Your Creative Part

This journaling activity helps you reconnect with the part of you that longs to create—without pressure, performance, or perfection.

Step One: Set the Scene
Create a space that feels inspiring or cosy. Light a candle, play music, or bring in colour—anything that feels expressive.

Step Two: Begin With This Prompt:
“Dear Creative Part, I haven’t spoken to you in a while…”

Let yourself write freely. Ask this part how it’s feeling. What it misses. What it needs. What it would love to do—even if just for fun.

Then let that part respond. You might be surprised at what comes out. Let it be playful, emotional, cheeky, or imaginative.

Step Three: End With a Promise
Ask: “What’s one small thing we can do this week, just for fun?”
Maybe it’s dancing in the kitchen. Maybe it’s buying colourful pens. Maybe it’s five minutes of doodling.

Creativity doesn’t need hours. It needs invitation.

Final Thoughts

You are creative. You always have been.
Even if you haven’t painted in years.
Even if your days are full of spreadsheets, school runs, or healing old wounds.

Creativity lives in your cells. In your choices. In your being.

You don’t need to be brilliant. You just need to be you.
And when you lead with Self, you’ll find that creativity isn’t something you do—it’s something you are.

In abundant love and kindness for all gentle souls,

Angela xox