For the past few weeks, I've been talking up the book and the program, "The Artist's Way". If you haven't been following along, go back three blog posts. No hurry. We'll wait for you here.
I talked about the process of recovering your creativity, of establishing the "Morning Pages" to clear your thoughts and gain clarity for the day ahead. I reviewed how essential a weekly "Artist Date" is in further clearing out your head and helping to recover your creative flow.
This week, I am actually going to be re-starting the program. If you don't have a book yet, that's ok. Pick one up at almost any local bookstore and come back. Don't worry. We'll still be here, waiting for you.
I've started working the first crucial bits of the program. I've been doing my morning pages (most days!). I've begun taking my weekly Artist Date (only missed last week), but took a trip out to St Francisville this week and enjoyed a couple of hours under the oak trees at Grace Episcopal Church and Graveyard (so beautiful and so sad).
We are ready to start recovering our sense of creativity. I read through Chapter One. I acknowledge that my inner artist is very much a child that was discouraged from pursuing any kind of creative path. That critical voice in my head (the "Inner Critic") is the first one to tell me that my artwork is not good and I should just stop embarrassing myself by pretending that I'm an artist.
I've worked at turning the volume down on the Inner Critic so she bothers me less now than she did once. I appreciate the glee and the joy that my Inner Artist child finds from creating art. How can happiness be a bad thing?
But, remember, as you start out, don't expect perfection from yourself. Just starting is crucial. Your work may not be Van Gogh quality at the outset but be patient with yourself and your recovering skill set. Think of this as a sort of play therapy. You deserve to have fun.
Next, the Chapter talks about the power of Affirmations. This is an area where I'm still a little wobbly, but I'm told it takes time; weeks and even months to change old mindsets. So, again, let's be patient with ourselves.
We are recovering creatives. We need to nurture and encourage our Inner Artist Child and give them time to grow and evolve. Patience and love are the keys.
So go out there, get your book and start the program (there is a lot more in there but I can't reproduce the chapter here.) Just, trust me. Get the book and join me on the road to recovery!