Today is the first day in May, and I’m very excited to dive head (or feet) first into the pile. I hope you are as well! And, as it’s a brand new Make Art Not War 2017 Challenge month, it’s time for a shiny theme! For May, this month’s theme is JOY.
JOY may not seem like it’s connected to your art, but I feel it dovetails nicely into multiple aspects of your work. For example, being mindful of your own path is hard — especially on new release day or when awards season rolls around. Sometimes, we might internalize that the news of another artist’s success is a sign of our failure. It’s not, but that doesn’t stop our brain weasels from attacking at odd moments. In other instances, we might think that a bunch of new releases is a sign that we aren’t writing fast enough, there’s too much competition so why bother, or that someone else has already written our story.
Instead, think about what this success means for you. What lessons can you take from other artists’ career paths to give you more reassurance? Is there joy to be felt? I take it as a sign that it is possible for artists to not only define their own success, but their achievements is a sign that yes, they are achievable and repeatable. That’s cool, and that’s something to be happy about! By applying the feeling of JOY to what others experience, I find it adds a nice, safe boundary between their path and mine. Then, I use that as a tactic to avoid jealousy or envy from taking over. It also helps me internalize that someone else’s success is not mine and that’s okay! No one artist can land every deal, occupy every spot on the bestseller’s lists, or get all the good reviews and nominations.
I feel there’s a bunch of lessons here related to self-care, too. First, a near-constant state of angst and anxiety affects your ability to enjoy your successes and the work you’re doing. JOY seems meaningless or unattainable; when it does matter, JOY becomes attached to an unexpected accolade or some other blessing that is outside of your control. Yes, there will always be something else to do or to work on, but what you’ve done right now is an achievement — don’t forget to celebrate the small things! I know I forget to do that sometimes, and putting together a stand-alone bookshelf of my publications is on my list this month. Huzzah! Second, if you forget to be kind to yourself it becomes that much harder to deal with turbulence in your life. Those happy moments, even if they’re small, will help you be resilient as you deal with your day-to-day.
Feeling JOY is not something to be embarrassed about, either, and I hope this month you’ll be encouraged to recognize, remember, and tap into your own personal happiness. The ability to make art, to grow as an artist, to experience your journey is not only wonderful, it’s unique to you and your experiences. Celebrate!
Next time, I’ll offer some suggestions to help you embrace this theme. Now, get out there and make art. I know I will!
