Do you ever feel insignificant?

Insignificance: to small or unimportant to be worth consideration. Without power or influence.

Have you ever struggled with insignificance? Felt too unimportant to be worth consideration? Wondered why what means so much to you means so little to others?

What is it in the human soul that longs to be loved, to be heard, to be admired, to be appreciated? For us artistic types, the longing can feel even more severe. Our creations are extensions of who we are, so if our artwork or writing or music or videos or other creations receive little attention, we can feel like our creativity is unimportant, and we are insignificant.

I wonder how many other creatives wrestle with feelings of insignificance. Hours spent on a blog post only to have a few read the words you poured your heart and soul into crafting.

Days spent painting your imagination onto canvas, then posting a photo, only to have a few stop, admire, and comment.

Sure, I’ve had popular posts, admired artwork, and frequently viewed YouTube videos, but the plight of insignificance lurks around every creative corner ready to pounce on my most cherished project and intended purposes. 

Feelings of insignificance can crush creativity, paralyze artistic desires, and shut down motivation. 

We live in an age of influencers in which significance is measured by social media followers. But what if we decided to live differently, to take a closer look at significance?

Significance: the quality of being worthy of attention, importance.

How about significance as seen through the eyes of a child? 

I had one of my granddaughters over for her “grandma only visits.” I asked her what she would like to do, and she said, “Can I watch one of your salt dough videos?”

She picked out the one she wanted and even though only five, she watched the step-by-step 12:48 minute Apple and Rose Basket video with total attention riveted on the computer screen:

“I want to make my own,” she announced.

“Do you want to go through the video again, and I’ll stop it along the way as you make your basket?” I asked.

She looked me in the eyes and boldly exclaimed, “I’ve got this!” 

And she did. She chose her colors and crafted her own apple and rose basket. The only items she asked me to help her with were the leaves. Her tiny fingers rolled her own version of a rose, a new way I’ve since adopted in my own salt dough designs. 

Then we went on to create a tea light holder together.

If the world looked in on that day, our time together might have appeared insignificant. After all, the blue basket molded with a five-year-old’s hands wasn’t perfect. But for her and I, the day was magical, making the time I’d poured into that salt dough video significant because it meant so much for a child who wanted to create. 

For many of us creatives, significance isn’t found by amassing blog followers or YouTube subscribers.

Significance is found in expressions of gratitude for what we’ve invested in the lives of others.

Like the kind comment Deborah Woodward left after viewing the progression of my painting, “Be Brave,” on my YouTube Channel:

Hello Jodee. I hope you are doing well. I was thrilled to see your painting and absolutely love it. So much emotion in it. You put the incentive back in me a lot on your site. I quit years ago when I was taking care of my family. Yesterday while packing up some things in the garage I came across my mother’s brushes that I was given a few months ago when she passed. She preferred portraits also. I packed hers up with mine and found my easel. Maybe one of these days. There is not a day that passes that I am not involved in some area of art like you. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Blessings

Deborah and I connected because we share a creative eclectic personality type. She gets me and I get her. My site inspires her to create, and her comment and creative eclectic lifestyle inspires me to continue creating, even when doing so seems insignificant.

One of my life goals is to be present. Whether crafting with my grandchildren or walking with my aging father. Whether painting what I saw in a dream or making YouTube videos so others can learn how to sculpt with salt dough, paint eye lashes, or make a love mixed media.

I’ve thought about it and decided: We artistic types shouldn’t measure our significance by cultural standards. 

We need to create because we are significant!

Creating is the way God made us. When we create, we feel happier, we process our pain, we express our joy, we make our imagination come alive for others to draw inspiration from so they can create what stirs their souls. 

And we remember, the eyes of God always take time to admire our creations. To Him, they are significant!