How to find space to create in a world full of noise.

Like many of you, we’re stepping into a new year trying to shake off the noise of December and reconnect with what actually matters: our creativity, our confidence, and our sense of self.

And that’s where today’s reflection begins.

Because if there’s one thing we’ve seen again and again - in students, in adults, and in ourselves - it’s this:

People-pleasing is one of the fastest ways to slowly kill your creativity.

Not dramatically.

Not all at once.

But quietly… decision by decision… influence by influence… until you realise you’re creating things that no longer feel like you.

When Everyone Else’s Ideas Fill Your Space

Let’s be honest: the world is loud.

We used to have to go to the theatre, the gallery, the library. Inspiration took effort. It had boundaries.

Now?

You open your phone and you’re hit with 400 versions of the same song, the same choreography, the same aesthetic. Trends tell you what’s “right.” Algorithms reward what’s familiar.

And in all the noise ... your own ideas barely have space to breathe.

We see it all the time:

• Students copying what they’ve seen online instead of answering the question in front of them.

• Performers trying to sound like whoever is popular this week.

• Creatives so focused on “getting it technically right” that they lose the joy, the artistry, the them-ness of it all.

We’ve fallen into it too.

It’s human.

But we’ve also seen what happens when someone finally steps out of that trap - and steps into themselves.

That’s where the magic sits.

Copying Is Easy. Being Yourself Is Brave.

You can mimic someone perfectly and still not know who you are as an artist.

Mimicry has its place - it’s part of how we learn technique - but when it becomes the whole story, your voice disappears behind someone else’s.

And creativity without connection?

It doesn’t land.

It doesn’t move people.

It doesn’t feel real.

We don’t want you to be a carbon copy.

We want you to be you - the version no one else can replicate.

So How Do You Find Your Own Creative Voice Again?

Here are the things we’ve learned - personally, professionally, and the hard way:

Create space. Real space. Your space.

Not a perfect studio.

Not a silent room.

Not a romanticised “artist moment.”

Just space!

• Lindsey’s might be 20 minutes in the car waiting for school pickup.

• Beccy’s happens after teaching, when the building finally goes quiet and she can sit at the piano without interruption.

• Yours might be a sofa corner with headphones, or a notebook on the bus.

Space isn’t about isolation.

It’s about permission - to play, explore, fail, and try again.

And yes, failing is part of it.

If you never fail, you never find what you can do.

Keep everything.

Not because everything is good.

But because everything teaches you something.

That scrappy first idea?

You might revisit it later and realise it holds the exact spark you were missing.

Creativity is rarely born from one perfect attempt.

It’s built from pieces you didn’t think mattered at the time.

Stop trying to be technically perfect.

Technique matters.

Skill matters.

But technique without connection is like singing without breath - it doesn’t go anywhere.

We’ve worked with students who are so focused on “doing it right” that they forget to actually create. When you overthink every detail, you lose the part that makes the work yours.

When you perform or interview - be physically comfortable.

This sounds trivial, but it’s huge.

If your clothes itch, your shoes pinch, your hair is pulled too tightly, or that label is digging into your neck… your brain is busy dealing with that, not being present.

Comfort removes the noise.

And the less noise you have to battle, the more you can show up.

Remember: you don’t owe anyone eye contact.

People freeze because they think they have to stare into eyes to “connect.”

You don’t.

Look at foreheads.

Look at noses.

Look just above heads.

Move naturally.

People will feel engaged - and you’ll feel calmer.

Everyone around you has their own way. Stop comparing.

Before a performance, some people are loud, some are silent, some are shaking out their limbs, some are humming, some are staring at the floor.

None of these are wrong.

Comparison is the enemy of comfort.

Comfort is the doorway to authenticity.

Authenticity is the root of creativity.

Stay in your lane.

Be in your body.

Let the rest disappear.

A New Year Without Resolutions

We’re not fans of resolutions - they create pressure, not progress.

But the start of a year does offer a fresh lens.

So here’s our invitation:

Create space.

Reduce the noise.

Be inspired by the world - but don’t lose yourself inside it.

Your creativity doesn’t need to look like anyone else’s.

Your voice doesn’t need to sound like theirs.

Your story doesn’t need to match the trend.

You are your own unique selling point.

Your creativity is your signature.

And when you finally give yourself permission to stop pleasing, stop copying, and start exploring?

That’s when the real magic happens.

Here’s to a year of finding your space - and filling it with your creativity.

Your Journey. Your Story.