THE EVERYDAY ARTIST

I know this might sound crazy, but it only dawned on me this year that I am an artist. No, I didn’t look up the definition and make that decision. Nobody tapped me on the shoulder and proclaimed it for me. I only had to look around my house to see the evidence everywhere.

You, too, may have a talent or skill that it’s time to acknowledge. It’s time to do a complete self-analysis and embrace everything that makes us unique.

I’ve been painting, drawing, writing, journaling, and creating since I could hold a pencil. But only recently have I accepted that even my doddle counts as art if I want them to. So, I’m choosing to embrace all my creative outlets, which include more than my writing.

I will include more in my Newsletter than just my writing side. I want to publicize the other things that wake up my muse and get the creative juices flowing. Now I accept the word ‘artist’ is broader than I ever imagined, and by not seeing the whole picture, I lived in constraints that hampered my creativity.

 

Along with this newfound knowledge came the realization that I fuel my creativity in several ways connected in one form or another. I can’t recognize one and ignore all the others because, on most days, I do more of the other stuff than I do writing. In the past, I never gave myself an atta-boy for the different outlets, which has hampered my growth, happiness, and success.

The Everyday Artist is my way of recognizing the activities that stir my soul, bring me joy, and lead to all kinds of happy doodles, manuscripts, paintings, planner spreads, and journals.

 

So please travel with me on this creative road while I honor all the things that make me, me and share them on all my platforms.

April 27, 2021

I like to think of ideas as potential energy. They’re really wonderful, but nothing will happen until we risk putting them into action.

 

Mae Jemison

March 14, 2018

Every human has four endowments – self awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom… The power to choose, to respond, to change.

 

Stephen Covey

THE EDITOR’S VOICE

As a writer it took me a long time to learn when the editor in me showed up, my creativity shut down. The editor voice, strong and stern would say to me that doesn’t sound right, take out that word and rework that scene. Instead of the fun part of creating that feels like skipping or eating chocolate, the editor feels more like trudging through knee-deep snow.

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Eventually, the editor always has to show up, otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to finish a book and get it out the door. The visit from the editor isn’t always bad; it’s necessary to put the finishing touches on a manuscript. The editor is akin to a great designer who can put a style on paper, but it takes a seamstress to put it on a model.

 

I’ve heard that children can learn a new language easier than adults remember because they don’t worry about sounding strange or different as they work out the foreign words and the accents. That’s because their editor hasn’t become fully developed, so children can tune out that voice that stifles the creative muscles. Imagine how carefree would be if we never censored ourselves.

 

We all have an inner voice that can stall our inspiration, our drive or our determination. The trick it to know when to listen and when to quiet that voice and run free with you inner child, the one that will allow you to do amazing things.do what you love in wood type

 

What has your editor kept you from accomplishing? Where could you be if you shut down that little voice in your head and followed your heart?

MONKEY MIND CHATTER

The last few months have been very busy. Busier than usual, and that’s saying a lot since I’m already in perpetual motion. I’m one of those people who thrive on activity.  I’ve always got a list of things to do, whether it’s on paper or in my head. I wake up thinking about all the things I can accomplish in one day. There is a constant stream of ideas, activities and tasks juggling for attention in my brain. Buddhists call this ‘monkey mind.’

 

While monkey mind propels me through most days, it has drawbacks. It stifles my creativity. And what’s a writer without creativity? Everyone needs to have those quiet moments to rejuvenate, not just writers. I imagine this might be why some people enjoy yoga so much.

 

I’m trying to quiet my thoughts for a period of time each day to allow new ideas, new characters, new concepts to form and crystallize in my head. If I can stop the continuous barrage of chatter it allows me dream up wonderful characters and awful positions to put them in. I’m able to accomplish much more during the time I’ve allocated for writing, if I sit down at the desk with a quiet mind.

What is the chatter in your brain keeping you from doing? How do you shut it down?