Inspiration

I read  Lyric Kinard's newsletter this week about having bliss-ters.  This really struck a chord with me. 

She said  'Where is the bliss? I know what my calling is.... so where's the bliss? It's the peak of summer and I'm tired. I'm keeping the children occupied, trying to keep the house from devolving into complete chaos, struggling to meet deadlines. My art-making feels much the same way. I'm barely slogging through the things that must be done. Aren't I supposed to feel bliss every time I sit down to my sewing machine or pick up a paint brush? '

My life in a nutshell at the moment.  I could add to that that I am tired constantly,  children sick for weeks, husband working a lot,  and only so many hours in every day to get things done.  It is almost overwhelming for me. So what do I do to solve the problem?......nothing.  I carry on doing things the same way even if they aren't working.  I don't feel bliss at the moment when I do art work it feels like a chore waiting for me.

Lyric continued further in her article to say 'Professor Thompson learned something very interesting.Follow your blisters "The pain and burdens and sacrifice were not threats to their sense of calling—they were part of it. The work was meaningful because of the trials and burdens. That is an important lesson. We can’t expect deep meaningfulness from our calling unless we are willing to assume its burdens as well." A number of years after Joseph Campbell coined the phrase "follow your bliss" he quipped, "What I should have said was, 'follow your BLISTERS!'"

Here was a aha! moment for me.  I need to embrace these times and work though them.   I need to use these times as part of my learning experiences when I make art.   How can I do this because it is easier said than done.  Here are some Ideas I am going to try. 

• Schedule time each day to do art work.  Keep my commitment to art even if I don't feel like doing it.
• Take short breaks while I work to refresh (but remember I have to go back to it again within 5 minutes!)
• Don't let other things like computer distract me from what I could be doing.
• Make small projects to keep ideas fresh and exciting and manageable
• Embrace the good and the bad as part of the learning
• Make a small bliss-ter art piece
• Change how I think about the hard times

What works for you?  Please leave a comment and let me know

If you want to read more of Lyric's newsletters follow this link and join for free.  It is well worth the read.http://www.lyrickinard.com/blog.html