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It's difficult to be a human being. It's tough to be an artist. So many times we put out so much that we end up crashing, drained, into mindless activities. Here are four things that will fill your tanks, bring you peace, and just might make being an artist (and a human) a little easier.
1.Live now.
It seems that we chase happiness unceasingly and are never happy now, right now. Maybe that's the way we've been trained. Maybe our culture did this to us. Any way you look at it, we all seem to hold the idea in our heads that we are going to be happy 'someday'. When asked "What thing about humanity surprises you the most?", Dalai Lama answered: "Man, because he sacrifices his health in order to make money; then sacrifices his money to recuperate his health. Then he is so anxious about the future that he doesn't enjoy the present, and as a result, he doesn't live in the present or the future. And he lives as if he's never going to die and then dies having never really lived." Live now. Relish the present.
2.Enjoy everything.
Learn to appreciate the small things. If you're an artist, you probably have a very keen eye, and notice things that other people don't. Don't just let your observations pass you by - slow down. Look at the sky once in a while. Notice the small things. Think about aspects of life that are trivial. Pay attention to people who are usually ignored. You'll be more at peace.
3. Connect.
Try not to pass up opportunities to connect with people, whoever they are. Your friends and family, certainly. But also the bank teller. Your waiter. Your co-workers. Do your best to connect with them as is appropriate and you'll enrich their lives, and be enriched yourself.
You don't have to be a social butterfly, and you don't have to feel guilty if you don't connect with everyone, but connect with someone.
4. Say no to guilt.
Then say no again. And again. Most of us have an amazing capacity for guilt. We feel guilty over relationships going (or gone) bad, we feel guilty about the things we don't have time to do, we feel guilty about what we do in our free time, we feel guilty about who we are, and (I know this to be true, because I've done it) we feel guilty about feeling too guilty. Just say no. Learn to recognize guilt. Say no to it. When you see it creeping back in, say no again. Become a guilt ninja - every time you see it show its beady little eyes, karate chop it in the face. Just say no.
Andrew Miller is an artist and writer devoted to helping other artists overcome their creative blocks, even while overcoming his own. If you would like more free, awesome info that will help you revitalize your artistic career, overcome creative blocks, and discover (or rediscover) your passion for art, check out http://www.artisticadd.com/. If you would like more articles like this delivered to your mailbox, sign up here: http://eepurl.com/esnFk
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