Going to Church is Killing Your Creative Soul

Have you ever sat in church and felt like you had to shrink to fit the mold? The message says “come as you are,” but the moment you walk in, there are rules such as what to wear, how to act, what to say, and even which dreams are “acceptable.” For a creative mind, that can feel suffocating. It’s not about losing faith but about losing freedom. When expression is policed and individuality is boxed in, creativity starts to die quietly in the pews. This isn’t about religion. It’s about reclaiming your voice, your art, and your right to be fully yourself even in sacred spaces.

Every Sunday, I was basically on display. Pants? Forbidden. Smile? Mandatory. Thoughts? Keep them to yourself, darling. Growing up as the pastor’s kid turned faith into performance art and let me tell you, I never got an Oscar. That feeling of being watched, judged, and micromanaged doesn’t stop at the church pews. It sneaks into your work, your social media, and every corner of your creative life. It’s exhausting. But guess what? You don’t have to perform to create, and today I’m going to show you how to reclaim your authenticity and your sanity.

So there I was, stuck in a sea of skirts and judgmental glances, thinking, ‘I could either choke on my hem or find a way to breathe.’ Being the pastor’s kid meant every outfit, every nod, every tiny movement was under a microscope. Pants? Out of the question. Expressing myself? Not a chance. And honestly? That’s exactly the problem ADHD creatives run into all the time. Trying to perform perfectly instead of letting our ideas, our weirdness, and our true selves run wild. Spoiler alert: performance kills creativity faster than a forgotten deadline.

When Rules Become Shackles And let’s be honest, the rules aren’t the same for everyone. Ever notice how the “dress code” only applies to women? Men can roll in with a polo and slacks, but women? We’re expected to be the helpmate, Molly the Maid, cooking, cleaning, and serving but never leading. We can pass the plate, but not preach from the pulpit. It’s not just about clothes but it’s about control. Creativity needs freedom to question, explore, and interpret. But in these spaces, even divergent thinking gets side-eyed. You’re told what to think, what to believe, and exactly what you’re supposed to take from the Bible leaving no room for curiosity, imagination, or interpretation. That’s not faith. That’s fear dressed up as structure. And for creatives, especially ADHD or multi-passionate ones that’s a recipe for burnout and rebellion.

Are We Here to Impress or to Be? Are we here to establish a connection with God or just look like we are? Because truthfully, I feel like too much time is spent on what it should look like, rather than actually being present in it. Are we here to impress others or develop a real relationship with God? Church puts a lot of emphasis on doing instead of being.
News flash: we’re called human beings, not human doings. But I digress, because there’s a lesson here for creatives. Spend less time doing and more time being. So much creative energy is wasted on trying to make things look right instead of letting them flow naturally. There’s no need to perform.

One thing I know to be true is performing to please everyone is exhausting, and for ADHD creatives, it’s a creativity killer. The good news is you don’t have to do it. You can take off the metaphorical skirt, grab your metaphorical (or literal) pants, and finally create on your own terms. I’ve learned a few tricks to spot the spaces that drain you, set boundaries, and reclaim your creative energy. Today, I’m sharing them so you can start doing the same.

5 Tips to Reclaim Your Creative Freedom (and Your Pants)

1. Audit Your Spaces Ask yourself: does this place make me feel energized, or like I’m on stage? Whether it’s work, family, or online communities, notice where you’re performing instead of creating. If it feels draining, mark it as a “pants-off” zone.

2. Set Boundaries Without Guilt Saying no doesn’t make you rebellious, in fact it makes you sane. Politely decline what saps your energy or forces you into someone else’s rules. Your creative flow is precious. Protect it like it’s your last slice of pizza.

3. Build Your Safe Zones Create physical or mental spaces where you can be your ADHD self: messy, distracted, brilliant, and unpredictable. Journals, Discord servers, studios, or even your bedroom can become playgrounds for your ideas.

4. Celebrate Tiny Wins Finished a sketch? Wrote a paragraph? Showed up to a meeting without performing? That’s a victory. ADHD brains thrive on reinforcement. Give yourself high-fives, even if no one else sees them.

5. Seek Your Tribe Connect with people who get your quirks, energy, and multipassionate creativity. You’ll feel free to experiment, fail, and shine without judgment, which is the ultimate creativity booster.

Time to Reclaim Your Flow So go ahead and ditch the skirts, the invisible judgment, and the performance act. Give yourself permission to create messy, loud, brilliant, authentic work that’s unapologetically you. Your creativity ; it thrives in freedom. Feeling ready to reclaim your flow and finally feel at home in your own ideas?

I help ADHD creatives learn how to channel their emotions into art, focus, and profit. If you’re ready to stop performing and uncover the blocks keeping your ADHD brain from shining, start here.