What Envy and Criticism Can Teach You About Yourself
Our society teaches us that envy is shameful. Criticism is something that we should keep to ourselves. But as artists — as those who believe that work should be a reflection of personal values — envy and criticism can be great teaching tools for self-discovery.
As creatives, artist, and designers, we care a great deal about our work. We believe that our work is a reflection of who we are as a person. But when work becomes personal, it’s very easy to get lost. Clients, knee-jerk reactions to critique, or circumstances tend to dictate what we end up doing. Often we ourselves get in the way by compromising our values, trying to impress judges, or simply failing to carefully question our intent.
Among the clamor that compete for our attention, how can we better recognize our own true voices?
I believe that life has an intelligent course correcting mechanism. Chance are, if you’ve been living someone else’s life, you probably feel lousy. Boredom and unhappiness is life’s way of telling you to do something different.
That voice often shows up as envy and criticism. We want most of others that which we want most of ourselves. What we detest or admire in other people is actually indicative of what we want most to change for ourselves.
Notice your thoughts. Notice your judgement of others. Do you secretly complain about poor craft or flawed technique? Do you feel jealous when someone else wins the competition? Is there someone you envy? What specifically about them do you envy the most?
Often envy and criticism are signs of repressed desires and voices that wish to express themselves.
