Developing a Daily Practice.
What is it that you love to do most? What could you do every day? What do you wish you had more time for?
There are many things I wish I could do every day: meditation, exercise, taking walks, drawing, writing, photography… so many things that I could fill all of my days with them and not have time for anything else. The truth is, many of us simply don’t have enough time in our lives to do all the things we love to do. Our plates are full of responsibilities, work, and social commitments. Ask people if they wish they had more time or more money, and you might be surprised by the answer. Time is precious.
I pulled over my car on a drive to take this image. It might not be an award winner, but what’s important is taking the time to create.
Despite my regular struggles with time management and taking on too much at once, I recently realized something. It is possible to do what I love every day. It may sometimes be a challenge, but it is not an impossibility. Let’s take a daily creative practice as an example.
The first thing I learned is that if you want to be creative every day, it doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment. You may have days where you spend an hour or three (or more!) working on your creative pursuits, but it doesn’t have to be like that every day. Just making a little time can go a long way. If you don’t have an hour to do your thing, try making 15 minutes. If you don’t feel you even have that, make it 5. Draw a quick sketch, take a couple photos, write out some thoughts for the next opportunity when you have more time.
You might be thinking that 5 minutes is not enough. You can’t get much done in that time. What’s the point? The point is that taking even a short break to do something creative gives your mind a break. It allows you to focus on something other than work, your schedule, your plans for tonight, your plans for next week, what you’re going to say to that person, whatever it is that your mind is busy thinking about. Making the space to do something you love breaks up the day and can be a great de-stressing technique. It gets you that little bit of practice, it helps you to loosen up, and most importantly, it gives a little burst of joy into your day. I know that I feel a lot better when I make the time, even just a little, to be creative.
It’s easy to find excuses not to do something. But it’s worth the reward of showing up, even on the hard days!
Following a daily practice of anything takes discipline. There are going to be days when there is just too much else going on. Days when you really don’t feel like doing your thing. It can be so hard to stay consistent, even with the things you love to do.
Listen to yourself. Forgive yourself if you miss a day. Talk to your inner self the way you would talk to a friend. If you miss a day or two, that’s okay. It’s going to happen now and then. But keep coming back. There will be bumps in the road, obstacles in your way. As long as you stay on the path and keep returning to your practice, that is what matters. Discipline is not necessarily about keeping something up every day no matter what. It is more about consistent practice. Some days will be good, some days not so good. As long as you keep with it over time, you will have a valuable practice.
Tips for maintaining a daily practice:
Make your practice part of your routine. Schedule the time each day rather than waiting for the right moment to arise.
Set alarms to remind you to take action.
Dedicate a space exclusively for your creativity. If you don’t have your own studio, find an area in your home where you can keep your supplies and practice your art.
Set clear goals. Take baby steps to get to them.
Define your obstacles. Write out a plan of how you will surpass them.
Make it easy for yourself–carry a pocket sketchbook, a small camera, a notebook for writing. Whatever you want to do every day, give yourself the resources to do it.
Reevaluate your priorities. Daily creativity can help you feel more balanced and gives a sense of accomplishment. It is an important part of your day. Remember that.
When you’re practicing your creativity, take notice of how it makes you feel. If you’re struggling to make time for it, think about that feeling. It might be a motivator.
Join a challenge. There are plenty of daily art challenges out there to join. Being part of a community of others with the same goals can be a huge boost to our own practice.
Give yourself prompts. Make a list yourself or find one online. Each day or week, tackle a different topic with your chosen medium.
Enlist a friend. If your circle of friends includes anyone creative, plan some time to work on creativity together. If you both paint or draw, go out together to work en plein air. If you’re both writers, go to a cafe or library together and work on your projects. Having someone to hold you accountable can be hugely helpful.
