Those who stand at the threshold of life always waiting for the right time to change are like the man who stands at the bank of a river waiting for the water to pass so he can cross on dry land.
Joseph B. Wirthlin
When is the right time to start something new, like say, a new habit? To start being “more creative” for example? More meaning “more than nothing” or more than last year? More can mean a lot of things…
Is there a “best time” to get started? And why is that time always either in the past or in the future somewhere undefined far away in the distance? I’m just wondering, why is change so hard? Does anyone know? I don’t.
I stumble forward in this new year, and I have no good plan for what to do, although I have one suggestion…
You could start today.
One thing that I do know is that it is much, much better to take small steps daily than aiming to start “some day in the future”. I bet you’ve done that kind of procrastinating too sometime?
I do it all the time. Procrastinate not only what’s hard, but things that give me joy. Because I fear failing. I fear starting. I fear stumbling and falling on my head…
With my collage project last year I could almost visibly see how my collage muscles grew, and every day I sat down to make a few more collage I felt more secure and calmer when creating them. It’s something I was one hundred percent committed to doing, so I stayed on course. It was such a good experience! It was my third year long art project, still I hesitated a lot before starting one again.
It’s the same with any kind of art. The more you do it the easier it gets. And to me, the thing I always want to keep up is creating inside some kind of journal. It’s a small but big practice.
Art Journaling is about creating
I call mine Art Journals or Visual journals, because that’s how I got started. You might call yours what ever you want. Maybe you prefer the right now popular term “Junk Journal”? Although most junk journals I’ve seen are made from mostly expensive, new materials…
Or altered book, brain dump, art book, sketchbook, diary, journal, notebook, scrap book, commonplace book, glue book, collage pages or… what ever you like most. But use it. Often.
This year I feel calmer about “starting” at the right time. I’ve started a few new things, and I’ll announce them in upcoming days, but I don’t feel I need to rush anything.
Yes, it’s not January 1st anymore, but it’s totally okay to start your new year, project, life, or habit, this Monday, next Monday, or in a few weeks when you’re ready to start. Just don’t wait to long, okay? Don’t use the excuse that you missed the first of the year to start a 365 something, anything, okay? It’s not to late for that, ever.
Start today!
Yeah, why not? I bet you’ve got a notebook that could work as your art journal somewhere, hidden in a pile of papers or in the bottom of a drawer? I love using old books, and just paint over the text in them.
A simple composition notebook or paper pad works too. My first Art Journal was a spiral bound notebook I found at the book store. It was anything but fancy, but I started on the first page as soon as I came home with it, and worked diligently in it until all the pages was full.
In the end I loved when it was jam packed and filled to the brim with paint, collage bits, words, scribbles, swatches, trials and experiments.
One year I named that year The Year of Art Journaling, but actually, I think every year should be about creativity – and every year should be (to some degree) about Art and Journaling. It is so much about self discovery, reflection, time away from a screen, time to explore and play (something we as grown ups don’t do enough of in everyday life ) and “just be”.
Time to look inwards. Time to paint. Time to put the cell phone down and commit to your creative practice, what ever that is. Time to grow.
Time to rethink the status quo of life?
What will you take time for this week/month/year? What will you be committed to? What makes your heart sing?
For me Art Journaling is one thing that makes me happy, and I’m looking forward to work in old and new journals this year.
I love your art journal, the colourful pages and the wild-ness. After (over) ten years of art journaling, I couldn’t do without art journaling (or art) anymore… and yes, I started my first ‘Chronicles’ page on a day in March 2009 and it’s still going strong… as you say, any day is good to start!
OMG! What will you do for 10 year anniversary of the Marit Chronicles? That is a huge milestone.
This year has started out very rough for my family (we lost a close family friend and my grandmother this past week), but I’m hoping that means the rest of 2019 will be much better! Thank you so much for keeping a bright corner of the interwebs for us to come and enjoy your beautiful artwork! You’re absolutely right that we shouldn’t wait to start to create, we should start now! Thanks for the encouragement, Hanna!
Sorry to hear it’s been rough Arielle, I hope it calmed down by now. I had a rough start too, personally, but January is not my favorite month. I hope for more light and joy now that spring is a little little bit closer… :-)
i’ve kept a journal for 60 years! they started as small spiral notebooks just filled with writing. now they have morphed into mixed media craziness interspersed with thoughts and are made from both homemade and altered books. One is always with me wherever I go; it’s my security blanket and joy. Could not be without one at the ready!
That is wonderful to hear Wendy! I keep a written journal as well as my more artsy notebooks, so I’m all about that too. Keep it up!
Hi Hanna! I truly need to get back to making collages and art journaling! I’d taken a hiatus due to having so many crochet projects (for my Etsy store and for holiday gifts). I really do love crocheting, but I also need to make time and energy for art-making, too. Thank you for sharing your art with us! You are so very awesome.
It’s hard to love too many different things, because you will never have enough time for them all. I hope you find a balance in the new year.
Love the colours on your pages Hanna. Hope you have a wonderful creative 2019. So impressed by your 365 collages! I have just started a new altered book for my art journaling this year – always exciting to start a book never knowing where you’ll end up :-)
Thank you Lynette. ♥
What an encouraging post – yummy journal explorations – your art always makes me smile – so colorful and playful Hanna!