If I could only get on top of things I’d be ok and have all this calm, peaceful time to create in.

When I don’t get to paint I feel sluggish, less patient with everyone and it affects all areas of my life. I think most people need some time for themselves, To do something that nourishes, recharges and wakes up part of the brain

Last year wasn’t good, and I felt like I was failing in every area. I was behind with paperwork for my teaching, behind with laundry and housework, putting off a grocery shop  and just topping up at the local , more expensive shop - every day and not being focussed on my daughter when we had time together. My lack of organisation meant that I’d be dashing out to buy bread in the morning, when i could have picked some up at the shop when I was there the night before. I wasted time on the wrong things and then rushed to do other things , doing them so them badly that I’d have to redo.

I needed to streamline the everyday things and clear my mind so I have the time to be creative, without feeling guilty.

So , in 2019 I’m trying a few new things.

The bullet journal.

I tend to write on little scraps of paper, sometimes enter events or things to do in the calendar on my phone, stick things on my fridge or the worst one, just trust that I’ll remember things. This means I always have this feeling that I might have missed something.

I saw this video of a the bullet journal that pulls together all these things we need to remember and I felt like this was the solution for me. I’m doing a very simple version.  I bought a basic A6 notebook and now, every morning I can sit with my morning coffee and in a couple of minutes can check what I need to do that day so that it clears my mind. There’s also future planning and random lists in there so no need for random bits of paper.

Blocking time.

Another thing I’m experimenting with is to block time for painting. If I know Tuesday evenings and Sunday mornings are my painting times then I won’t say yes to other tasks.  I also won’t find myself thinking I wish I was painting when I’m doing something else bacause I’ll know I’ll be painting that evening, and I can enjoy the moment I’m in.

So these are what I’m trying. I’m not going to beat myself up if I drop them all by March but it was definitely time for some kind of reset.

Beautiful writing about my art

I’ve always struggled with how to write about my process and paintings so when I read this piece of writing on the Website “ Hatemedateme ” I couldn’t have been more pleased.