Scared

Do you know what the scariest moment is for a creative introvert? Not networking, not the first meeting, and not even creator’s block. No, the scariest moment is when you have to share your creative work with a client or the outside world. In every piece you create, you reveal a little bit of yourself, whether it’s an illustration, a story, or a design. It comes straight from the heart, and sharing that with others can feel terrifying. Because what if they don’t like it? What if you missed the mark? What if you misunderstood the client? A hundred thousand thoughts race through your mind before you click “send,” while the deadline clock keeps ticking.

I just close my eyes and CLICK send… there it goes. Now all you can do is wait.

While I’m making a cup of tea, I hear a PLING on my phone. Oh no… can’t they take a little longer to respond? What if they hate it? What if it’s not good enough? What if I got it completely wrong? Okay. Be strong. You can do this. Breathe in… and go. I open the email and read:

“HOLY COW!!!! This is simply FIN-TASTIC!!!!! We were all just looking at it and loving it. Laughing so hard to see how you interpret it—and we love the big mustache on the snail teacher HAHA. Our little jellyfish has really come alive.”

A sigh of relief escapes. I can breathe again…

In 2024, I illustrated and designed the book „Jellyfish Hugs" for Bessie Schenk. The book is available in several languages ​​through her website: https://www.belowh2obooks.com/ and on Amazon.