Grace Mendez, Creativity Coach, CZT

Did you enjoy your day?

Today’s journal prompt is a simple one:

What did you enjoy today?

Write about it in your journal. If you don’t have a journal write about it in a spiral notebook or even on a grocery bag. It doesn’t need to be fancy or formal. The act of writing it down adds power to the words.

My list for today looked like this:

I enjoyed the sun. I took Olivia out for a short walk and she enjoyed being outside as well.

For breakfast I had an apple, orange, carrot, spinach, blueberry, whey powder and cocoa powder smoothie. I started grinding up my vitamins in the smoothie and they don’t upset my stomach anymore so I am grateful for that.

I worked on some art on multimedia paper and found that I didn’t like working on that brand of paper. The process of laying down the paint on the paper was enjoyable.

Creating the journal page border was soothing and rhythmic.

I made plans to listen to go to Union Square to see live music tomorrow with a good friend.

When you realize what made an enjoyable day, the key is to bring more of it to your life when ever possible.

The last couple of weeks I had an uninvited and unwelcome visitor to my art table.

He has been here before and I am sure he will come again.

I am talking about the Inner Critic.

The voice of self-doubt.

The voice that says:

• What’s the point?
• Your art is no good.
• Who do you think you are?
• How can you expect to help other people if you can’t be a good role model?

How the Inner Critic left and some of what I did in the meantime:

• I cleaned my studio.
• I continued my podcast episodes with Kelly Burkhart.
• I went to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. While waiting in the lobby to meet my friend, I overheard part of a conversation:

I don’t even know why that piece of work is here. What makes it art?

This made me realize that getting art into SFMOMA, which to me would be fantastic, there still will be people who don’t get it, appreciate it or like it.

In order for the Inner Critic to leave, I waited.

I know that I can not be myself without visual arts and that this lull would eventually end.

I did not force myself to create. I know that art can be treated as work and a job. I have heard that you should not wait for the muse to show up, you just have to get into the studio and DO IT!

I am over “should”s in my life. (If you want to hear how I did that click here.)

I acknowledged the Inner Critic and yesterday I made this in my visual journal:

He's mean and nasty with sharp teeth. Small eyes represent low vision. Arms by his side and a small body represent weakness.

It didn’t matter what it looked like, creating a visual representation of my Inner Critic was going to be my own personal process. I did not create it with the intention to share this with you.

But then I thought it may be helpful for you to know that if you go through creativity blocks, you are not alone.

Today I made this in my visual journal:

I usually don't create faces but since I kicked out the Inner Critic, I gave it a go.

I would love to hear from you.

What happens when the inner critic visits you? How do you keep going? And how do you recover?

Please comment in the box below.

Monday and Tuesday I didn’t feel well. Nothing in particular was wrong. Just a run down feeling.

So I rested.

Until recently I would have pushed myself to keep going at my normal speed, to keep up.

On Monday morning, I recorded the podcast, Twenty Minutes to Peace, with fellow Martha Beck Certified Life Coach, Kelly Burkhart because that is something pleasurable. It doesn’t feel like work.

I made some phone calls to find a repair person for a problem we are having at the condo.

And I rested.

I don’t paddle up stream anymore. If I feel a lot of resistance to doing something, I pay attention, especially when I am not feeling 100%.

I started this journal page and stopped because I felt like resting.