Hey! I’ve got some questions.
What if we held creativity to the same level of importance as work, social life, and health?
I don’t even mean neglecting those things in favor of prioritizing creative time-space, but holding them to an equal standard.
Another question: When do you get to engage in your creative exploration and art-making? Is it when you find the extra time?
Why do we sometimes reserve activities that fill our souls most for the “extra time” that we have to “find” that is not guaranteed to happen? What if we guaranteed it?
We all know that time is a construct. But did you know that also means you can actively construct it? I’m not joking!
If this resonates so far with you, then you might benefit from making an appointment with yourself.
I will walk you though it.
First things first, making an appointment with yourself is just exactly like making an appointment with someone else.
Except that someone is a person deserving of especially high amounts of respect - yourself.
Step 1: Block of a specific date and timespan for art making / creative work.
Step 2: Don’t schedule anything else during that time.
FAQ: But something came up! Wouldn’t it be SO EASY to just put the hangout/meeting/appointment there if it comes up? Yes! So easy! It’s not like you would have to reschedule something with someone. EXCEPT THAT YOU WOULD. Yourself. For some reason, commitments to ourselves tend to become the first and easiest things to sacrifice… if we aren’t careful.
Pro tips: Show up to yourself on time. Spend that allotted time doing the thing you decided to do. Don’t do other things during that time. Don’t check your phone. Don’t check your email. Don’t whisked away by ~~~ the chaotic forces that be~~~. Don’t cancel unless there is an emergency.
This sounds cute but I am literally not kidding - this really works for me, and yes it really is this simple.
I wanted to go into great theatrical detail about how this has been helping me. Despite my general attitude of low-pressure softness and freedom, actually, some boundaries and accountability can actually be so supportive in gaining a lotta bit of freaking autonomy in how my day goes! It is amazing, and I end up with a core need that feels really seen and met. So all I will say now is that I have been doing this. I’ve been making uncompromising appointments with myself. And it really helps me, not to find, but create, the time-space. And I will continue to do it.
It’s funny, because now that I re-read this whole post, it’s so obvious…
And yet… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ here I am, needing to read it.
To lovingly conclude, the following words feel empowering to me:
The creative time I set for myself is not flimsy. The boundaries that hold my art making container are not soft and permeable. The space is occupied. I hold myself accountable to myself. I respect the time and space I intentionally construct for my practice as much as any other thing I respect.
Keep practicing.
♡