Your Creative Intentions: The Monday Post ~ July 15, 2013
Commit to a regular creativity practice. Regularity — a daily practice, if possible — is key to staying in touch with how you make meaning.
What are your plans for creative practice this week? Given the specifics of your schedule, decide on a realistic intention or practice plan — and ink that time in your calendar. The scheduling part is important, because as you know, if you try to “fit it in” around the edges, it generally won’t happen. An intention as simple as “I will write for 20 minutes every morning after breakfast” or “I will sketch a new still life on Wednesday evening” is what it’s all about. If appropriate, use time estimates to containerize your task, which can make a daunting project feel more accessible.
Share your intentions or goals as a comment to this post, and let us know how things went with your creative plans for last week, if you posted to last week’s Monday Post. We use a broad brush in defining creativity, so don’t be shy. We also often include well-being practices that support creativity, such as exercise and journaling.
Putting your intentions on “paper” helps you get clear on what you want to do — and sharing those intentions with this community leverages the motivation of an accountability group. Join us!
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Last week was one I won’t soon forget. Accomplished a massive amount of useful things — and spent three days in Colorado with my daughter (college tour). It’s hard to complain about nine days comprised of household projects, work completed, and mama-daughter travel. Total score. Also managed to keep up with my daily writing quota while traveling (love, love, love the MacBook Air).
This week my little guys are in camp, and I have the usual editorial client workload in addition to preparing for a family vacation. Also taking time for three self-care appointments: acupuncture, chiropractic, and hair.
Last week’s creative/well-being intentions:
* Daily morning centering practice w/Morning Pages & intention journaling [yes]
* Daily writing practice [yes]
* Walk x2 [yes]
* Daily reading [yes but not every day]
* Work on Creative Times newsletter [no]
* End-of-year “certificates” for kids [still no]
* SAVOR EVERY MOMENT OF THIS AWESOME WEEK! [yes!]
This week’s creative/well-being intentions:
* Daily morning centering practice w/Morning Pages & intention journaling
* Daily writing practice
* Walk x2 [still reducing expectations due to injury]
* Daily reading
* Complete Creative Times newsletter
* Relax and enjoy 😀
I started creating a wax “painting” if you will. I will work on it for at least 20 minutes every afternoon while my little one is napping until it is done. I’m so glad to have a project again! My problem will be when this project is done (because I will have to think of a new one!)
Lovely, FindSomeJoy! How did it go?
last week: finally opened manuscript from nov. still excited about it. will write more in it this week.CHECK
scheduled a writing day for tomorrow in current project. working on some other things re: last project and getting it out there, and jumpstarted writing pages, again. recognizing my extreme need for down time of late. still trying to heal from car accident, trying to respect that ad be kind to myself in the midst of my mayhem.
Last week’s intentions: This week I am working on setting up and organizing my first ever art studio in the house we just moved into–EXCITED!
The studio is set up and ready to work in! I took pictures of the process that I will share and write about on my blog.
This week’s intentions:
*Begin daily work on setting up WordPress blog about art and my creative process/journey in preparation to go live next week while my boys are in Iowa with their grandparents.
Do share that blog post with us, Susan! How was your week?
I did not go live with the blog, BUT that is because I was working in the studio–playing with materials, exploring, relaxing, feeling grateful. I have decided I am not ready to start the blog at this time and am going to focus on art journaling and exploring and experimenting with different media–it’s what feels most natural right now so I am going to follow my instincts. Feeling GRATEFUL!
Wonderful, Susan! Following your instincts is exactly what you should do….as Martha Beck puts it, do the things that feel delicious 😀