I made a video from Paris the other day, saying I hadn’t done much that day but wander around, sit in a park and meet a friend for coffee, then yoga.
Sounds great, right?
But the truth is, I’m not just a tourist wandering around. I actually did a lot of work. I took my sketch stool and made illustrations of things that make Paris a welcoming city. I did a portrait sketch of a friend, and of course I took care of my correspondence and other things at the computer.
This year I arranged my schedule so that I would have this extended time in Paris to have my art-making as my focus. But for some reason, it’s been hard for me to step away from my work at the computer. It’s a shift to realize that the commissioned paintings I sold and the illustration projects and my videos are actually work, too.
What’s happening there?
A lot goes into being a creative person but one main thing is we struggle to give ourselves permission to do what we want to do. Even when we set ourselves up to make our art or write our stories, we still drag our feet.
I’ve been coaching for 17 years now and I’ve learned a lot about the creative process. One thing that holds true for most of us is that the only thing stopping us is ourselves. We like to blame the externals – lack of time, lack of funds, and worse, our relationships – but truly, most of us have what we need to do our work.
What’s missing is permission to do it. We (and I really mean to include myself here because I am the same as you and everyone I’ve ever coached) dearly want someone to say, do it, yes, that’s a GREAT idea, you should follow that.
How to stop dragging our feet and do the freaking work?
We can give ourselves permission in a number of ways:
• We sign up for a class.
• We take on a challenge like the 100 Day Project.
• We partner with a friend.
• We design our own curriculum of study.
• We hire a coach.
These are all valid ways to make sure we get our creative time in. I do all of them. I always take the Sketchbook Skool classes when they launch. I am participating in the 100 Day Project. My friend Cassia Cogger and I meet twice a month to talk about our art projects and to goad each other on. I mapped out my artist residency so I would know what I want to accomplish here. My coach Tiffany Han nudges me past my fears to be brave and bold with my art and writing.
All these things help me give myself permission to step away from the computer and make art.
This week, as I settle in to my artist residency here in Paris, I invite you to give yourself permission to embrace your creative flow, however that looks, wherever you are. You don’t need to leave home to dedicate time to your creative passion.
What permission will you give yourself this week?
