It's been 16 days since the start of #the100dayproject, and if you still don't know what it is, it's an annual creative challenge that forces you to create every day and share what you've created on Instagram...
Except, I'm a rebel. So I'm writing flash fiction and sharing on twitter.
And since I've been following a lot of the people who share their art on twitter, I decided to share some of my favorites today on the blog. :)
Enjoy...
Today marks the beginning of this year's 100 Day project.
(It was created by Elle Luna and The Great Discontent in 2014.)
Starting today, creatives all over the world are going to create something every day for the next 100 days. Whether that's painting or poetry or logos or angel dolls or stories or whatever, it doesn't matter. You can make anything.
The point of this project is to:
If this sounds like FUN, all you need is a theme, and you can start!
OMG, it's been an amazing couple of weeks...
You know how sometimes you get stuck in your craft? Like you've fallen into a really bad pattern or habit that prevents you from enjoying it? Or one that prevents you from even doing what you love the most?
Yeah... I fell into a bad pattern with my writing, so my solution was to start writing every morning, just 500 words, with a writer friend of mine.
We meet, we encourage each other, and sometimes it's more than 500 words, but the point of this exercise is not to write the best thing or the most words, but to show up and relax into it. To get into flow without caring so much about the outcome, as we so often do when we blog and write for money.
My goal was to stop caring so much about how good or bad my writing is.
I'm a writer/artist with no identifiable style. How do I find it?
My style of writing/etc. is boring/underwhelming/not very good. How can I write/create more like you/her/him?
Etc.
We're going to take on these (really) common limiting beliefs among the creative community and figure out how to get past them once and for all. Because on the other side of these lies your personal creative freedom.
In this case, the grass is greener on the other side.
So when I asked on twitter what you guys wanted to learn about, the answer was loud and clear - better creative habits. :)
And it's totally normal for us all to want that seeing as creatives aren't famous for being super productive, how, are we? What we are famous about is being moody and cutting our ears off. Or becoming alcoholics.
If you think about it, creativity can drive some people to madness, but it can also drive other people to success. I believe it's a choice, in the end.
So today I am answering your request and digging into your creative habits.
We'll discuss how habits work, where to find the answers we are looking for, how to dig deeper to the root cause instead of just treating the symptom, and finally, discuss something I like to call a tipping (or avalanche) habit.
At the end of the article, you'll also be able to sign up for the training!
You know how I always say we should go with our natural ways?
Well... turns out there IS an exception and I have just found it. And since I promised myself to always share my lessons with you in my emails, today I'll tell you how I had to go against my Natural Way this summer! *gasp*
I know, I know... it's like REBELASHPEMY.
Let me explain...
It's a country song, called I Hope You Dance, performed by Lee Ann Womack.
Here are some of the words that touched me:
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Livin' might mean takin' chances, but they're worth takin'
Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth makin'
Don't let some Hellbent heart leave you bitter
When you come close to sellin' out, reconsider
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
It's official. Technology has taken over the world. We are hooked 24/7.
If you're not tapping away on your laptop - like I'm doing right now - your face is glued to your phone or your smart watch, or you're glaring at a huge screen. Whether that's your home computer or your TV, it doesn't matter. You probably need to see the eye doctor because your eyes are scratchy and leaking, and you don't want to admit it.
What is worse, your mind has become a reflection of what you consume, and what you consume is mindless listicles and how-to advice. No original thought!
Why do you think coloring is trendy? I mean, why would adults choose to revert back to childhood? And why is everyone obsessed with print books and magazines all of a sudden? Why do modern creatives suddenly need to go on retreats in Nature?
Every time I talk to a creative, this one thing pops up.
It's a BIG DEAL. It's the reason for most creative blocks. The reason you can't create at full capacity. The reason for my many failed attempts at productivity. It's important that you recognize it for what it is and work on eliminating it from your life once and for all. Otherwise it will keep ruining your creative life and blocking your creative genius.
I am talking about PRESSURE. But not just any pressure... Not the kind of pressure that comes with deadlines or limitations. I'm talking about the kind that comes with expectations - your own and those of others.
Have you noticed how every week a different topic is trending?
You can very easily see this if you're on twitter every day, even just for a few minutes because suddenly everyone is talking about the same thing. And I'm not talking about some kind of event or you know, the latest stupid thing twitter is doing... I'm talking about a topic that can be seen from many different perspectives. The latest popular theme has been "the fetishization of passion" as Elizabeth Gilbert calls it in this podcast episode.
She says that it's dangerous to put so much pressure on passion because it was never meant to carry it. There's a scary trend of people wanting their passions and creative talents to become their full-time jobs...
