I’ve been very frustrated this week.
We’re in the middle of a pandemic, which means there are fewer places I can go, and yet I still feel like I don’t have enough hours in my day to accomplish everything I want to do. On top of that, there is all the ambiguity about school starting and whether or not fall sports will actually happen. I spent Monday shopping for dorm supplies I’m afraid my daughter won’t actually use. Usually as I approach August, I’m looking forward to getting back to a routine, but this year, I’m not sure what my routine will be. All of this is making me a tad befuddled.
I need to do something to decrease the befuddled and increase the calm. Can you relate? Better yet, do you know how to find the calm? I’ve got two things.
First, exercise, because moving always clears my head, lifts my emotions, and burns calories. (Woe, the middle aged metabolism.) So, daily exercise is a must. Yoga does not happen often enough in my life.
Second- creating. Making time for things like writing, playing piano, fiddling with my camera, painting a rock, or sketching a flower always puts my soul at ease. And my soul needs some ease, doesn’t yours?
To that end, we’ve designated Wednesday evenings as craft nights in our household. Every week, my daughter, youngest son, and I gather art supplies and turn off the TV. We’ve folded origami airplanes and origami flowers (the planes were WAY more successful), we’ve blended watercolor paints to make trees (I need A LOT more practice), and we’ve sketched orcas and sea turtles. 🙂
Keep Going: 10 ways to stay creative in good times and bad is a dandy little book by Austin Kleon, and it partially inspired COVID Craft Night. It has a lot of great quotes about the power of creativity, and I’d like to share one of my favorites.
This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal. I know the world is bruised and bleeding, and though it is important not to ignore its pain, it is also critical to refuse to succumb to its malevolence. Like failure, chaos contains information that can lead to knowledge — even wisdom. Like art.
Toni Morrison
I don’t know when or where the great Ms. Morrison first shared this, but boy does it seem applicable today. Let’s take her words to heart. Let’s not wallow in despair or fear or self-pity. Let’s get our hands dirty and make something. Write something. “Do language.” Let’s seek the way to knowledge and wisdom. Let’s do art.
If you need ideas for getting started, here are some links to some free resources:
Where do you find creative inspiration? How are you coping in these crazy days?
Thanks for getting nerdy with me!
Such a good idea. I couldn’t agree more that creating feels good right now~
I love that you do family crafts together. I agree, this time has been such a challenge. There’s this feeling that I should have extra time, and it’s just not working out that way. I always have a “Summer of Fun” planned for my kids, with a calendar of activities, and those have mostly been a bust this year. I haven’t found my outlet of calm yet. I bought a yoga mat, but then didn’t use it. I set goals, and then other things come up. My creative writing has come to a standstill and I haven’t been sleeping as well. BUT, my mom just sent me and my girls a sewing machine~ we’re going to start making THINGS (aka, I’m not sure what we’ll make)~ lots of things. And I’m excited about that! I’ve also started waking up earlier and making myself a cup of tea. I sit on the porch and try to think of all the things I’m grateful for, just to ground me before starting my day. Maybe next week I’ll start on the yoga (don’t count on it, though).
I’m a substitute teacher in my district and we just found out that we’re going back full-time, so I’m anticipating new rules in the classroom and all that jazz. The fall will be a time of confusion, for sure, but I’m so glad that you’ve found an outlet of calm!
I love that you are getting up early – I love that time of day, when I can think and reflect without any interruptions. It’s become critically important now that we are all together so much. And what a great habit – to think about what you are thankful for. That’s a great idea.
I really encourage the yoga – it’s great for your body and your mind. I don’t do it enough either – the goal is twice a week. I recommend Yoga with Adrienne on You Tube. She has practices of varying lengths (you can start with 10 minutes!) and she’s funny and real. She touches on yoga philosophy, but is very casual and gives lots of options. I’ll share a link here and on Twitter to make it easy for you to find her. 😉 https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene
Good luck with the teaching. Teachers are already overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated, and now there is so much more to do.
I’m also feeling a bit unmoored, and I agree that exercise increases the calm. Even just walking the dog helps. I love the idea of your craft nights – I wouldn’t be able to get my family on board with that, but that’s okay. Reading calms me, but I will definitely check out some of your resources for creativity outlets. Oh – I’m taking a master class on bartending and mixology…does that count?
That sounds AWESOME! You are creating drinks, right? And learning something new. Totally counts. And I hope you will post to your blog more. 😉 I love reading your writing.