Make it happen, check it off!

My trip is right around the corner so I have again been busy doing a lot of last minute things, getting my taxes done, taking care of other pressing appointments, visiting my friends, family and of course doing more genealogical research. I have awoken with anxiety several recent mornings. I am worried about my trip, my life and my art as everything has seemed upended and in flux as my life has made sweeping transitions in the last couple of years.

Much of these thoughts are just "the fear" rearing its ugly head again, sadly my constant companion in this life. These last two years I have tried harder than ever to just feel the fear and do it anyway with sometimes good results and sometimes questionable ones. It is what it is and as my friend Jennifer says, "maybe it is time to just lighten up" and maybe it is that easy. I will try to do just that.

Lighten up...

I was thinking while I was on a short walk in the woods today that I should create a self help book for artists for when they find themselves stuck in a rut with a bad case of block, self doubt or when they are paralyzed by fear. I thought this while the sun streamed through the winter trees with my head full of worry. I also thought that there should be a well designed day planner/journal with a pre-printed check list that asked of the reader some basic questions.

Did you move your body today? 
Walk, Yoga, Dance etc.
Did you express yourself through art today? 
Not a big project, just something creative.
Did you drink water and take vitamins today? 
Basic self care is so easy to forget
Did you reach out to friends or family today? 
Make plans to connect outside yourself.
Did you explore someone else's art today? 
Keep learning and exploring as not to grow stagnant
Did you do something for your own art career today?
Update your website, write a blog, return an email etc.

There are probably a dozen more questions one could ask but these seem like the basics for self care. It seems so simple and I think if these tasks are accomplished they would help keep one connected, functioning and prepared to make art. I like how the list is open, there are not time constraints or needless pressure (you give yourself a hard enough time already.) Just do something, lighten up and little by little the work gets done and everything works out in the end. Right? Could it be that easy? I don't know but I am going to see how answering these questions for the next week makes me feel even with all the trip stuff and everything else I need to do. I invite you to join me for the next week. I can see as one gets used to taking care of the basics again and in a routine manner that the questions would change over time. These are just the ideas I have when I am looking for answers and help. I thought maybe this might be useful to someone out there as well.

When I first started this blog, this type of post was more of what I did. I explored the actions and emotions of being an artist and the road blocks as well as more "how to" features. I would like to get back to that aspect of this blog again. Keep coming back as I explore and express myself hopefully out of the block I have now found myself in.

Until next week keep fighting, the world needs your work and mine too!

PS: Here is some new art to explore by another, a new single by CocoRosie (I listened to this song on repeat while I wrote this post)