The Power of Now (1)
No time like the present
The Universe is reminding me that the only time is now. It’s asking me to focus on what is important, now. It’s reminding me that in this moment, right here, right now, I am well, I am calm. When I open my mind to what has been and what may come I slide away from the blessing that is this precious moment.
Creativity comes from being in the moment, losing yourself to the moment. At this time of year those moments can be fleeting, as energy and inspiration can be in short supply; though this week I can feel the light returning and the days getting longer. I feel my energy returning and I can literally see the light as it seeks out corners and lights up my slovenly house keeping!
I have been creating space ready for a new season of inspiration and making. I have been tidying spaces and getting my home and studio prepared for a busy February getting my new course - A Spring Sketchbook Online Retreat ready for launch. In the planning I remind myself that there is no time like the present to start. No time like now to do one thing.
In this moment right now where is your head? Where is your heart? Are the two aligned? I think that is often where I lose momentum. Aligning the two, with a few preparations can get me in a better place to sink into the spaciousness of being creative. When my head is worrying or doing, it is rutting with my heart that wants to be curious and play, and be. It’s like a battle of wills between my adult-self and my inner artist-child but I must remind myself of my purpose, my dreams and my intentions. I need to open up the moments for art making. This means putting down the things that cause me tension and taking my attention away from tasks, people, places that zap my energy. Each day I need to remind myself that I have a choice and the choice is to put things off or seize the now!
It always helps me to centre by doing some breath-work, having a walk, a short meditation or listening to music on my headphones so that I can start to go inwards to the calm place I create from.
What can you put down so that you have more time to create? What can notice, collect, draw or paint in this moment to live a whole-hearted creative life?
Thank you for reading this. I post three free-to-read posts each month and a subscriber post that I publish on the first of every month. It’s a magazine style post where I share, over a three monthly cycle, inspirations, creative wellbeing advice, how to manage creative block and move to creative flow. I share lessons from my online courses in the form of a ‘dose’ of creativity to kickstart your sketchbook practice (next video mini-lesson in March). Coming in 2025 are interviews with other artists on how they use a sketchbook (February) as well as news from my studio and insights into my creative practice. Join my tribe for £5 a month or £50 a year and get access to all my previous posts too.
You write so well about how you feel Helen. I struggle to find the words for my distraction and difficulty settling to painting. I wonder if screen time and so much choice of styles and materials have a part to play in this. I think I need mental blinkers! Thank you for your newsletter and good luck with the exhibition which I hope to come to soon.
Thanks Helen, as always you describe these daily 'struggles', which don't have to be , so accurately.
I've shown myself compassion when I'm tired. I've walked and looked closely. Ive made sketches. I've put down a few bags of judgement! Good luck with your exhibition. X