Listen To Yourself
An autumn day in my back yard - © Michael Warth
As I read the online template for this post, and stare at the first line that reads, “Enter a post title…”, I am quickly reminded of how much I really need to do and how overwhelmed I am feeling. I mean, why would entering or coming up with a post title drive me to ponder my time?
As with most blog posts I’ve written over the years, I almost never start with the post title. I find it counter-productive to write freely if I have it all planned out and the title is already determined. Sort of an analogy of life too. As organized as I am about my schedule, I like to be a free-thinker, and allow my art to feed my soul rather than plan ever aspect of my creative work. I often sit in my studio waiting for the muse to whisper something inspiring in my ear.
More often than not, I find myself in a rush to find studio time. Monday through Friday is almost a period of lost art production for me. When the weekend gets here, I am exhausted mentally and physically. There is always something that needs done. The leaves - the damn leaves! I live surrounded by old growth trees and thousands of acres of state forest land. Mostly big oak trees that tower over my lawn and maple trees that just keep making leaves to fall off the branches. When the leaves fall, about 1.5 acres of lawn needs cleaned or I’ll have dirt for a lawn when Spring arrives; so no, I can’t just leave them on the ground.
For quite some time now I have had terrible energy levels. A quick Google search tells me that I need to get good sleep, eat well, get exercise, and drink enough water. Easy enough, right? Alternatively, some medical professionals might even say there could be something wrong. I have several friends close to my age who’ve had clogged arteries and even a few of them have already had heart attacks. All of which should be a reminder to take care of myself. No, I’m going to say it, it should be a fucking alarm to me and encourage me to take care of myself.
With all the things that need done, and the end of year celebrations with family and friends, the hustle and bustle on every corner, and the feeding frenzy that goes on in the stores this time of year, I am certain it will be January before I might get quality studio time. But then, I will be battling the snow and waiting for Spring. All of this is a never ending cycle of “when will I finally have time to paint!”
I write this post not as a rant, but rather a reminder. All of us are busy and ultimately must find time for the things that matter most. Even when you feel like you need to be doing something else, you are right where you need to be. I could go on and on about what I should be doing. Truth be told, I think my body is telling me I need a break. Not a long break, but at least one where I can start to focus on my health a bit more, and getting back on track as an artist with a full time job.
I’ll probably eat more than I should over the next few months. I’ll probably waste time on a couch watching a movie or a new series on Netflix. I’ll wish I had more studio time this weekend as soon as I sit down in my office at work Monday. Most likely, I won’t start the exercise routine I need. I’ll probably not drink enough water either.
What I will do, soon after publishing this post, is put one foot in front of the other and start trying to get better at doing the tings that matter most. I’ll start working on how to manage my studio time better with all the new things I know I need to add to my schedule (i.e. exercise, sleep, water, free time, etc). Step number one for me this evening is to take a look at what I need to do or stop doing so that I can get more time at the easel to make art.
I wish you all a wonderful season of feasting, gift-giving, and time with family and friends. Don’t forget to take care of yourself and do what makes you happy. Rushing around and just doing the things you think you need to do are doing nothing for your soul. If your body is telling you something, take a minute and listen. Living life is about enjoying yourself, not killing yourself to achieve everything you think you need to become a success.
