Chapter 11: Recovering A Sense of Autonomy šØ The Artistās Way
Chapter 11 call recording, the link to our next call, stand out quotes and more on the exercises
Here we are! Almost to the last chapter!! You are all so dear to me ā the kindred spirit-ness is off the charts. I feel lucky to be in each of your orbits, to hear your insights and see your growth.
Scroll on to find:
The call recording to listen to on a drive, walk, or wherever you need it
My thoughts on Chapter 11
Quotes Iām saving
Exercise insights and thoughts from the group
Next steps and our next call link!
What I keep coming back to is where our credibility comes from. Julia Cameronās argument that credibility lies with you, God, and your work. Not the market, or your Instagram followers, or the algorithm. This gives me a lot of freedom. My only job is to show up and make something, and my only audience is myself and God.
What has helped: create what wants to be created. Thatās it!! There is no magic strategy or ā10 tipsā you might be missing. Every bit of fruit Iāve ever experienced in my work has come from just making something.
āAs an artist, my self-respect comes from doing the work. One performance at a time, one gig at a time, one painting at a time.ā
āAs an artist, I do not need to be rich, but I do need to be richly supported.ā
Being ārichly supportedā does not require a ton of money ā it comes from the little choices of self-care and delight that are very accessible in our day-to-day lives. Taking a walk, putting our phones away, or buying some raspberries.
I also completely resonate with Julia when she says that if creatives donāt create, they get crabby. I personally become a nightmare person if Iām not making stuff. I never really understood why before reading this book. I couldnāt put language to the stuck feeling, but she says that cutting off creativity makes us savage ā that we react as if weāre being choked. Creativity is oxygen for our souls.
She also says that the more she spoils her artist child, the more adult she appears. And itās this backward thinking that really works. Treat the little kid artist inside of you well, and you can show up for everything else. Ignore the little kid, and you get the grinding depression she describes. Our inner child matters so much!! I never saw that before this book.
āJust when we get there, there disappearsā
If the reward is the process, everything is a win, and weāve already arrived. Our culture rewards the destination in theory and ignores the journey entirely, but the point of creativity is in the making.
