Today I would like to discuss something that seems to stump a lot of people who want to connect more deeply with their creative source.  It can be deceptively simple yet experienced as challenging by many.  It is the act of beginning.

It may be that you haven’t created something for a while and are not sure where to begin.  You do all the steps necessary to get ready, which I’ve talked about before, but just can’t seem to bring yourself to begin.  You get your supplies ready; they sit there, waiting for the perfect moment of uninterrupted time, or perhaps for when you are in the right mood to create. You have your space all set up so that you can create at a moments notice.  You even schedule in the time to do your art.

The time comes; you look at your blank page, paper, canvas, or medium ready to be transformed by your hands.  You freeze.  Your brain seeks out comfort through distraction, “look at that mess over there, you better straighten it up before you get started or you won’t be able to focus”.  Or, you remember something that you forgot to do, that needs your attention; a phone call, e-mail to be sent, the dog is barking better go walk him, oh the wash needs to be put on, those clothes put away, oh perhaps a snack before you start.  Your brain doesn’t like to freeze it wants to activate you get you doing something, unfortunately its just not what you had originally intended to do- your art.  What is going on?  It sounds like a case of Procrastination.

But you want to create; you want to unleash that creative side of yourself.  Get back to doing your art the way you use to when-. You want to start creating because you feel the calling deep within, yet you don’t.

Procrastination? What is that really but a big name for an annoying creative roadblock?  You want to create, but you doubt your self and your abilities. You want to create but you hesitate to try something new.  Expectations? Self-imposed, picked up along the way. Preconceptions about what art should be.

I have a message for you:

Let it go! That stuck, you don’t need it. Approach it differently than you are already.

Here is a quick video I made to help you get started.

How do you start?