There are so many things getting in your way as an artist or a creative. Whatever it is that you want to build, create, put out in the world, there are two kinds of blocks. The outer blocks are things that you need to get or learn or get help with. Those are manageable when you figure out what they are and what the next step is.
It's the inner blocks that can be really challenging. Those are the nasty inner voices that are telling you that you are not good enough, the project is not worth while, no one will care, etc etc. They are yelling at you any time you dream up a risky thing to do, and really they are trying to protect you. Learning how to deal with these voices is essential if you are going to get anywhere as a creative. And it is not about killing them, squashing them or shoving them in a box. Come to the workshop! Coming Back to Center: The Path March 9, 2022, 1-3pm et zoom
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It can be very fun to push into the high energy of a big deadline. You let go of various other responsibilities and hone in on the one thing and go go go. Flow is happening and wouldn't it be great to do this all the time! And then the deadline comes and you get it done and suddenly you are in free fall. Have you been there? It can feel really painful and scary. Even without the big deadline- there are times when your creative juices are flowing and other times when they just aren't, and you can wonder if you are not really a creative. There is a natural tendency to start berating yourself with thoughts like, "I will never be able to sustain the creative energy." and "I don't have any ideas- I'm not a real artist."
The thing is that there is a cycle to the creative process as there is any thing. You need to exhale. You have been building and building and pushing- it is like the inhale part of the breath, and you need to let yourself rest, let go, exhale. You can trust that after you have rested, there will be a natural inclination to start to build again- to inhale. It is in the exhale of the big project that you both rest and also settle back into all the of the little things of life- the parts of you that keep you connected to your world. We have cycles within cycles - larger longer ones, like the creative push I am talking about, and daily ones, like day and night, awake and asleep, activity cycles within a day, all the way down to the actual inhale and exhale and even the heart beat. So let yourself have the rest, the release, the sense of safety and connection to all things. Let yourself have the exhale in all of these cycles. And trust that you will have a natural inclination to inhale- to engage your creative activity! You can start with "I want" but it has to shift to "I choose".
So journal with the question "I want"- let yourself dwell in that sense of longing that comes from a lack. Find the quality of being that you are longing for, maybe pleasure, play, creativity, openness, whatever it is for you. And when you are ready to step into it, say "I choose". And choose it over and over and over. Keep coming back to that quality of being in everything you do and see what happens. When you have the negative voices in your head telling you things like, "you never follow through" or "you are not reliable as an artist or creative, you don't complete anything, you don't stick with it," don't just ignore them.
Stop and listen. Find out what they are saying. Not so you can believe it, but so that you can get the real message about what is important to you. What is that horrible nasty voice talking about that is important to you. "You never follow through" is really "I want to follow through on this important thing to me." It is a call to come back. So stop listening to the insult and hear the call. If you find yourself not wanting to set New Years intentions because you are sure you will fail again- this is for you. It is a little piece of third hand wisdom. The seed is from a Buddhist teacher named Susan Piver, offered to me by my very wise and talented sister Jen Gilman (an amazing artist and architect ) and now on to you. It gets translated a little differently each step of the way- so put your spin on it and pass it along! The point is to recognize that consistency and success is not a straight line. Rather is coming back over and over.
It is fresh starts. And you have an infinite number of fresh starts available to you. So let go of the shame and guilt about having stopped previously. Forgive yourself. Know that you may stop again, but that you can always come back. And that is what is important. Coming back to a fresh start on something that you care about. I love the ritual of new year's intentions, but sometimes it doesn't work out well. As you prepare for your intentions, keep these 4 things in mind: 1. Pleasure- make it something you enjoy! Really! If you want to get more exercise, make sure you are asking yourself to do it in a way that is fun. Otherwise all those gremlins are going to come out and sabotage your efforts.
2. Choice- If you find yourself saying "I should" or "I need" or "I want", notice the feeling under those words. For it to work it needs to be "I choose" and if you do not really feel that sense of empowerment and self direction, make sure you find ways to tweek the intention so it really is from a clear place of self motivation and empowerment 3. Flexibility- If you are too rigid, there is going to be an insurrection of the internal forces. Make sure you have built in flexibility! 4. Singularity- cut it down to one intention! I know this is rough because there is a huge list of things. But if you can Check out the Winter Workshops! Early bird deadline is coming right up I was just out walking in the woods and got drawn to a beautiful ice formation. I have no idea whether or how it will make its way into my creative work, but it is compelling to me. So I stop and look at it and soak it up. What I have found over and over is that later, sometimes much later, I will realize that I have made something that was inspired or influenced by something I saw. Its like it goes in and sits in the reservoir, or maybe it ferments like a good wine or a cheese, and emerges of its own when it is ripe. The other thing about it is that taking that time to be pleased by what pleases me, is nourishing and gives me energy to keep moving with all that I am doing and creating. It reminds me that I am connected to something much larger than myself, that I am part of a living breathing earth. I don't have to feel so alone. And, as an added bonus, that niggling hunger that is never really satisfied with the chips and chocolate that calls to me when I am not feeling nourished subsides a bit. It is funny how as the dark descends in winter I find myself sitting on the couch and eating way more than necessary. Is this true for you too? I made this video inspired by being out in the cold for a morning walk. I would love to hear how it sits with you! Artists can lose connection to the creative juice. If you have been there I have a suggestion: the 15 minute study. Ok hear me out. There are three situations in which this is particularly useful:
1. You know that you need at least 3 or 4 hour chunks of time in order to get into anything creatively and with that reasoning - you have gotten very distant from your creative process. There may even be an emerging fear that you don't really have anything to say in your art- or you won't know what to do if you ever do find the time. 2. You have too many ideas and you are not sure which direction to go in- and you are feeling like you have a lot of false starts going on. 3. You are in the thick of a big long project and it is feeling oppressive and like a heck of a lot of labor for not a lot of joy. So what it is on a practical level - Chose a 10-15 minute time ahead of time- don't wait for inspiration or to be ready. And link that time to something you already do- in the morning with your first cup of tea, after lunch, after the dishes are done in the evening for example. -If you have a regular journaling routine- try this instead or first or after. -2-3 times a week is enough- don't try to do it every day- unless you are good at every day routines. - Choose a material that is easy to manipulate, easy to contain, not a lot of fuss and not too big. It is 15 minutes- be reasonable! It can be either one you know well or one you don't know well- they are different, but equally useful - just start moving it around, making marks, playing and let yourself be drawn to what is appealing. This is not about making something amazing, or not amazing. It is about activating that juicy creative side of you, trusting your artist self and opening up possibilities. What is it on a theoretical level It is about engaging the process of impulse (what if I did this) and discernment (ooh that is cool, or not that). In this way it helps you create a more comfortable and useful relationship between your inner judge (the part that discerns) and your inner playfulness (the part that wants to try things) Another way to think about it, it activates the parts of the Self: Awareness - paying attention to what you are seeing in front of you, and Will- trying something and making a choice. In this way it helps you to become more at ease in yourself and clear in who you are. If you do this for a number of weeks, I am betting you will find much more clarity and ease around your direction, much more juice and joy in your labor and much more drive to make the time you need to get into the studio. You may find that you want to keep the practice going forever, and you may find that it comes and goes. Either way is fine. It is a tool of connection to your deep creative self. So my challenge to you- try this 5 times over the course of two weeks. I would love to know how it goes! Please comment here or send me a note. __________________________ subscribe to my newsletter: http://eepurl.com/buTz61 Learn more about co-working with me: http://www.taprootartsinsight.com/virtual-coworking-for-artists-and-creatives.html More about coaching with val: http://www.taprootartsinsight.com/life-coach-for-artists-and-creatives-919262.html Can I interview you? It would be so helpful for me to hear what is going on for you so I can understand how to be of better service to artists and creatives and I would be happy to offer a coaching session in exchange. For more information check this link. https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=12649280&appointmentType=2437684 Procrastination has a bad reputation. You can really beat yourself up for it. Stop doing that. Stop being frustrated with yourself and notice that you can actually use procrastination energy effectively. Potentially procrastination does two things for you:
First, you can get the little things that have been bugging you out of the way- they are so much easier when there is something bigger looming in the background! Second is that while you are doing those little things the bigger issues is churning in the background and whatever is getting in your way can get clearer. The trick to this is to register the procrastination, and pose the question for yourself- what is it that is getting in my way? Or what am I not seeing that needs attention in relation to this project? And then give yourself full permission to enjoy that little nagging thing that you can take care of. Don't try to figure out the answer, just let it swim with you while you take care of that other thing. For me it is often a cleaning thing. Cleaning good because I am physically moving and my mind can wander. But a walk in the woods is equally effective- exercise, attending to the beauty of the natural world, etc. When the tub is clean, or the cob webs are off the ceiling, come back to your question and see if there is any clarity. And then ask yourself what the smallest first step is that you can take right now. You may find that it is something that you had not actually thought of previously that needs to be done first. I would love to know how this works for you! please comment! ___________________________________________ subscribe to my newsletter More about coaching with Val Can I interview you? It would be so helpful for me to hear what is going on for you so I can understand how to be of better service to artists and creatives and I would be happy to offer a coaching session in exchange. |
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