practice

As I practiced daily watercolor painting for 30 days, I kept a few notes of the things it was teaching me. Every day I could feel that I was learning or relearning things about the water, paint + brush. The practice was teaching me deeper lessons as well.

Here are a few more of the notes I made along the way:

• I recognize painting as self care...while I'm doing it. I'm not only exercising my creativity because I know that it will be good for me. I truly feel that the daily return to paper, paint, water + brush is good for my soul.

• This practice is increasing my ability to trust my creative instincts. This so easily translates to the larger concept of trusting myself...trusting myself to find my way.

• Trust that good things can come out of uncertainty. (Wow, this is meaningful for me to read again today with new uncertainty on the horizon.)

• A little consistent practice gives rise to a little confidence. It's similar to cooking. We can hone our skills one at a time, and we get to judge what is "good" for ourselves. With time + practice, we can build our confidence + our ability to create tacos or pasta that we love.

Maybe some of these lessons seem obvious. They are the sort of things we might offer our children as encouragement to practice an instrument or skill. But it felt pretty amazing to observe these thoughts coming to mind spontaneously during my own voluntary practice. This practice was not mandated by a parent, teacher or boss. This practice was my idea. It was an open-ended invitation that I gave myself...to interrupt the duties of the day...to exercise a different part of my brain + body...to create...to sit + to linger.

As the days wore on, I gave myself the grace to paint for 30 days...but maybe not all within 30 days. The goal remained intact, but the terms were meant to free rather than to bind. I am kind to myself. I trust myself. I create.

Love,
​Jane