I have been struggling with the start of the new year to think over my direction for myself. I wanted to talk a bit about the habits and practices that I’m taking into this year while I work on growing my creative skills and finding what is next for me. I think sometimes it’s ok to not totally know what is next for you, but having a consistent practice and things in place to keep you creating momentum as you work towards finding your next venture is the best way to keep yourself growing and inspired. Here are the habits and tools I’m taking into 2022 to be the best creative (and human) that I can be:
Long Walks with No Distraction — No podcasts, no phone calls. One of the most difficult yet important things to do is to be able to sit in silence with yourself and truly understand your own thought process and ideas.
Reading more fiction and non-fiction. I’m currently reading Daisy Jones and the Six and also The Messy Middle. I also recently finished Shoe Dog by Phil Knight.
Changing up my media. More linkedIn and twitter; only going on IG to post.
Carry a notebook and journaling consistently: writing what I’m grateful for, the thing I want to be that day, what I can do to make the day a success, and then doing a page from the “morning pages” idea.
Approaching my work with a scientific mindset– being thankful for failures because they’re a sign of a conclusion and a point where you can choose a new direction and continue to grow.
Changing my language. Language on a bad day matters. The way we talk about ourselves matters and is fundamental to our success. Days with no ideas or difficult projects are just days where I’m getting an extra dose of learning that I didn’t bargain for and days where I’m experiencing art in a way that I hadn’t anticipated. Optimism is a vital habit.
