burn out – Midlife Creative

When I find myself not writing or reading, I know something is lacking. Like the earth needs water, one of my refreshing wells is words. Words bring meaning to emotions and experiences. However, when words are not enough, simply BEING in a place of beauty and taking it in feels like gulping cold, clean water on a hot day.

These dry times are bound to come. How can I bloom in the desert?

As I wait for some grand inspiration, some mountain top moment, some new work to present itself, I’m reminded that BEING in the PRESENT moment is what life is all about. Life is about seeing every landscape as beautiful and meaningful. The deserts, the mountains, the oceans, the forests, and the plains. Flowers do still bloom in the desert.

Here are some things I am doing to keep my creativity alive and blooming.

Choosing to do the small things.
Take photos of things that draw me in
Watering some flowers and plants and watching them grow Learning something new – ukelele for me Resting in a hammock near water.
Taking my kids to a sculpture park and bead store.

Speak kindly to yourself Avoid “should haves” and telling myself I am “lazy”. Remind myself of how far I’ve come.

Dream on Paper What would I do if there was nothing stopping me? Where would I like to be in 10 years? Write it down.

Do something that scares you For me this means not being afraid to approach new people and speak up in public. It means going down the water slide when I’d rather take a nap on my towel. It means trusting my instincts and pushing ahead instead of doubting myself. It means having hard conversations instead of smiling and saying “I’m fine” when it’s not fine.

Share one of your ideas with someone else Don’t keep all your dreams inside. Speak at least one dream out loud. If the sharing of your idea isn’t received, try again with someone else. Don’t give up so quickly. One “no” is not a closed door forever. Maybe try a window or look for another way through. Don’t give up.

One of my dreams is to find a way to make income without being in one place, so I can spend a year traveling with my family. Another dream is to write a book.

What are you dreaming of? How are you watering your creativity?

Last summer and fall, I felt alive and full of ideas, words, and inspiration to share. My creative well seemed to be filled to overflowing. I started this blog and a Midlife Creative Facebook group. I also put together a gathering for women called The Artists Way for moms. Today, after 5 months of quarantine with my family if 6, no school, no normal activities, and very little alone time; my creative well feels empty. I’ve found myself less motivated, bored, lonely, and lacking new ideas.

As I pondered how to get some creative energy back, I remembered a practice called The Artist Date that meant a lot to me a year ago. An Artist Date, according to Julia Cameron in The Artists Way, is:

“A block of time, perhaps 2 hours weekly, especially set aside and committed to nurturing your inner artist (a.k.a. your inner child). The artist date is an excursion, a play date that you pre-plan and defend against all interlopers. You do not take anyone on this artist date but you and your inner artist.”

This week I was walking a new trail with my kids and we came to a waterfall that we weren’t expecting. I found my inner child giddy with excitement. We continued along the trail and arrived at the most amazing overlook view of the Mississippi River. The first thought I had was of coming back to the spot by myself on an artist date along with a picnic (something fun like sushi), my journal, and uninterrupted time to stay awhile.

Here are some examples of artist dates.
Hiking, gardening, taking photos, cooking, kayaking, bird watching, rock collecting, trying out a new cuisine, going on a long drive down a country road, rearranging a room in your house, sitting in a candlelit room, listening to a symphony, browsing for hidden treasures at an antique store or estate sale, walking through a farmers market and taking in the colors and smells, riding a horse, arranging flowers, picking berries, looking at art.

Taking time to notice the beauty around you = an artist date

From my experience, the artist date itself may not hold any magic cures for creative burn-out, but it IS helpful in coaxing the hiding inner artist out into the light. We are all born with a creative nature. There just may be times and places in our lives that we are operating in that creativity more than others. The more you give yourself permission to play, the better your inner artist will feel.

I challenge you to schedule an artist date for yourself. If you have kids, get a babysitter. Don’t talk yourself out of it like I did at first by thinking it’s not important. Another temptation will be to cut the 2 hour time short and sneak in a few errands or some grocery shopping. Keep the time sacred. Just as your date wouldn’t want you to cancel or cut out early to get more work done, your inner creative craves undivided attention from you and doesn’t want to be sold short.

Finding a place you haven’t been before can stir up new ideas

As a mom of 4, working from home during quarantine, I’ve had very little alone time. With fall looking like more of the same, it’s more important than ever to get back to scheduling artist dates as a way of being kind to myself.

How do you take time for yourself? Do you see a difference when you do? I’d love to hear what your idea of the perfect artist date would be?