Trouble Getting Started?

Does this feel relatable?

Fresh art supplies ☑️  A million amazing ideas ☑️  Tons of excitement ☑️

…“I’ll start tomorrow.”

Before you know it 5 weeks have gone by and you’re STILL telling yourself you’ll start tomorrow. Only now you don’t really believe yourself. You’re less excited and starting to question the whole thing.

Starting Something New is Hard --Even When it's ART

Whether it’s a whole new venture or just a new project. Even when the activity is fun and something you actually want to do, like making art. There is just something intimidating about the beginning. Then not taking that first step becomes paralyzing and overwhelming. Soon that lack of movement becomes a self-fulfilling spiral of negativity. The farther you go down this path, the harder it is to start.

Let’s Figure Out the Problem

You want to create, but you’re avoiding. What’s the problem?

My guess is its one or more of the following…

Creative Pressure & Insecurity

You’ve created pressure for yourself that this work is going to be —it has to be —amazing. But your fear says, ‘what if it’s not?’ You start doubting your ideas. They seemed really creative, but maybe they’re not that great. They’re probably not worth wasting good supplies on. Perhaps you’ll just wait for inspiration. The perfect idea will come to you and THEN you can start.

Art Project Perfection

You have the perfect idea but now the project feels too big and important. You’ve built it up in your mind and you’ve told yourself it has to look and be a certain way. Nothing less is acceptable. It’s feels precious and you don't think you can live up to it and falling short is simply not an option. You're not sure where to start. So it just lives as an idea, perfect in your mind.

Your Studio Environment

Your studio could be an art nook in the living room, its own room, or live in a box so it's mobile. What ever it looks like, something in your space may be holding you back. Perhaps it's too messy, perhaps it’s too clean. Or it could be that every time you go to your space to start, you leave frustrated with no progress. When this happens no matter how nice the space, our subconscious starts to associate that space with frustration and failure. Those feelings then come online as we enter.

Life's Distractions Getting in the Way

I’m talking about the rest of your life, which may have nothing to do with your art. When we come to art we access a vulnerability in ourselves. If we are dealing with something challenging in our life, those emotions often flood out when we create. The walls we put up to get through our day-to-day are down and there is no looking away from whatever we are dealing with in our life. This could be a big life event, or a million little things that are drowning you.

4 'Start Now' Strategies

Before we spiral in our negative thoughts, I have some solutions for you, 4 'Start Now' Strategies. These strategies will get you past that resistance barrier and once you try them you will have already started!

1. Get Hands On & Play

The first step is to PLAY. Stop taking yourself and your ideas so seriously. Remember that this is supposed to be fun! Think about how you created as a child, channel that energy.

Intuitive Creatives

For intuitive creatives this approach is very natural. Simply get out your materials and follow your instincts. In fact perhaps make something ugly to chase out the negative feelings and release all that pressure. Get messy and have fun! And then realize, you’ve started… success!

Planning Creatives

For planners, you can do this too. However, as I planner while I find this practice cathartic it doesn’t really help me actually start the work I want to do. So I recommend for planners to start out the same way to warm up.

Then start playing with your ideas, work on them in different media, explore and experiment. Use your original idea as a jumping off point and play. Knowing your original idea isn’t going anywhere and you can always go back to it. Either way, playing with the idea will rejuvenate your enthusiasm for the project and this very act is your first step.

2. Go INTO the Studio

Change the energy of your space. Remember it doesn't matter what that space actually is, you can change how you react to it. I want you to engage with that space without the pressure of trying to start a project. I first recommend you clean up the space. Even if you thrive in chaos, no one likes to work in dirt (well except potters ) Even then, clean your space and clean your tools. If you have unopened supplies you are saving, open them up! Your life is the special occasion. And most art supplies don’t get better with age, so use them!

Then add ‘inspirational assets’ around your space. Things that make you happy. Fun quotes, pics of family or friends, other art, vision boards, stickers, stuffies, wacky objects from the thrift store, whatever you want! Only add things that make you smile & inspire you. These things will change the energy of your space.

Finally, I want you to set out some supplies. Not everything but a few things that are especially fun to play with. Set them out in a way that feels inviting, so the next time you enter the space you WANT to sit down and start!

3. Go OUTSIDE the Studio

4. Discovery Journaling for Creative Resistance

• Is it the art? How are you feeling about the ideas you have?
• Is it you the artist? How do you feel about your capability as a creative?
• Is it you the human? What is going on in your life right now?
  • Make a list of all the stuff you are dealing with.
  • Are there possible solutions? What steps could you take?
  • Are there no solutions? How can you shift your mindset or response?
  • Do you need help? Can you ask a family member or friend?
  • Do you want/need professional help? (I think everyone should be in therapy.)

It's Time for YOU to Start!