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NewsletterCreate Fearlessly
This week I’ve been experimenting with different ways of creating. Although I’ve been busy with work, I’ve found ways to be creative even with regular chores to bring fun into all aspects of my life. Sometimes I think a lot has to do with your state of mind…I can decide to be miserable because I must do xyz or I can just stick it out, whistle while I work or dance around madly thinking of how great it’ll feel to be done. I realized that making things fun helps me a lot, even if I’m feeling tired or worn down.
For many artistic projects, I fumble during the process because I find myself preoccupied with the final result. I suppose because art is so personal, we feel more conscious about creations, how we would be judged and such. Either way, all the worrying really makes the experience of creating not fun. Whoa, that’s sort of contrary to the whole magical process of creating, right? I was creating my own problems, freaking myself out and then feeling depressed when things really went awry. No fun…lots of fear blocking my way.
I am a believer in the process where the result is just possible icing on the cake. I had to remind myself of that fact…it’s so easy to be caught up and just want lovely stuff to show folks. Ultimately, it is so important to have fun and let yourself go free to experiment without worrying about the final result. When it comes to creating product, there will always prototypes and trials…so why not just approach everything as if it were a trial? If the final perfect product is realized, then great! If not, hey, you can go at it again and have fun. I realized that I can always give something another try or redo something so that I’m happy in the end…rather than freezing myself with fear or fumbling through it and feeling dissatisfied because I believed it was my final attempt.
Create fearlessly, I say – I have been telling myself that a lot this week. I decided to make journals that convey that message, with messy ink blots all over to help us all get past futile perfection and just have fun. I hope to be able to show a lot of work next week…for now I will let myself take the weekend off and take in a lot of inspiration to recharge. I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend and don’t forget… create fearlessly!
Posted on February 19, 2010 at 11:45 pm | thoughts + discussion
Hello fellow explorers and creative minds! My name is Linda, aka tortagialla - a nickname my adorable husband dubbed me meaning "yellow cake" in Italian. I'm your not-so-typical Californian girl who took the plunge and moved to the Tuscan hills of Italy. Now I'm living my dream designing, illustrating and crafting full-time. You can contact me via email linda [!at] tortagialla [!dot] com
Create fearlessly! Love it! Fear can be so paralyzing sometimes, thank you for your inspirational posts. Btw, I’ve been meaning to comment on your banner, I love how the little drawings look like they are almost jumping off the page.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving your thoughts. Every week I like to reflect on something that’s been going on in my head…but then again that doesn’t mean it’s fully formulated at all…haha! Oh, thanks for noticing the drawings on my banner. They are actually my line drawings that I make into digital stamps!
Oh, how true!
Just this afternoon I was working on my next vision journal page for the on-line workshop I am taking and I was getting SO uptight and worried that every little picture wouldn’t be glued on just right. Oh, for Pete’s sake!!! I finally talked myself into grabbing the glue stick and just having at it….and you know what? I had a blast! And the journal page doesn’t look so bad either…………….
It really is all my choice. I need to learn that. Thanks for the good post, Linda!
Glad I could help you loosen up a bit…it’s so easy to get caught up in the quest for perfection and suddenly you aren’t having fun and what’s the point without fun?
Sometimes I wonder what we are so afraid of. Wherever we are is the entry point and to just GO FOR IT and HAVE FUN — Create fearlessly indeed!
Here here!
Oh you and I need to talk. You and I just think to much alike. he he he he!! This is such a great article. Thanks for sharing your heart and wisdom. It’s helping me.
Hi Vanessa – so great to hear! Hehe… I just have these random thoughts and I suppose there must be like minds out there…just not here where I am hehe! Thanks for stopping by…would love to hear your thoughts.
sometimes you need that recharge! i HAVE PAINTINGS i HATE BECAUSE i HAD SUCH A TERRIBLE TIME PAINTING THEM EVEN THOUGH THE LOOK OK, can’t wait to see what you make next week!
I know what you mean…it’s like a reminder of bad times!
thank you.
so inspiring!
i forwarded this to several friends..i get so stuck when i’m creating, by that “this isn’t looking how i thought it would” halfway through-
you’ve inspired me to pick up several half finished projects and finish them!!
<3
I’m so honored that you forwarded this to friends and glad I could help inspire. I think we all get stuck, it’s the highs and lows of it all…and I think it’s totally normal! But we have to tell ourselves to push through…there’s a great talk by Elizabeth Gilbert on creativity…soooo inspiring – I recommend everyone to watch it if you haven’t yet. http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html
Cool
Create fearlessly indeed!
Great post! Sometimes I’m so scared to draw (I’m in the process of getting my architecture license) that I spend days thinking over the same thing! I will take your advice
And thank you for your wonderful comment on my blog! I should turn it into a booklet–I can think of so many other things to add! I will create fearlessly! lol.
I know what you mean, you keep thinking about something and not just doing…it really is crazy, because we have to just get it out! Thanks for stopping by my blog!