Daily Painting

Are you and I truly agents who act and seek to learn, or are we waiting to be acted upon and relying exclusively on other people to teach us?

David A. Bednar

It’s week 8 of incorporating daily painting into my life.

Resistance was relatively quiet. There was the occasional “this is crap” or “I don’t have enough time” thoughts that seem to be standard for any creative endeavor. However, painting felt easier this week. The idea of “this is my new life” has sunk in a little more. There’s still a part of me that is ready to bolt, so I can’t say I’m out of the woods. Arm wrestling a blank canvas every day doesn’t yet feel fully integrated and natural in my life, like my running.

I understand that new habits like this can be derailed at any time. It may get easier, but any longtime creative will tell you Resistance doesn’t fully go away. The battles might get smaller, but there will always be battles.

Three out of five paintings made it to my online shop.

I know we all like to show our best to the public, but just for fun, I thought I would take a photo of all of my bad paintings.

They are necessary for my progression. I’ve said all along this year was about volume so that I could see improvement. It’s hard to work an entire day and be disappointed with the painting, but this exercise is chipping away at my perfectionism.

I may need that more than anything.

Learning, not simply knowledge, happens by doing.

A painting mentor once encouraged me to not take months off between painting. I didn’t listen. I took it even further and spent YEARS not painting.

That makes me sad.

I am beginning to understand, deeply, why he encouraged me to never quit.

The only way to reach your full potential is to put in the work. If you want to start a business, learn a new skill, or change a bad behavior, you have to go for it. Staring at books or sitting in classes is barely the beginning. In fact, it could be Resistance cleverly stalling you from becoming your higher self.

Jump in friends. Jump in!