Do you feel guilty about taking time to do something creative? To paint, play the drums, doodle, dance in the kitchen or do some journaling or creative writing? Does your inner critic tell you that creativity needs to be earned, justified, or productive?

You're not alone. Many of us have absorbed the belief that prioritising our creative needs is selfish. And it's quietly eroding the joy of making things. Of course, you don't need permission to be creative, but sometimes, reminders help. Permission to create without purpose. Permission to rest without earning it. Permission to be a beginner, to disappoint, to protect your creative time.

These printable Permission Slips for Creatives address the guilt, the "shoulds," and the internalised expectations that can erode creative freedom. Use them when self-doubt creeps in, as journaling prompts, or as daily reminders that you are allowed to play and be creative on your own terms.