I will write you a more eloquent missive later this week, I promise, but today I wanted to let you know that resistance is ok. Even a bit of fear is ok. There is no morality ascribed to them, they are neither good not bad, they just are.
They just are…normal.
And the only way around or through them is a little dash of courage. Just ten seconds worth, plus a sprinkle of determination to get you started. And then some surrender to the self care and all encompassing wonder that creativity is.
Breathe in. Exhale.
The last 4 months I have been really focused on making courses, which I deeply wanted to do, and I feel so, so good about them. And I got to make lots of really beautiful and fun art in doing so, and am connecting with the most beautiful of souls. I wouldn’t trade this for the world. But today and tomorrow are my celebration days for completing the last class, and my celebration days are painting days. Painting just for me, for what I want to express, for what I want to gift to the world. It has been a little while since I picked up a brush for that purpose, a couple of months at least, and ooooooof, I am feeling some resistance.
BIG resistance.
So much resistance that I am writing this rather than picking up my paintbrush!
Plus my painting is in one of the many ugly phases these things go through, and it kind of feels like it might be easier to just paint the whole thing over and start again. I dislike the background anyway. So I started researching some ideas for what I might do instead, and two hours later my productive procrastination has managed to do everything but help me pick up the brush.
Resistance is ok. It is going to happen. Sometimes it happens a lot.
So now, as soon as I send this, I will get another glass of water (with lots of ice for another hot day, urgh), and I will sit down, and I will dig deep to find that 10 seconds of courage and just start.
And maybe I will share with you later where this painting ends up.
Deep breath in. I’ve got this. And you’ve got this too. Let’s do it.
Exhibit A:
(Hoping there will be an Exhibit B by the end of the day - we’ll see I guess!)
On her YouTube channel, (Yoga with) Adrienne frequently begins her yoga practices by admitting that coming to the mat is the hardest part. How true it is! I’ve laid yoga aside for now, but I often remind myself of this fact whenever I feel that resistance, that pull to procrastinate. If I just show up—I’ve done the hardest part. Cheers to you!
I love that 10 second technique! I resist for 90 seconds and then I switch, voila ❤️😊