Creative Business 101: The Science of Willpower

by Linda | Mar 21, 2012 | my creative journal

It might seem like a completely duh! realization, but I was thinking about how often we know what we should be doing, but just can’t get ourselves to do it.

Whether in our creative businesses or everyday life, we aren’t always applying all the good knowledge we have at our disposal. We all know that we should exercise more and eat healthier for example. Why is it that we can all agree on things we should be doing, but can’t carry them out all the same?

We can all set intentions and goals, but we don’t always follow through. Those darn new years resolutions! I started to think about the lack of willpower and wondered if I was lacking that strength in my character. Was there something wrong with my pre-frontal cortex? I found myself wondering about the science of it all.

So I decided to read The Willpower Instinct (Amazon affiliate link) by Kelly McGonigal Ph.D. I’ve come across her articles before and wanted to learn more. I appreciate how she’s taken scientific studies and boiled them down to plain English, so that we can actually apply the learning to our lives. It turns out, we can strengthen our willpower by learning more and doing exercises to strengthen it, as with most things in life.

I’m going through the book by tackling a chapter a week, working through the exercises and challenges. It’s a bit like The Artist’s Way, discussing a topic/issue and providing exercises a chapter a week, simulating a workshop. Of course, the difference is that this willpower book is based on scientific studies in addition to real-life experiences and results of workshop participants. It also encourages the reader to make themselves a science experiment, so we can truly learn through our personal experiences and results.

In our creative businesses, we are often looking for help and motivation to take ourselves to the next level. I started to notice that the gurus and advisors out there, all offer pretty much the same advice. They might twist and turn the topic around, but it’s the same stuff in essence. I realize that different styles of teaching are necessary, because we all learn differently…

… but even before we get to the all the information, we need to get off our butts and take action. That’s really the most important thing and we all talk about it. Beating procrastination and motivating ourselves! There are a lot of tips and tricks out there, but I still didn’t feel like anything went to the core of the issue. Sure, there are many reasons – going down to the level of our inner most fears. But I really wanted to understand the why from a scientific perspective.

Of course, I probably sound like the very thing I’m talking about. Duh, we all know that we have to get our butt into gear. We all know that, but struggle with it and realize it’s a challenge… so how do we get out of that funk? I beat myself down all the time, for not having patience, willpower, the gumption… I dunno what’s wrong. As if I’m missing something and maybe I’m not meant to do these things that I want to do.

From just the introduction and first chapter of the book, I’m learning that it’s a natural human thing to succumb to our temptations. It’s not a judgement on our character. We might have known a bit about that, but it’s even better to hear the science behind it. It lifted a weight off my shoulders, to know that I’m not doomed! How silly, huh? I think when it comes to our personality or character habits… it seems like something we are stuck with, that we can never change who we are. But it’s just not the case. We think of these intangible aspects as separate from getting in physically in shape, for example… but we can change and train our brains. It’s certainly not easy! No pain, no gain!

This week, I’m trying to identify what blocks me from doing what I need to do. Awareness is the first step to change… you have to know where you are standing at this moment, in order to head in the right direction!

Creative Business 101: Back To The Basics

by Linda | Mar 15, 2012 | my creative journal

This week I’ve been going back to the basics, cleaning and clearing to make room for the new in my life. I know it’s all very zen. I think I need it… badly. Besides physical organization, I’m also going back to the foundations in creative play. Trying to simplify my outlook and decompress from deadlines and projects.

I’ve been spending time just playing with paint. Mixing colors and mixing even more. I’m not looking to create a final product. I’m just playing and observing the paint up close.

I love seeing all the colors laid out, the different values and intensities. If I keep mixing this with that, more hues are revealed. Going back to this simple creative process, led me to a big picture realization. There are limitless combinations possible and every little mix changes the original color. But the basic properties are still there, it’s a metamorphosis…

It made me think of people like you and me. Our color is made of our unique combination of experiences. And as we grow and learn, more is added to the mix, changing our color. Each of us is unique and beautiful to look at. Even the seemingly muddy colors, upon closer inspection revealed a beautiful range of tones in the light. Depending what you mix in, you can keep morphing the color. Lighten up, darken up, color up…

I suppose I’m really getting all zen now. Thinking about the basics helps to ground oneself. We can always use a bit of simplicity and build up from there. For now, I just need to play a bit.

How can you benefit from going back to the basics in your creative business? In your life? In your Art?

Decorate and Embellish Your Art Prints

by Linda | Mar 13, 2012 | my creative journal

Many people think of the conservation and preservation of fine art prints, but I want to challenge you to involve yourself in the creative expression and USE those prints. Since offering my Girls With A Message as downloadable printables, a lot of project ideas have opened up for me. I think that involving yourself in the art, not just admiring… brings you into the process and message. I think it’ll mean more, because you’ve put your unique touch into it.

I decided to decorate and embellish my art print, adding that glam that makes me smile with delight. I printed my artwork on photo paper, then printed just the bow of her hair onto cardstock and cut it out. BTW, see the color difference between photo paper and regular cardstock prints below?

I took that cut-out bow and covered it with some pink tinsel glitter – super glam and girly! I love it! Funny how it fits onto the magazine page image that I was using as scrap paper under. She looks mysteriously glamorous…

When my embellishment was completely dry, I put a bunch of foam tape on the back, so that I could attach it on top of my full print.

Working on a separate piece of cardstock means that I can experiment a bit, without directly working on my art print. It also adds an extra 3D pop effect and if you used temporary adhesive, you could probably switch out different decorations as well.

It’s a simple decorative element, but adds so much to the life of the print. A personal touch that makes me look and smile.

How can you decorate and embellish up your 2D images? Add some glitter, pop-up elements, put real earrings on her ears… it’s up to your imagination. Have any ideas to try out?

Creative Art Journaling

by Linda | Mar 10, 2012 | my creative journal

While organizing my bookshelf, I came upon some half-finished journals and sketchbooks. I’m constantly making new journals, trying new papers and formats. So that creates a whole lot of mess when it comes to chronology or any sense of completion. I rarely date pages and work out of order all the time. You can call it freedom, but it’s also chaos.

I also don’t share all my art journal pages because they can be pretty mundane, just a book of my random musings. Or they can be a flood of negative emotions, something I don’t want to post publicly. I don’t shy away from destroying pages or even entire journals. I take them apart and keep only what I like. It’s a way for me to process negativity. As time passes, certain pages don’t hold the same meaning anymore.

Although it may seem unauthentic to edit, there really is no right or wrong way to art journal. And no one says you have to treat them as masterpieces to keep forever, it’s all up to you. And honestly, we edit everything in life! There would be too much to consume otherwise. I personally really like the feeling of cleaning things out, making room for the new.

Of course, I’ve been trying to see things from a different perspective and thought I might try being more systematic. Work in one journal before going to the next. Going for simplicity and positivity in the end. Maybe that would eliminate the need for me to edit after the fact.

What is your creative art journaling process? Have a favorite journal? Do you destroy or toss things out? Would love to know how others keep or don’t keep their sketches/notes/musings.