Tag: diyartschool

My Plan to Achieve My Goals

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I’ve been thinking of my goals lately, as I mentioned last week. Working to achieve my goals is a bit like problem solving. The goals are where I want to be, and the problem is how to get there. Just like when putting together a jig-saw puzzle, there are tools I need to solve my problems. For a puzzle, I need a large, flat surface and good light and, if I’m lucky, maybe there’s a picture of the completed puzzle. For a goal, I need tasks, habits, and attitudes.

Tasks are the steps I will take to reach the goal. But, if the steps are too large, they are overwhelming. They need to be broken down into smaller steps. I have read that you need to break down the steps into smaller tasks until you look at the task and think, “I can do that.”

It works best when I schedule a time to regularly work on the tasks. This means developing a habit. A habit is a regularly repeated task. Unfortunately, developing a habit is a little harder than simply completing a single task.

There are little tricks that help. One thing I do is try to piggy-back off a habit that I’ve already established. I’ll add the new habit before or after it or some other daily milestone, like lunch time. It’s easier to only add one or two new habits at a time and keep it small. It’s easier to convince myself to spend five minutes on something on a busy day than to try to spend half an hour.

Of course, on really busy days or weeks, I may drop the habit altogether. At that point, I need to pick it back up when things have calmed down. This is not as easy as it sounds. I have to remember my motivation. Why did I want this habit? It can help to write it down and post it where I can see it.

And this leads to attitude. Sometimes I am too stressed to add one more thing. If I’m self-critical when that happens, it will make things that much harder to pick up again. In an article I recently read, https://www.fastcompany.com/90357248/procrastination-is-an-emotional-problem , it says that the more self-critical we are, the more likely we are to procrastinate. Negativity and stress are huge roadblocks on the path to achieving goals.

The more often we have negative thoughts, the more accustomed our brain will become to that response. It will affect our outlook on life and the work we do. But, we can train the brain to follow different, more positive paths. https://www.forbes.com/sites/vanessaloder/2015/03/18/how-to-rewire-your-brain-for-happiness/#401ada8359ef

Some ways to do this are practicing gratitude, thinking two positive thoughts for every negative, mindfulness, exercise, and creative activities. As we feel more positive about ourselves and our work, it will be possible to get more done. We will feel positive about that, and that creates a positive feedback loop (To replace the previous negative loop).

When putting together a jigsaw puzzle, there is some structure to the process. For example, edge pieces first, sky or other large single colored patches last. Other than that, I tend to take things as they come and work a little bit here and a little bit there as I find pieces that I can fit into place.

Achieving goals is like that. Once I’ve determined the tasks and habits I’d like to develop, it’s time to fit them in place. It may take a bit of work and more than one attempt to find the best fit. And then something might knock all the pieces off the table and I have to start again.

But, if I can keep working on my attitudes in the background and stay positive, I’m less likely to quit. And if I don’t quit, I haven’t failed, no matter how long it takes. That’s my plan to achieve my goals. Wish me luck.

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Music is Great

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As I type this, I’m listening to music. The three cockatiels who live in the cage behind me are chirping their approval. They chirp loudly whenever I sit at my computer to remind me to play some music for their entertainment.

I don’t always work to music. However, it’s nice to do sometimes. Music seems to make it easier to tap into that timeless, emotional, artistic part of my brain.

Sometimes I worry that adding a soundtrack makes me think my work is better than it is. I think that maybe I’ll use the music as a crutch, and neglect to add the emotional cues to my work, relying on the music, even though the reader won’t have that benefit. I always make sure to reread my work without listening to music, just in case.

There is no denying that music adds to my creativity. I do most of my brainstorming for my cartoons at my children’s orchestra and choir concerts. There is something about live music that just makes it more alive and electric somehow. Listening to recordings just isn’t the same.

Recordings are great too, though, when live music isn’t available. It’s nice to have music on demand. Often, I just want to hear a particular song or three, and it’s so nice to be able to listen to it right then. Technology can be awesome.

Music can be a comfort, a support, an encouragement. It reinforces memories and influences emotions. It’s pretty powerful. Of course, music is an art form itself, and musicians are artists. Speaking to emotions, the heart, the memory, is one of the things that art does best.

Since artists are people too, the art they experience affects their emotions and in turn affects their art. I believe that just as music can inspire me and others as we write, paint, and create, there are musicians who are influenced by writers and painters and other artists as they create their art. Seeing, hearing, experiencing the work of other artists is inspiring.

So, if you are seeking for a boost of creativity, listening to music is a great place to start. Which music? Well, whatever music you find inspiring. I assume that depends on what you need at the moment. I know I listen to a variety of different things at different times.

Do you listen to music as you work? Does it boost your creativity? What kinds of music do you like to listen to?

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When Other People Don’t Understand

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I think it’s human nature to want to be understood. It’s part of why we tell stories and create art and explain things. And yet, I’m not sure that we can completely understand other people without the ability to read minds.

That’s why, even when people are trying really hard to understand, they sometimes don’t quite get it. Often, people aren’t trying really hard. Sometimes they think they already understand, or at least understand well enough. Sometimes they are too busy or don’t think whatever-it-is is worth the effort.

With art, this may mean that your loved ones belittle or resent the time and money you spend on your work. Even simple daily sketching costs money in sketchbooks and writing utensils. Once you add color, the costs just go up.

The time spent adds up as well. I’ve found that anything that takes a loved one’s time and attention away isn’t always tolerated. It’s easy to selfishly want a loved one available whenever you are available.

There are times you can invite your loved ones to participate in your art. I sometimes paint and draw with or alongside my children. I share my comics with them and ask if they’re funny. I invite my children to read my stories and tell me what they think. My husband works on my website and does digital coloring for me.

But, a lot of times, art is a solitary activity. From what I’ve read (in the amazing book “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain,” by Betty Edwards), that shift into right-brained art space taps into a different part of the brain than the part that does the talking. I can sometimes try to talk while I work, but I trail off mid sentence, or zone out when the other person is talking. Or I say, “Just a minute, let me just…” and then I start working and forget I was talking to someone at all.

I’m still learning. Maybe talking and painting is easier for better artists. I don’t know. I’ll let you know in a couple of decades.

Denying your desire to create in order to please others isn’t a good long term solution. From my experience, the times I thought I was too busy for art weren’t good for me. I felt guilty that I’d stopped working on my art. I resented the things that kept me away from it. During the stressful times, I needed that escape, and nothing else really substituted all that well.

And so, to preserve your relationships and continue to create art, you need to communicate. You need to share your needs and your goals and what they require. You also need to be willing to listen and understand where other people are coming from. Often, compromise is necessary. Listen, think, communicate, pray, and find a way.

I’m lucky, and my family is very supportive. However, getting here has required, and continues to require, a lot of communication. Things that seemed obvious to me have turned out to be not so obvious and need to be explained. Things I thought were important turned out to be not so important after talking them through.

And so, one of the ultimate, important art tools turns out to be communication. Unless you’re in the middle of creating art. Then it doesn’t work so well. So, pick a better time. Choosing an appropriate time and place to talk is part of communication, too.

Do you feel like your loved ones understand your art? Have you found ways to include them? What compromises have you made to fit art into your life? Can you talk and create art at the same time?

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Life in Transition

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Spring is changing to summer here. The school year is ending. I have a few weeks before my children are out of school and my schedule and routine will change.

Life is full of changes, big and small. People move. Their family size changes. They go on trips. They try something new, and stop doing things that aren’t working for them.

From my comic diaries on 8-25-18, as we left for Yellowstone National Park.

Even good changes can be stressful. However, there are ways to cope with change and make the transition easier. This will cut down on the stress and help with recovery time.

First, look ahead. Unexpected change is especially difficult. Like a driver scanning the road ahead for potential problems, look at the future and possible changes that may occur. Using my upcoming change as an example, the school year ending, how will that impact my schedule? What would my daily routine look like after the change? What things will need to be different?

Second, make a plan. This works even for surprise changes. As soon as you know there is going to be a change, you can plan for it. What are my goals? How can I achieve them now? What steps will I need to take? How is it different than before?

Watercolor painting of the Mississippi River as we saw it on a summer-long vacation to Wisconsin.

Third, follow up on your plan. If you know your goals and the steps you need to take to achieve them, then it’s time to follow through. I want to continue to practice art. I know that with the kids home, I will have less time to myself during the day. So, I need to get my practice in earlier before I get caught up in projects and such.

Looking ahead, and knowing this is my plan, I can brainstorm different ways to make sure it happens. I might want to try out different times and see what works best. I might want to set alarms on my phone. I could plan incentives like a walk to the park or a cup of peppermint tea for if I get my work done by a specific time.

Other changes may require dropping art for a time and planning on when you can pick it back up. Or it may mean dropping some things and not others. Or changing what you are doing. Or combining things.

When you don’t think about how to handle the change, it is all to easy to let everything go. Months later, you look around and realize how long it’s been since you last painted or sketched or wrote anything. At that point, momentum is against you, and it becomes increasingly difficult to pick anything up. Your life has filled itself up with other things and you’ve become comfortable with the way things are. To pick things back up would require another change.

Watercolor painting of Mount Rushmore as we saw it on a summer-long vacation to Wisconsin.

As difficult as it is, any planning you can do will help. Remember what is important to you. Remember your goals and dreams. Think about what it will take to achieve them, and then work with the change. Perhaps, once you’re on the other side and the stress is over, you’ll be glad for the chance it gave you to reaffirm your goals and think about how to best reach them.

Watercolor painting of Little Big Horn as we saw it on a summer-long vacation to Wisconsin.

What changes are you coping with? What are your plans to achieve your goals despite the change? How will you follow through with those plans?

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Gifts

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I’ve received many gifts over the course of a lifetime. A Strawberry Shortcake doll. Homemade doll clothes. A friendship bracelet. Breakfast in bed. Flowers picked from the yard. Homemade blankets. Cookies. Little notes. Kind words. Books. Trips. Time with loved ones.

When thinking of gifts, it’s easy to focus on things I can remember someone giving me. But I’ve also been given gifts I don’t remember getting. Life. Love. Talents.

Talents are a strange sort of gift. Like love, they are best appreciated when they’re shared. But how do you know what talents you have? You can’t see them. Often they don’t seem obvious.

Of course, there are the lucky few who seem to have it easy. They discover their talents young and don’t look back. For the rest of us, it’s not so simple.

Growing up, I had a lot of hobbies and interests. It was hard to pick one thing that I admired/ liked to do/ did best. I still feel like I’m trying to decide what direction to go in. Will I paint more portraits? Edit those novels and try to do something with them? Submit more cartoons to magazines?

And what of the less obvious talents? I’d like to be kinder and a better listener. I’d like to remember people’s names and be on time for things.

It’s hard to know where to direct the little time and energy I have. How will I best use the gifts I’ve been given and share them with others? Which gifts do I really have?

In the past, I’ve tried to make lists. I’ll write down the things people have said I’m good at, things I like to do, things I wish I could do. I think of the things I hate to do. What’s the opposite? Do I want to do that?

I’ve asked people close to me what they think I’m good at. This is not as helpful if you ask them for three words that describe you. Then you get answers like “hermit” which aren’t helpful at all. Trust me.

At this point, my plan is to choose a talent or two to focus on. Then I find little ways to use, develop, and share my talent. Baby steps. The joy I’ve received through trying to develop my talents is yet another gift. Talents are gifts that keep giving the more you share them. Like love. Talents are strange like that.

What is the best gift you’ve received? What talents do you have? What talents do you wish you had? How do you develop and share your talents?

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Art Is Zero-Calorie Stress Relief

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I have written about how making time to practice art can be stressful. Learning new things, adding one more thing to your schedule, and going through that phase where everything you make looks terrible aren’t always very fun. But, that does not mean that art has to be a difficult chore.

While perfecting skills and technique are important, they are just one side of art. Art can be joyful. I think it’s good to experience both sides of art.

Kathy Decker told me once that when she paints she feels like she’s in another world and she could go on for hours. Making art can help you forget things for a moment, just like a good nap or watching a good movie. It can be a form of meditation, giving your brain a break from overthinking.

According to studies, making art can reduce stress hormones and release dopamine. It’s a healthy way to relieve stress. ( See: https://news.artnet.com/art-world/art-reduces-stress-says-study-521051 and https://bebrainfit.com/benefits-art/ )

When trying to relieve stress with art, the important thing is to have fun. Let go of the need to produce something that looks good. Embrace the process and not the product.

So, what are some of the things I do when I am making art for fun and stress-relief?

I doodle whatever comes to mind.

I color in pictures with crayons or colored pencils or markers.

I draw something for my kids like mazes or paper dolls.

I play with salt dough.

I fold origami figures.

I write the names of my family members in swoopy fancy handwriting.

I press flowers in books.

I take close up pictures of plants. (Especially trees. I love trees.)

I work through a problem with collage.

I read an art book or visit a museum.

I draw pictures of whatever is stressing me out as goofy-looking monsters.

I draw pictures of my favorite characters from stories I’ve read or movies I’ve watched. They do not have to look very much like the characters at all.

I do an art or craft project with my children.

I write out a favorite quote in fancy letters. Sometimes I decorate it.

I try a new braid or hairstyle with my daughter’s hair.

I sing or whistle, often to my pet birds, who like any music and are a fabulous audience.

Sometimes I attempt dancing to music, but only if I’m home alone. It’s a lot of fun when you don’t worry about looking goofy.

I try to draw things the way a three-year-old would.

I look for faces and shapes in wood grain or textured tile or tree bark or clouds.

I try to make a flower chain. Or a chain out of candy wrappers.

I draw a map of someplace imaginary.

I could go on. There are so many things to try. Do a search for art projects or artist dates or art therapy, and you would probably find more things than you’d ever have time to do.

It’s important to regularly find joy in art, and it’s good for your stress levels too. I think making sure to do something fun at least once a week is a good plan. If you’re feeling extra stressed, have fun more often. It doesn’t have to take long, and it really can help.

How does art bring you joy? What art projects do you do just for fun? How often do you try to do something artistic just for the joy of it?

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