How are you doing this week? Are you starting to feel pulled to make art again? Or to make more art?
I feel like my tendency to become frozen and take no action during stressful times is coming to an end. In part due to scheduling some making time with friends over a Zoom call. Creating in a group setting always helps to jump start my maker brain.
I’m also regularly moving my mind from thinking about what I don’t have and what I can’t do right now to more helpful thoughts. Instead, I’m focusing on what I can do.
When I ask myself that, I always have an answer that’s more than what I need. It’s great because I shift my approach around whatever I’m doing at that moment. Whether it’s making art or cooking dinner, thinking about what I can do lightens my mindset, and removes pressure to do something with nothing. It makes everything feel easier, lighter and less burdened.
This is in part because it promotes a happier approach versus bringing all the negative thoughts that our brain sends at us when we’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed.
Want to try it out?
First, what’s something that you’re thinking you don’t have or can’t do right now?
Now that you’ve got that one thing in mind, ask yourself this question:
What CAN I do with regard to this?
It might take a moment to get to something you can do that feels good to you so keep going past your first answer. Dig a little more and see what you can think of that feels like a better, more positive thought. One that supports you instead of draining you.
A recent thought I had was that I only had black, white and pink paint and that I couldn't get other colors for a while. I thought this would crush the project I was working on.
But after asking what can I do that’s more helpful than moping about what I can’t do, I found a lot of other viable possibilities like I can paint with watercolors where I have a full palette of colors instead of acrylics where I have only three colors. And I can harness the variety of colors from magazines and other paper ephemera - and that idea was even more exciting than my original project!
Easily, in a matter of moments, my brain shifted to a more positive and even enthusiastic state of being.
Give the above thought process a try and let me know in the comments what you discovered that you CAN do. I can't wait to hear what comes up for you!
With much gratitude,
Kate