Love and devotion are great motivaters, you are absolutely right.
If you feel that you have used your day wisely, without wasting time, it's OK to miss a day of active art practice. You can still look for reference photos, prep paper or canvas, do not an studies, watch an art tutorial, make color triad charts, practice a technique that is giving trouble, etc.
Absolutely, Jo! The not-so-active part, as you’ve mentioned — the looking for reference photos, prepping canvases, etc — is also part of the overall practice. The things one can do on the days when one just needs a bit of a break from the active practice.
Yes! And that makes such a big difference in how you approach your practice, and how you feel about it (and yourself) on the days when you don’t, doesn’t it?
What a lovely way to look at creating as devotion! Love and devotion to the things we love like reading, writing and creating. I too am on a 25 soon to be 26 day streak of drawing. My second longest in 6 years hopefully in a few days it will be the longest.
I have been approaching this 100 days out of the corner of my eye instead of looking straight at it, if that makes sense? Softening my gaze. Words do hold power: like consistency, discipline, challenge and even sometimes "a practice"(think music lessons), make me freeze, they reek of perfection both in the 'have to" daily effort and then it must also be spectacular looking. Trying not to see this as a 100 day "challenge" because really it is about just about showing up on the page today? (Hopefully, for the rest of my days, as a devotion to what I say I love.) However, I do leave the 100 days blurry in the background like "wow that would be nice to see 100 drawings in my book. So, do today's drawing, the rest takes care of itself".
If I go all day without drawing, I don't go to bed until I draw even if it's a 5 or 10 minute drawing that I may, at the end, absolutely dislike. I tell myself, "It's just 5 minutes draw a hotdog or some other silly thing. You can draw a hotdog right?", and my brain says "yes, yes it can." at the end it can look like a carrot and yet the devotion is still there.( i am so glad you wrote this to give us all that word: devotion) It has nothing to do with perfection or what is on the page at all. the 'devotion' is putting 'something' on there and then to note to myself that this "drawing thing" is something I love. I'm not making a big deal out of the drawing, it's just what I do.
It is just like my writing journals have become consistent for two plus years but the quality and quantity of what I put there each day is not. I am hoping the drawing becomes consistent in the same way, in it is just something 'I do' each day I don't think about whether I want to or not it is just something I do. Sort of like putting on your workout clothes so it is easier to workout, something you don't ask your self, "do I want to?", you just do. The workout doesn't have to be perfect you just need to move. So I have my journals and my drawing sketchbook next to me, literally all day ( to take out the resistance to initiate the drawing) and when it feels right I do it and if bedtime hits and I haven't drawn I do a quick drawing with softness not discipline.
I love this Ari! Yes to the soft gaze towards the 100 days. Like something not-quite-seen out of the corner of your eye. Just simple devotion, to show up. No need for perfectionism or harshness. I love how you keep your journals and sketchbook nearby, so that there is no resistance to the writing, to the creating. And the quick 5 minute sketch — devotion! 💕
I lack disciple and routine and all that goes with it. The more I try to focus or fixate on creating an art habit, routine, etc. ...the more I end up procrastinating. I ended up rearranging my art cave partly because it needed it and partly because I wanted to switch it up.
I had fully intended to do the 100 day project. But I couldn't really settle on what to do. Then things ...life happened, and I got sidetracked. So I still haven't started.
But this post really resonates. I like the idea of reframing it as a devotion.
I’m glad it resonates, Lisa. Perhaps what is needed is a softening in how you approach your art. And also, may I offer this: if you can’t think of what to do for 100 days, keep it open-ended: 100 days of art, or 100 days of making, or 100 days of creative explorations — see how that works for you 🫶
I love tho idea of devotion to our projects, that really helps me reframe some of my writing work, I do feel devoted to it but i sometimes struggle with discipline so this is useful!
Devotion is a really interesting distinction, and a powerful one. The term “practice” has generally worked for me, perhaps because I have built myself to accomplish things (as did my parents, who knows which of us is most responsible). But devotion helps to distinguish whether I’m actually committed to a thing, and changes the relationship.
As I sit with it, this is one of the more powerful concepts I’ve encountered in a while. Thank you for sharing it!
That distinction between practice (because you’ve built yourself up to accomplish things) vs things you’re committed to (because you genuinely enjoy them) is so important! We can adhere to practices that we don’t really care for, and then wonder why we still feel a bit unfulfilled.
I've been chewing on this distinction between discipline and devotion. I think this is what I've been missing in my spiritual journey. I grew up a perfectionist, my identity depending on how well at any one specific thing at a time. That translated into loving to check off boxes, even in important things like relationships and religion (which I also believe is a relationship, but I digress). I can start and keep habits easily as long as there is a measurement to attain, a box to check off. But then it just becomes another duty or chore. I've had things I loved doing become chores through this process, even art. Now I can see why. Devotion is okay with missing a day here and there because it's about the relationship, not the routine. Thank you so much!
Ah yes — turning the things we love into tasks to check off. I’ve been guilty of that too, and it is the fastest way to put me off something. I’ve had to figure out ways to build in flexibility while being aware of/working on the things that I enjoy doing. A way to create unstructured structure, if you will!
I love that: "unstructured structure"! Lol. I recently heard about an 80/20 perspective, only aiming for 80% of whatever habit or task & giving yourself grace for the other 20%. I refuse to allow myself to calculate how much 80% is, which allows me a mindset of "I want to, but I don't have to."
I really relate to this one. I also have a hard time with discipline. I love a good checklist and structure, but after a while, those things just feel like more "work" and less inviting. That turns into resentment or just another thing I have to do on top of the 1000 other things I have to do. I don't want my creative practice to become something I dread. I want to get excited about it. I haven't quite figured out what that looks like for me right now, but I know it has a lot to do with how I approach it in the beginning. I love the idea of adding ritual and devotion to it. Somehow make it sacred in a way.
Loved this! I started writing daily painting updates and have already missed a few days. But I'm back and that is what matters. You should check out the artist way!
I absolutely love this mindset shift. Brilliant.
Words make such a difference, don’t they?
Love and devotion are great motivaters, you are absolutely right.
If you feel that you have used your day wisely, without wasting time, it's OK to miss a day of active art practice. You can still look for reference photos, prep paper or canvas, do not an studies, watch an art tutorial, make color triad charts, practice a technique that is giving trouble, etc.
Absolutely, Jo! The not-so-active part, as you’ve mentioned — the looking for reference photos, prepping canvases, etc — is also part of the overall practice. The things one can do on the days when one just needs a bit of a break from the active practice.
I feel sooooo much of this.
So glad this resonates, Rose!
Love this - devotion has such a great energy to it vs the energy of discipline!
Yes! And that makes such a big difference in how you approach your practice, and how you feel about it (and yourself) on the days when you don’t, doesn’t it?
What a lovely way to look at creating as devotion! Love and devotion to the things we love like reading, writing and creating. I too am on a 25 soon to be 26 day streak of drawing. My second longest in 6 years hopefully in a few days it will be the longest.
I have been approaching this 100 days out of the corner of my eye instead of looking straight at it, if that makes sense? Softening my gaze. Words do hold power: like consistency, discipline, challenge and even sometimes "a practice"(think music lessons), make me freeze, they reek of perfection both in the 'have to" daily effort and then it must also be spectacular looking. Trying not to see this as a 100 day "challenge" because really it is about just about showing up on the page today? (Hopefully, for the rest of my days, as a devotion to what I say I love.) However, I do leave the 100 days blurry in the background like "wow that would be nice to see 100 drawings in my book. So, do today's drawing, the rest takes care of itself".
If I go all day without drawing, I don't go to bed until I draw even if it's a 5 or 10 minute drawing that I may, at the end, absolutely dislike. I tell myself, "It's just 5 minutes draw a hotdog or some other silly thing. You can draw a hotdog right?", and my brain says "yes, yes it can." at the end it can look like a carrot and yet the devotion is still there.( i am so glad you wrote this to give us all that word: devotion) It has nothing to do with perfection or what is on the page at all. the 'devotion' is putting 'something' on there and then to note to myself that this "drawing thing" is something I love. I'm not making a big deal out of the drawing, it's just what I do.
It is just like my writing journals have become consistent for two plus years but the quality and quantity of what I put there each day is not. I am hoping the drawing becomes consistent in the same way, in it is just something 'I do' each day I don't think about whether I want to or not it is just something I do. Sort of like putting on your workout clothes so it is easier to workout, something you don't ask your self, "do I want to?", you just do. The workout doesn't have to be perfect you just need to move. So I have my journals and my drawing sketchbook next to me, literally all day ( to take out the resistance to initiate the drawing) and when it feels right I do it and if bedtime hits and I haven't drawn I do a quick drawing with softness not discipline.
I love this Ari! Yes to the soft gaze towards the 100 days. Like something not-quite-seen out of the corner of your eye. Just simple devotion, to show up. No need for perfectionism or harshness. I love how you keep your journals and sketchbook nearby, so that there is no resistance to the writing, to the creating. And the quick 5 minute sketch — devotion! 💕
I lack disciple and routine and all that goes with it. The more I try to focus or fixate on creating an art habit, routine, etc. ...the more I end up procrastinating. I ended up rearranging my art cave partly because it needed it and partly because I wanted to switch it up.
I had fully intended to do the 100 day project. But I couldn't really settle on what to do. Then things ...life happened, and I got sidetracked. So I still haven't started.
But this post really resonates. I like the idea of reframing it as a devotion.
I’m glad it resonates, Lisa. Perhaps what is needed is a softening in how you approach your art. And also, may I offer this: if you can’t think of what to do for 100 days, keep it open-ended: 100 days of art, or 100 days of making, or 100 days of creative explorations — see how that works for you 🫶
I love tho idea of devotion to our projects, that really helps me reframe some of my writing work, I do feel devoted to it but i sometimes struggle with discipline so this is useful!
So glad you found this reframe useful! All the best with your writing projects!
Devotion is a really interesting distinction, and a powerful one. The term “practice” has generally worked for me, perhaps because I have built myself to accomplish things (as did my parents, who knows which of us is most responsible). But devotion helps to distinguish whether I’m actually committed to a thing, and changes the relationship.
As I sit with it, this is one of the more powerful concepts I’ve encountered in a while. Thank you for sharing it!
That distinction between practice (because you’ve built yourself up to accomplish things) vs things you’re committed to (because you genuinely enjoy them) is so important! We can adhere to practices that we don’t really care for, and then wonder why we still feel a bit unfulfilled.
I've been chewing on this distinction between discipline and devotion. I think this is what I've been missing in my spiritual journey. I grew up a perfectionist, my identity depending on how well at any one specific thing at a time. That translated into loving to check off boxes, even in important things like relationships and religion (which I also believe is a relationship, but I digress). I can start and keep habits easily as long as there is a measurement to attain, a box to check off. But then it just becomes another duty or chore. I've had things I loved doing become chores through this process, even art. Now I can see why. Devotion is okay with missing a day here and there because it's about the relationship, not the routine. Thank you so much!
Ah yes — turning the things we love into tasks to check off. I’ve been guilty of that too, and it is the fastest way to put me off something. I’ve had to figure out ways to build in flexibility while being aware of/working on the things that I enjoy doing. A way to create unstructured structure, if you will!
I love that: "unstructured structure"! Lol. I recently heard about an 80/20 perspective, only aiming for 80% of whatever habit or task & giving yourself grace for the other 20%. I refuse to allow myself to calculate how much 80% is, which allows me a mindset of "I want to, but I don't have to."
I really relate to this one. I also have a hard time with discipline. I love a good checklist and structure, but after a while, those things just feel like more "work" and less inviting. That turns into resentment or just another thing I have to do on top of the 1000 other things I have to do. I don't want my creative practice to become something I dread. I want to get excited about it. I haven't quite figured out what that looks like for me right now, but I know it has a lot to do with how I approach it in the beginning. I love the idea of adding ritual and devotion to it. Somehow make it sacred in a way.
Loved this! I started writing daily painting updates and have already missed a few days. But I'm back and that is what matters. You should check out the artist way!