The Courage to Be Seen, The Discipline to Keep Going
Take It or Leave It creative advice
Some weeks you need a push. Some weeks you need permission to pause. This newsletter is for both.
Welcome to Take It or Leave It—the weekend edition of Create.Repeat, where we answer your questions, offer honest advice, and share the stuff that’s keeping us creatively energized (and, let’s be real, creatively sane).
This week, we’re talking about:
• The fear of being seen and what it really means to show up
• What to do when your ideas spiral out of control
• How to price your work without spiraling
• And finding creative time when your job has taken all your energy
The questions came in hot this week—over 50 (!!!) submissions on Instagram alone—and we’re going to get to as many as we can over the next few issues. Even if your question isn’t answered this time, chances are someone else asked the same thing. These are the kinds of struggles that every creative bumps into at some point.
And at the end of this issue, I’ve put together a quick mood board highlighting the work of someone who’s been inspiring me the most lately. Just a little creative fuel in case you need it.
If Create.Repeat has ever helped you feel a little less stuck or a little more seen, this is your way to help us keep doing it.
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Let’s get into it.
Hi @Elenasprivateac,
First off, I love that this question is coming from your private account. How meta.
This is one of the biggest hurdles we face as creatives. And honestly, I’m not sure you ever fully get over it. You just meet new versions of it as you grow. Every time you level up, you face the same fear in a new form.
Because the courage to be seen isn’t just a creative struggle. It’s a human one.
I go through waves. Sometimes I’m bold and confident. Other times I vanish, convinced I have nothing left to say. Creatives are feelers, so the fear of being misunderstood, dismissed, or rejected can cut deep. That fear doesn’t just mess with your creativity. It messes with your sense of self.
So in the spirit of courage, let me open up.
At the end of last year, we launched the Create.Repeat podcast. For the first time in a long time, I was front and center on camera, talking about the highs and lows of the creative life. The positive response was awesome. But the experience wrecked me more than I expected, and I disappeared.
We haven’t released a new episode this year. I’ve been afraid to.
See, before Create.Repeat, I was an internet personality at BuzzFeed in the mid-2010s. I made viral comedy videos. I had 200K+ followers, was verified on pre-Elon Twitter, got brand deals just for posting. It was a weird time, but it was mine.
Then life hit. Some deep, personal stuff forced me to stop and face things I’d been avoiding. I spiraled into a dark depression. I stopped creating. I stopped sharing. I let the fear of being seen—really seen—paralyze me.
I lost over 100,000 followers. I became irrelevant. I disappeared. And I lost my confidence completely.
But eventually, that quiet space led to Create.Repeat. I found a new kind of voice—one that wasn’t about performing, but expressing. Not about chasing virality, but sharing what was stirring in my soul. And to my surprise, people connected with that just as much as they once did with the polished, performative version of me.
So when the podcast launched and I was visible again, I was battling demons. Still am.
I fear being seen. I fear being known. And yet, that’s also my deepest desire.
So if you’re feeling that same tension—welcome. You’re not broken. You’re just honest.
You deserve to be seen. You deserve to make work and release it into the world. Whether it’s seen by a million people or just one, you are worthy of sharing what’s inside you.
Ask yourself: Why do I want to create? Why do I think I’ve been given this pull toward expression? What happens if I keep it locked inside?
You don’t need to chase validation. That’s a losing game. You create because you can. Because you must.
There are people in this world with the same heart as you and me but without the freedom, access, or support to make their voice heard. If you can create and share, then you must. However that looks for you.
Maybe that means I finally release the next episode of the podcast. Maybe that means you take a small, brave step today.
Whatever it is, remember you don’t have to perform and you don’t have to pretend. You are enough.
And you deserve to live a creative life that reflects who you really are.
Hope this helps.
👋 Hey, quick note: The rest of this issue is just for paid subscribers.
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Hi @Error480p,
This is a great question, and one I think every creative has wrestled with.
In my experience, prioritization isn’t a natural skillset for most creatives. It definitely wasn’t for me. I’ve had more than one performance review where the main note was, “You need to learn how to prioritize.” Not the most fun feedback, but not wrong either.
We’re natural explorers. Our minds are wired to follow sparks, chase curiosity, and see what happens when we veer off course. That’s what makes us creative. But as we grow—whether in our careers, our craft, or just trying to make art while juggling life—that instinct to chase every idea needs to be balanced with the discipline to finish something.
Here’s what’s helped me:
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