Hello hello, and welcome to Episode 53 of Life On the Brink!
When spring rolls around, I feel inspired to create, to make things and to indulge new ideas. Along with that, I’ve been thinking a lot about art, hobbies and the creative process. Sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin, or sometimes you’re so far removed from that place of creativity that you don’t know how to get back to it. I’ve been there. I’m still there in some ways. But the goal of today’s episode is to help all of us, myself included, embrace an artful life, free from pressure and stress. Whether you paint, draw, knit, sing, sew, write, dance, or even just want to try any of them, this is for you.
First, I’m going to start by sharing a bit of my own journey (especially the parts that I still have trouble with) and my ongoing relationship between art and business.
Then I’d like to share a few ideas to help shed the inhibitions that stop us from creating.
And finally, I’m presenting some ways to find and foster a healthy creative community.
Are you ready? Don’t be scared.
What’s in my teacup? The Moroccan Mint herbal tea from Lidl. Nothing fancy, just dried mint.
While I have found a lovely creative balance when it comes to certain hobbies,
I am terrified of composing music.
It’s one of my favorite things in the whole world, and I dedicated years of study to it, yet now it rarely makes an appearance in my mind. However, I would love for that not to be the case, and am seeking for ways to bring this love of mine into perspective.
I’ve been re-inspired by a recent episode of another lovely podcast, Creative Pep Talk. Episode 348, “3 Exercises for Finding Your Way Back to the Heart of Your Creative Path” really got me thinking about the way I relate to music. In this episode Andy, the host, asked the listener to think of a time when you were totally sure of your creative groove, everything was working and you felt great about your art. When it comes to my art of writing music, that time was while I was in college.
During that time I was studying music all day every day, and was in a community of people who spoke that language and re-inspired me. However, I also worked myself to the absolute bone, and conflated my art with academic achievements. While I did thrive in school, in the end I found that the label of “musician” was how I saw myself. I had made it my identity, and it took a lot of time post-grad to work that out.
*I’m able to go into a bit more detail in the audio, so check it out at 7:15, and you can also check out Episode 27 about hustle culture where I talk about this as well.*
When it comes to certain art forms like crochet, cooking, and even gardening, I have been able to find a healthy balance. I enjoy the act of creating as well as the finished product, and I’m only focused on my personal journey. I’m not pressured to reach some end goal.
In other areas, however, I’m still very much figuring it out.
Today, I play music quite a bit, I sing in a variety of settings, and while I really do like doing lots of different things, the composing part of my heart and mind has lain dormant. I think it’s because it’s the thing I care about the most. It’s harder for me to start a project when I don’t know the outcome. Sound familiar?
Perhaps you have a similar passion, or even an inkling of something you love but are afraid to try. Sometimes I even feel like I procrastinate even approaching music by engaging in all the other hobbies I enjoy, ones that don’t feel so pressured. But upon reflection, it seems to be a sign that music composition is still an identity issue for me.
I tell myself that if I had a nice, acoustic piano and a quiet space dedicated to writing and playing that I would do it more, and while some of that might be true, I don’t want little excuses like that to stop me. So where do we go from there? Fear not, friend.
A FEW IDEAS TO WAKE UP YOUR CREATIVITY
1. Detach the art from your identity. Remember you’re a whole person, not just the art you create. If you start to feel that stress when you approach your creative practice, ask yourself why. Odds are, you’re afraid that what you make won’t end up “good enough” or won’t be “worth it” and is somehow a reflection on you as a person. That’s simply not the case! Of course, this will look different for everyone, but I find that it’s such a good place to start.
2. Set little goals for outputting. This is about getting out of your head and just creating. I have a goal to write and record an album, and I’m going to start by setting smaller, measurable goals to write songs, lyrics, and arrange during this year. One way I helped reach such a goal was to sign up for my friend Caroline’s annual Uke Camp, a songwriting challenge, in February. Having ways to push past that mental block really helps me to see how naturally the art does flow when I let it.
Also, know that THERE IS NO FINAL DEADLINE for your creative potential. Life is long, it will happen at different times for different people.
3. Take a class or find a club. Sites like Skillshare or Masterclass, or even YouTube will go far for gaining skill, but this is more about community. I think a big part of why college was so good for my music was the fact that I was surrounded by people of like mind, who understood me in that way. A community does much for gaining perspective, inspiration, energy, and accountability, so whether it’s a formal class (I’d love to take a pottery class one day) or a club, I think finding a bit of community is invaluable for artistic pursuits.
We love doing the art, sometimes we just need a little help to push through the fear of inadequacy. And above all, sweet friend, DONT BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP!
Be kind to yourself.
I’m very much learning what this will look like for me, but I know I want to welcome music back into my life.
Also, speaking of community, I’ve thought of a way to share our art with each other! If you ever share a project on social media, use the hashtag #artonthebrink so we can find each other and lift each other up. It’s an obscure enough hashtag that I think it should be a viable option for a long time. I’ll be sharing any crafty or musical endeavors over on my Instagram and will add that hashtag for sure. Of course, you can also leave a comment below to share how it’s going!
And with that, friends, I hope this has helped to re-inspire you as it has me. The act of creating is a part of all of us, and is all the sweeter when the process is enjoyable.
This Week’s Little Joy: I’ve set up the garden! One haul to the nursery and a few hours in the sun and now I have several containers of veggies and herbs, and a few new flowering plants surrounding my apartment. For all the details and updates, I’m making an IG story highlight called “Garden ‘22”, so check it out if you like. It feels so good to be back outside, and I’m excited to see what GROWS.
What I’m Listening To: “Hell on Church Street”, the latest album by Punch Brothers. The band consists of mandolin, banjo, fiddle, guitar and bass, and it’s just candy for the ears. Their style has been described as “bluegrass instrumentation and spontaneity in the structures of modern classical” as well as “American country-classical chamber music,” which I think does a good job of giving the vibe. The vocal harmonies are so smooth and sweet, and all those plucking strings just sound sparkly and energizing. It’s truly such a beautiful album.
Thank you so much for listening, friend. We only have one more episode of Season 2, then I’ll be taking a short break until summer, so get ready for weekly episodes!
If you haven’t done so yet, please consider leaving a star rating or a review on Apple Podcasts, it really helps spread this podcast and community to other creative lovelies like you. Until next time, have a lovely week!