Smart strategies for artists who procrastinate

'Being who you are that's happiness' 

 I made this canvas when we moved home is appropriate for today and it's a wonderful day, got up early, did some miracle morning, meditation and personal development, taken the dogs to the park and all the leaves are glorious autumn colours, crunched through leaves, found a pine cone and discovered this gorgeous scented flower in our garden. Had coffee and a danish and now I'm going to do some creative work.

I have really been  trying to get my bum into gear and be proactive in my business which I do find difficult because I love the creating bit and still imagine successful business women in suits (can you imagine me in a suit hahaha) so it's undoing all those limiting beliefs, I posted in Leonies forum and got great support and some cracking answers. 

This is what I asked:

What do you think this is about? I am really creative and have billions of ideas, I start loads of projects but rarely finish them, I know I'm talented and have a 'gift' and if I got my ass into gear could do pretty well I think but everyday I wake up with great plans but then faff around, read a book, walk the dogs, snooze, eat food, watch a film etc anything really to avoid doing what I should be doing. The thing is we are now really struggling financially and it's either carry on with my art or get a job (which I really don't want to do) so have any of you been thorough this? Any tips to make me be proactive? 

Loads of various answers came back but the ones I found most useful were:

Read anything by Barbara Sher. (I have started looking at this author and feel she will be a good fit with my scatter brained approach, let me know if you have read any of her books)

First, don't think about how long something is going to take just tell yourself you're going to do fifteen or twenty minutes. (I like this because it doesn't seem too long if I get bored)

Sit down and write all about your fears and blocks around success. write down every "disadvantage" of being a successful artist/woman; your beliefs around financial success; everything you have heard about those topics that is negative or any comments from people throughout your life that say YOU can't become successful. Once you know that you can work on them and see how false they are. 

(I like this because I know I have some weird ideas as above the suit thing)

Make a "someday maybe" box or folder for your other ideas. (This is brilliant for me because I like making and creating so this could work really well and the symbolic gesture of shutting the lid on my ideas will help)

So with all that in mind I went onto my Pinterest vision board this morning to visualise and ended up finding this awesome site for creatives

I have been printing some great worksheets and reminders too last week, this was Sunday night organising for the week, I need to get my ass in gear and be the best I can be, I want to be financially free and travel, eat out, have holidays and move from Blackpool so I'm going to ride my wild donkey and get stuff done this week!

Love Dotty xx

Ways to embrace your feelings

This is what turning 40 looks like, 

tired but so happy to know I have grown and changed so much over the past decade, I embrace everyday knowing that as each night turns to daylight my soul will be inspired, my heart will be filled with joy, my eyes will see the beauty around me and my ears will be filled with laughter. 

To keep the balance, some days will be filled with tears, with an empty longing for adventure and closeness to my grown up children, to realise and feel my heart brake a little at the pain in the works and the needless suffering or when hormones kick in and I feel fat, unhappy and dowdy, I wish for a time machine so I can go back and hug my mum for one last time and tell her of all the wonderful things I have experienced, but I know can process those feelings, thoughts and emotions on a scale where I don't have to turn to drink or drugs etc to block out the pain or feelings. 

I feel like sharing some advice, it's ok to be sad, it's ok to feel, it's ok to cry, it's ok to be happy, it's ok to love yourself, you have permission to release the free spirit that's trapped inside you and step up to who you truly are. Switch off the news, switch off the soap operas, stop reading the papers and 'women's magazines, these vibrate at a lower frequency and fill your head with things that are fear based and not real. Go to the library or book store and go the the self help or new age section and choose a book that resonates with you, pick it and rad, your mind will be opened to something new, something better. Watch the celestine prophecy, listen to meditations by Louise Hay or Marc Allen on YouTube, get into nature everyday if possible, smile, and remember if you think nobody loves you, I love you!

 I believe in you
Love Dotty xx

Thinking outside the box

It's all about the boxes

So this week I have mainly been making boxes, I love painting boxes, the possibilities of what to store in them are endless and it makes a nice change from painting on canvas.

All different sizes and shapes keep my 'job' interesting, I often imagine what people keep in there boxes and sometimes they tell me, this one below is for keeping crystals in next to a bed, how wonderful!

This one is for keeping meditation cards in, its about the size of a fiction book and opens up just like a book, it has a magnetic fastening too.

 

Think too much?

I am working on this one myself, I am constantly thinking, thinking of what is next, thinking of new ideas, how to make money, how to travel, how to have more sex, more sleep, lose weight, sort out my skin, help other people, be more chilled out, be more accepting, judge less, enjoy more things, get involved in more art based stuff, how to become self sufficient totally, what to grow, what to plant, how to build a polytunnel with zero pence, how to stop the chickens squarking at the seagulls at 6am blah blah, the list goes on and on. I want to switch my brain off to quiet mode for a bit, practise meditation everyday (I easily get distracted and forget), learn being in the moment more and accepting what is. Allowing myself to feel and be happy on a constant level, giving myself permission to just be. How do you 'switch' off?

 Did you like the way I joined the boxes and thinking into a witty title? haha I try my best ;)

Love Dotty xx