You might have trouble doing your writing or art right now. You might be stressed and pressed for time. You might be exhausted from the strain of the last year and a half.
So what makes it possible to do your writing or art during this time?
Here’s the first thing you MUST have in place to do your writing or art: a good state of being.
By “state of being,” I mean your mental, energetic, emotional, physical, and spiritual state.
Now, I really want to emphasize that I’m not saying a good state of being is “nice to have.” It is an absolute essential. It is the nonnegotiable foundation of doing your creative work.
This is always true, but it’s especially true during times of uncertainty, upheaval, or difficulty.
If you’re mired in fear or depression or despair, burned out, stressed and irritable, overwhelmed with things to do, you won’t have the mindset to dive into your art–and you definitely won’t be doing your best creative work.
This doesn’t mean that you’re never upset, angry, sad, or negative. It means you allow yourself to feel those feelings fully when they come up, but you’re able to move through them to the other side. In other words, the negative state of being is not your ongoing, default state.
First, I’m going to talk about the importance of your physical state.
By physical, I mean the material world–your body, health, environment, time, money, etc.
When you aren’t in a good state in the physical realm,
- You might not have the energy to do your creative work.
- Or you feel like you don’t have the time or money.
- You might depend on outside substances (alcohol, drugs, sugar, coffee, food in general) to manage fear or anxiety.
- You might use addictive behaviors (bingewatching TV shows, binge reading, shopping) to manage the creative anxiety.
- You might have difficulty managing the earthly side of your art (making money from it, taking advantage of career opportunities, finding the time, space, and money to do it)
- You might push yourself in unhealthy ways to do your art
On the other hand, when you’re strong in the physical realm,
- You have the health, energy, and stamina to do your art (and your art lifts your physical well-being too)
- You can connect to your body and use its wisdom in doing your art
- You feel grounded and solid in your work
- You can advocate for your art in earthly ways (ask for generous payment and receive it) and you are able to receive earthly recognition, publicity and rewards
- You feel abundant, nourished, and strong as an artist
I could write volumes on taking care of your physical state, but here are a few tips to begin with.
Prioritize your well-being. Do not be a martyr. Life–and your creative career–are a marathon, not a sprint.
What is going to let you feel good day to day in your life?
Here are some basics I find are important for me:
- Enough sleep (a must)
- Eating well (vegetables, fruits, good proteins and fats, no sugar or caffeine or alcohol)
- Movement in the morning, before my day is under way (kundalini yoga–opens up body and breath)
- Going outside
- Boundaries around news consumption (limit the amount and time of day)
These are the fundamentals, even in “non crazy” times. I make an absolute priority of these things–because every time I don’t, I feel the effects immediately: my state of being gets worse and my creative work suffers.
Make a short list of the basic things YOU need to feel good in your life on a day to day basis, and start taking action to get those in place. Don’t pressure yourself to do it all at once. Take baby steps. Every step, however small it feels, is movement toward your big dreams.
You can do it.
