Hello artist friend
Well! Here we are in the last week of 2021. I hope you've found space and time for some restoration in amongst the chaos that the end of the year can be.
Or perhaps you're like me and the holidays are a time of (not always welcome) solitude, and you're ready to start connecting again with the outside world.
Most of us are finding our thoughts turning to the new year and
what may lie ahead, myself included.
I also feel… not ready. Is it just me?!
2021 was what you might call ‘a bit of a doozy’ for me. (Pretty sure that's not just me.) So you'd think I'd be champing at the bit to get started on 2022, because surely it's got to be better, right?!
And yet.
These past few weeks I've been in a cocoon of deep self care to try and restore myself, and even though I know I need to reconnect with the world outside the safe little bubble I created, part of me is not so keen!
So I'm thinking today about how I can take the best bits of this quiet time into the coming year - to start soft and with kindness, and as much ease as I can muster.
Self care is such a buzzword now, but like every cliché, it is so because its roots lie in a truth. And when you think about it, what kind of madness is it to behave as if we don't need care, or to rely on it only from the unpredictable outside?!
My self care lately has manifested in a sudden obsession with 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles, amongst other things. 🤷♀️
I've learned, though, that it's the call beneath the outward behaviour that is the real self care - the silent ‘I need more support than this’, and the equally silent, deeply powerful (often incredibly difficult) response to ourselves; ‘Yes, I will give you whatever you need, even if it's inconvenient, weird, or possibly a bit dorky.’ 😉
I'm joking in a way, but this might be the single most important thing we ever do for ourselves - to not just hear that call, but to respond to it, and not only in that moment, but every single day, as an ongoing practice. Often forgetting, often imperfect, often resistant, often feeling completely ineffective.
Not unlike an art practice, you might say. 😊
If you're feeling called to start this new year with ease, comfort, support, and access to your creativity (because really, who wouldn't want that?!), I'd love to invite you to join us for the 21 Days in My Art World challenge over on Instagram!
Veterans of the challenge will know the surprisingly powerful impact it can have on not just your art practice and your confidence in sharing your work, but with a more general sense of wellbeing. This challenge (or invitation, as I like to think of it) can certainly be a way of taking care of yourself.
Past participants have reported connections they didn't know were possible, new friendships, commissions, sales, solo shows, collaborations, longed-for clarity and confidence in their work, and surprise at what they're capable of.
And you don't have to make a single piece of art for the entire challenge, if you don't want to. 😉 💪🏻
The full details are in
this blog post, or if you're ready to sign up right now, you can click the button below to receive the daily inspiration emails (it's completely free).
Here's the info in brief:
- 21 day challenge/invitation on Instagram with prompts (#21daysinmyartworld) starting January 3rd 2022 to get us all connecting more, clarifying our own processes, and feeling more comfortable with putting our work out there.
- You can join in without signing up for emails, but should you wish to receive daily ideas, resources and encouragement, click here. (There’s also a bonus gift and invitation for those who decide to join us in the Happy Artist Studio after!)
- Help spread the word by sharing the image(s) below, and this link: www.bit.ly/myartworld22. If you tag me please use @taraleaver (NOT my other account). Thank you!
I've also included a couple of images below that you can use to share about it on Instagram. (Right click to download.)
We start January 3rd 2022, there are daily, easy prompts, nothing is compulsory and you don't have to post every day. Check in with yourself and exercise the old self care muscle about what will work best for you!
