Righto. A civil engineer talking about the arts. What good could possibly come of this? I’m way out of my lane, right?

Yes. But, hear me out.

I certainly don’t call myself an artist, whatever that means. But, do I have the right to creatively express myself? I believe so.

Unfortunately, too many of us are too afraid to do the thing that has been itching at us for eternity. The blog, the instrument, the podcast, painting, knitting, tinkering, you get the picture.

We are too afraid of what people will think. Too afraid of judgment, failure, and ridicule. We tell ourselves we are not talented enough, not educated enough, not good enough. Our fear becomes the slaughterhouse of our creativity.

And don’t get me wrong, I am included in all of the above. I constantly berate and question my skills or my intentions.

I think, though, we have lost touch with why we pursue art in the first place. Social media has a PhD in tearing people down, as does the general population. We bitch about and criticise anyone trying to get out of ‘their’ lane, as if they only have the right to do the safe and sensible thing. The thing they have always done. The truth is, we are just envious that they had the backbone to do it in the first place.

But, what if we made a decision to pursue the arts, solely for the reason to express and explore ourselves, independent of what others may think? Perhaps artistic expression can happen most freely when we block out the noise. Internal and external.

So what if our ‘art’ is never read, never bought, never praised. Creative expression should not be a place where we seek adulation and approval. We get so caught up in not being the first, the best, the most unique that we don’t even bother starting.

Now, when I talk about art or creative expression, there really are no boundaries. I think art is a way of doing, not just making. I also see the pursuit of art as taking a risk. In my view, there is nothing creative or exciting about staying in your lane and doing the predictable thing.

When I create with freedom, without expectation or fear, whether it’s cooking, writing, drawing, photography or building, I lose all sense of time. I am focused, present, and in tune. In a world where we are all so distracted and apparently increasingly miserable, why not tap into our ancestral and innate ability to create.

For sure, there are times when I don’t quite get into a flow or a smooth rhythm, where it seems a little edgy or I meet resistance. Hell, this probably happens more often than not. This shouldn’t be enough to stop us though. Nothing good comes easy and I don’t think art is the exception. Sometimes it just takes removing a distraction, changing our environment or having a break and it all comes rushing back.

So, if you’re in two minds about creating something, moving overseas or just stepping out of your lane. I say: fuck it, do it! If you fail, brilliant. At least you had a crack. Trying is better than never starting.

Enjoy the process and the journey more than the outcome, that is where the fun is.

Liz Gilbert’s book ‘Big Magic’ is the reason why I felt compelled to write this piece. Truth is, I wrote this piece for me. I needed to hear it in my own words and I constantly need to remind myself to continue the pursuit.

Also, listen to Ethan Hawke articulate this topic a whole lot better than I ever could. Man’s a genius.