Ever had a secret desire to branch out and try something you’ve thought about doing? Dreamed about doing? Almost did? But didn’t?
Don’t think you have the time? The know-how? The energy?
My colleague Dan Blank has the perfect jump-start solution to begin creating meaningful experiences: Give yourself permission.
He advocates trying something new – something that requires punching out of your self-contained silo and tolerating a little risk. Doing something you may not feel quite qualified to do.
Tackle this new endeavor in bits. Dan suggests breaking it down: try doing what you are attempting to do for fifteen minutes a day. Ten minutes a day. Even just five minutes a day. But whatever time slot you choose, make your creative practice a priority.
I took Dan’s advice. I searched for a mixed media/collage class within driving distance to my house. And voila! It meets once a week in the afternoon – which does not interfere with my morning productive writing time. And if you must miss a class? You can make it up in the next session.
I immediately enroll. And on the morning of the first class, the caterpillars morphed into dancing butterflies in my tummy.
I’m definitely the least talented in the group and certainly the least experienced. And I have to write down every detail of every product used and technique taught lest I forget it by the time I get home.
In-between the weekly classes, I dabble in small increments of time throughout the day – with alcohol ink and blender on Yupo paper. With Nevr Dull that transforms magazine pictures into usable background for collages.
I have no firm goal. I’m just messing around. Experimenting. Puttering around. Letting my hand roam free. And my thoughts.
I’m literally and figuratively “repainting the canvas of my life.”
Just another way to….
Preserve Your Bloom,
Iris Ruth Pastor