week 2.
"this week addresses self-definition as a major component of creative recovery. I may find myself drawing new boundaries and staking out new territories as my personal needs, desires, and interests announce themselves. The essays and tools are aimed at moving myself into my personal identity, a self-defined me". - Julia Cameron
key exercises.
I challenge you to do a simple collage in Milanote with photos of any type: family, yourself, food, travelling....
it's free!
the artist date.
Time to make a collage with my outfits in Milanote.
Loved the result and it was a great activity to do solo to enjoy yourself.
"OMG, content is cooking from the start”
week 1
week 3
emotional reflections.
Week 2 hit me much harder than I expected, mostly because it forced me to look at how I let outside forces dictate my life. The chapter talks about how trusting your creativity can actually be threatening. When you finally step out of the algorithmic rat race to do things your own way, self-doubt immediately creeps in, trying to lure you into self-sabotage. But I am learning that an artist is happiest when feeling a genuine sense of security, not from the fleeting validation of social media metrics.
The most painful realization this week was understanding why I am so blocked. Often, our creativity gets entirely paralyzed because we are too busy falling in with other people’s plans for us. Whether it is the demands of a social media platform, fleeting micro-trends, or the expectations of an audience, I realized I constantly focus on my responsibilities to others instead of my responsibility to myself. We are so conditioned to think that this constant people-pleasing and self-sacrifice makes us "good people." The truth? It just makes us incredibly frustrated people. Because blocked creatives are so easily manipulated by guilt, it is terrifyingly easy to let our own art take a backseat just to keep everyone else happy.
The most beautiful (and terrifying) part of this week is starting to see the shift. I noticed a profound reluctance in myself to take seriously the possibility that the universe just might be cooperating with my new and expanded plans. It feels so much safer to just expect the usual burnout. But what if this recovery actually works? What if it's safe to protect my energy? I am actively choosing not to let self-sabotage win this time.