The Creativity Habit

In my last post I wrote how I had purchased seven small canvases and had committed to doing one painting each day from Monday, July 25 to Sunday, July 31.  I didn't paint on Sunday or Monday but did manage to paint the last of the seven on Tuesday.

one of my daily paintings from last week

It was an interesting challenge to myself.  I often found that when I sat down in the morning I was uncertain about what to paint.  Some mornings I checked the fridge for ideas (if you check my Art Gallery page you will see what I mean) sometimes I just decided to paint whatever was nearby.  It reminded me that it is the act of painting consistently that matters.  It also gave me a new respect for artists who regularly paint a painting a day (in some cases for years!). 

I was surprised to find I was able to paint even when I felt uninspired, when I felt pressed for time, when I was tired.  Perhaps it isn't too different from other habits I have developed such as a daily time for prayer and journaling or my habit of a 6:30 a.m. gym workout which I manage five days a week regardless of whether or not I feel inspired.

So maybe it really does come down to motivation and habit.  I am motivated to achieve a result and doing it regularly reinforces the habit.  Isn't that how most people work?  We are motivated for a result (maybe a pay cheque) and we show up on the job daily regardless of whether we are inspired or not.  My dictionary defines it as "a practice that a person does often and almost without thinking."

Perhaps that bit "almost without thinking" is also key.  Honestly if I allow myself to think about it, I could come up with a reason not to go to the gym (maybe it would be good to give my wonky knee a rest) , or pray (God knows what I'm thinking after all). 

My conclusion concerning the creativity habit is that yes, I want to paint daily.  I also want to have the flexibility to practice other forms of creativity that interest me.  How do I incorporate this into my day? During the summer (when school is out) it is easy to set aside the morning for painting, writing, mosaic work and  photography but school will open again in about a month and then I will need a plan to protect my commitment to a daily creative time. 

While I don't have the answer today, it is something I will be considering over the next few weeks. One of the keys for me will be visualizing what I want my life to look like, and deciding which habits will allow me to live that life.  Secondly, I may need to eliminate and replace other habits that don't bring me the results that I desire.  If I arrive at any brilliant conclusions I will let you know!

As for today, I have been working outside on my mosaic table top and enjoying the laziness of this summer morning and the gift of creativity.

Thank you for stopping by My Turquoise Kettle Life today,

Have a beautiful day,

Sandra