This weeks secret in the blogging book group reading the 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women is all about saboteurs. You know those things you do or thoughts you have about the creative process. The inner critic and other forms a gremlins that seem to sabotage our creative dreams.
We are asked to list what are saboteurs are. Well of course there is the inner critic. Those voices that say I have no talent, that no one will want to buy my art or read what I have written. Or the thoughts that say you will never be as good as...
Sometimes the saboteur is myself and I am the one telling me all those negative statements. Or one thing I do is when I am making Art that little voice says you should be writing or weaving or cleaning the house. Its a distraction that limits my ability to focus on what I am doing. When that happens I try and say no this is my time for Art and I get to focus on that now. There will be time for the other things later. I find that if I work on staying in the moment it helps.
My latest tool that I am trying is using a simple day planner. Mine lets me see the entire week and I have section for different times in the day. I find if I schedule time for painting or meditation then I tend to do those things on that given day. Blocking out time just for me seems to help me focus on the things I really want to do.
I also am adding some rituals that say, now its time to create. I have been wearing a painting shirt when I paint or sometimes an apron. I play music and I close the door to my studio. I do the same when I am weaving, since it has a separate room with a door too. When writing I like to go to a cafe but when writing at home I really don't have a set ritual other than sitting in a comfortable place and open files and just beginning. It looks like I need to come up for a ritual for that. The fact that sometimes I write on the couch and others times at a desk or table or in a cafe its not like I can just close a door and let that be the signal that says, I am writing now. I think I will try and come up with a ritual just for writing.
The one constant that I try to remember is to not wait for inspiration to come. To just show up for creative time and begin and know that the muse will come. To just be present for whatever gifts will come and to do it again the next day and the next.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
9 comments:
This is a good idea and one I might try because I find I'm always "wasting" a lot of time. When I make a schedule I usually stick to it. The problem is I don't make the schedule! I guess that's one of my sabateurs!
Great ideas. I'm kind of being on the book blogging thing. Maybe I need a reading ritual. lol
I find the call to paint comes most strongly when I am supposed to be working. Today, I just stopped and sketched. I had headphones on with really loud music. lol Patrick came home and scared the bajeezus outta me. He said, "lost in your own little world there, honey?" It was such a good feeling when I realized, I WAS! Yay! Then I finished my work.
I just noticed how much like your page mine looks. Wasn't intentional. Must be a kindred spirit/glitter sister thing. :)
Going to a cafe is kind of like keeping an appointment for your writing, Kate. I like that idea myself. I think cafe writing is such a nice image.
I'm really too social I guess for closed doors - makes me kind of claustrophobic and feel isolated. I dream of a creative loft someday or tree house. LOL
Aloha Kate,
I always feel like if I dont write things down. I get into so many other things and get *lost* .it's kinda a way of self sabotage if I dont have my list..lol.
Great post.
PEace, Kai
Kate,
I especially like your last idea about showing up for creative time and expecting that you will be able to create. This is another lesson I need to learn! xo, O
I love the idea of a painting shirt. Kind of like a uniform to remind you that you are "working." I do think it is about conditioning.
Great tactics for making work.
I really like the paint shirt idea. This was a really good post about using time better. I tend to flutter around trying to figure out what I should do next. Working on Ruth has been really good for me because I write and collage, reading and researching the time has been really fun for me.
Hugs, Mary
Good ideas and I love the painting shirt.
I don't know how I stumbled upon your blog, but I agree that:
1) You can't wait around for inspiration to hit you, you have to make it happen.
2) The worst saboteur in all of us is ourselves.
And, I like the idea of having rituals.
Post a Comment