Art Therapy

[ReNae Stueve]

Kim,

I've got to ditto everything said here about taking care of yourself. Painting 12 hours a day may be a blessing, but as you said, your not putting out the work you'd hoped. Dr. Phil... would say, This isn't working for you. or is it. My younger years were much like yours with kids house and bills to pay. It was often overwhelming. And sleepless nights made it worse. I would describe myself as a procrastinator as well.

I had the occasion to do some research into the procrastinator, and in short, found that we are over achievers, not slackers, and that we see ourselves being able to take on many tasks, and have the ability to conquer almost any difficulty. But because we have the knowledge that what ever mountain we choose to climb will in the end not be that difficult, we loose sight of the steps and time needed to complete the process..... at least consciously. Subconsciously the "Fear " is emerging. Especially in the spring, where our doors and windows are opened up and new plans are spinning around.

I would lay awake, with half baked thoughts spinning in my head. Lots of plans but no "plan". My research suggested that what we lacked were practical management skills. The mundane act of making goal lists and getting down to the minutia...

It was difficult for me to get started, so I took baby steps. One day at a time so to speak. Like Monday, make lunches, vacuum, get the oil changed, book vacations, grocery shop, do my nails, paint 12 hours....

Whew, who could sleep?. But when I broke it down. Put the day on a time line.......prioritized... what could be canceled?, and forgot about Tuesday till Tuesday got here.... I could sleep. My subconscious was no longer trying to get me to make a list, cause I'd already done it. Now I start my day with a plan and end it with a pat on the back for a day well used. And I sleep. I'm still a crazy overachiever, who is getting more done.

And when I''m rested, I'm more creative. And when I'm focused I'm more creative. Robert Glenn talks about "Getting into the Zone" this week, and I can't do that when I'm preoccupied with nagging tasks looming in the back of my mind.

Good luck and Happy "Daylight Savings" it's our national holiday :-)

[Kimberly Dow]

Updates!
It's been a great week. I've walked almost every day, dropped 3 pounds, taken it at my own pace without being frantic...and still painted. I didnt paint as much as usual, but that's ok. I think my last commission (for a little bit anyway) is complete and that means no more pressure for awhile...just what I want. I've slept really well this week also! The exercise helps, but maybe more it's being more relaxed. Here's to balance!
Thanks for all the advice fellow obsessives!

[Terri Ficenec]

Hi Kim...
Just wanted to thank you for starting this thread. I'm also one of those who tends to get by on 4-5 hours sleep most nights. (And thank you Jean, for your persistence and insistance on how bad this is for our health!) Following this thread has made me realize how run-down I've been making myself. So, I've also started exercising and sleeping more -- and feel much better for it!

[Jean Kelly]

Wow! Keep up the good work.

Jean

[Margaret Port]

Hi Kim and other non sleepers

I have to agree with Jean about the sleeping. deficit being detrimental to your health. It is also detrimental to your productivity and creativity as well and being overtired also makes you procrastinate and fiddle, doing mindless processes which don't add anything to the end product and cause you to make obvious mistakes. You don't want to paint fine detail because that requires concentration and that might cause you to nod off!!

I have some experience with the house moving caper, having done it 24 times in 30 years. Every time you pack up and move, your thought processes get disturbed. Things you were working on at the old house seem very unimportant, and you have yet to find a new direction at your new address. 5 moves ago I painted a series of icons on boards with oil paints, complete with gold leaf and lots of antiquing etc and I was very pleased with them and they were ready to frame. We moved and they were packed up in a bundle of paper, well padded and taped. 3 moves later, I remembered them and went searching for them (we hadn't unpacked all our boxes) Somewhere along the way they had gotten wet and moldy (the bane of my life in thte tropics) and I was so disgusted that I threw them in the rubbish. (3 months worth of work)....
Anyway my point is that if you are in the process of moving, you aren't going to be able to do your best work because your mind is on other things, naturally, so you shouldn't stress about it. but make sure you label your boxes!!!!

regards
Margaret