Friday, February 8, 2013

Show Up




I have been having trouble showing up lately. Work, life, and sheer laziness have been keeping me from the studio, my art, my journal, and this blog. Although there is a natural ebb and flow to the creative process, I have been feeling disconnected from myself lately. I am working on finding small ways to reconnect.

What keeps you from showing up? What distracts you from your creative ambitions? What gets in your way? Why do you allow it? What are your priorities? How can you find small, meaningful ways to connect to your art and show up more?

6 comments:

Kathryn Zbrzezny said...

These sound like my words. I haven't shown up much lately. It bothered me today. A lot. Work, a family health issue, fatigue. I haven't been able to focus on my art journaling like I love to... I miss it, but I have felt disconnected. I wish you peace...and your artfulness to visit in the way you need... Ebb and flow.. I like that. ~ k

Renee Dowling said...

I have been reading your book to find inspirational ideas and have joined a challenge of creating 29 faces in 28 days, but what is really keeping me going lately is the desire to get better at art. I've wasted enough years not doing it, and it is time for me to do what makes be feel fulfilled and happy! That's what is making me show up!

Sharon Willen said...

What keeps me from showing up is a deep seated belief that I'm not good enough. That I myself and/or my art will fall short of getting the response I yearn for from others.I haven't yet convinced myself that it's selfish to not to share all I have to give. I spent so many years driven to succeed in my career that now I give myself permission to fritter away large chunks of time wandering about. I call it self-acceptance, but know it's still avoidance. Alas. But you've inspired me. As soon as I hit the last key on this post, I won't walk the dog, do the taxes, or go shopping. I'm heading upstairs to my art studio to play and see what comes up.

Anonymous said...

I too have felt disconnected -- for various reasons. I have been faithfully art journaling 1-2 pages a day but haven't done so in a week and a half. Unusual for me. I have signed up for a local art, mixed media collage and assemblage class to help rekindle that passion I have for art journaling. I need to get out of this funk. Best of luck to you.---Jenny

Eric said...

Thank you all for sharing. A community of support helps me realize that I am not alone in feeling this way, and the encouragement makes me want to show up more.

Silva said...

To get my motor running I have been sitting down with my kids we all have our sketchbooks with our favorite marking tools and doodling to just get back into my sketchbook...also I have been scanning old polaroids and black and white photos. Creating a new data bank is motivating!