What do we do when we’re in a funk with our art, or we’re just not feeling it?!
Last time we talked about how our art can drop down our list of priorities, so by the time we get to our art, we can be tired and grumpy! How do we break out of our funk, and get ourselves into the studio?
What works for me
- Going for a walk invariably makes me feel better – whatever the weather. I’m then in a better mood to go in and do something constructive instead of moping about.
- Knowing what it is I need to do – so anything with a deadline or some sort of external accountability. If it’s soon enough, it’ll be the motivation I need to get stuck in. If it’s too far away, it doesn’t work!
- My latest strategy is to join a small group of artists with fortnightly online check-ins. So far so good – we even have a Facetime group with an “accountability” thread for each of us!
- Planning. Not necessarily for the creative work I want to do, but for all the other stuff. Knowing that the “boring” stuff is all taken care of, frees my mind to relax and settle into something more creative – it quietens the little nagging internal voice that would otherwise tell me that I “should” be doing something else!
- Not being so hard on myself. Probably the hardest one of all, but berating myself for “not being creative” is not the way to motivate myself to get in the studio. We all need to learn that life happens, there will never be enough time to do “all the things” and that’s OK. If we don’t accept that, it’ll be nearly impossible to break out of our funk.
Also mentioned in this episode:
My 100 day project so far – very nearly there! I’m a bit behind with posting, but we’re into the 90s now.
My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell
The Joy of Small Things by Hannah Jane Parkinson
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
David Hockney at the Fitzwilliam
My Seascapes course – sign up to my newsletter and course updates for an early bird offer.
You can find Gina Ferrari here
The music is Dear Autumn by Ikson.
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