I’m going to give a giant HOORAY to myself and my Artist’s Way group for making it through this 12 week course! We all felt like we got so much from the book that ranged from learning more about ourselves and developing a more positive mindset. Week 12 of The Artist’s Way concludes the book with another reminder to trust our inner creative voice and not to be afraid to play. We can allow ourselves to explore anything new without the fear of “not doing it right” while understanding that creativity cannot be rushed and takes time much like a growing plant. We are reminded of the importance of hobbies because they give us to tools for living a joyful life. So don’t feel bad about taking that morning walk when you think you don’t have time or picking up that crochet instruction book on how to make weird-looking mouse characters. Allow yourself time for self reflection and try something new without hesitation.
One of my favorite things from the course was the artist date. I will try to continue to go on an artist date once a week. This past week’s date brought me to Sur La Table that I haven’t been to in years, mainly because it’s a bit of a drive. Once I made it in the parking lot, I noticed a new stationery store nearby and immediately checked it out. I was greeted by a wall of fun greeting cards, cute gifts, and yes, even stickers. I took the time to browse for a while before heading to Sur La Table. Ok, so to be honest, I actually had some items I wanted to pick up at Sur La Table, but it still can count as an artist date because it’s still a fun and somewhat new experience for me…right?! Anyway, it was around the beginning of the holiday season so along with the usual fun kitchen gadgets were some fun little straw turkey characters and other festive dinnerware. While I didn’t come home with that straw turkey friend I met in the store, I come back feeling like it was a fun experience.
If you haven’t already, I highly recommend giving The Artist’s Way a try! And if you’ve already tried it, do it again! I think it’s worth doing this at least once a year or whatever feels best for you. And if possible, assemble a group (does NOT have to be a group of artists, anyone can and should do this course!) to meet on a call once a week to keep you encouraged to finish the course. I loved doing this course with a group and you end up learning a lot from the weekly discussion in addition to the book. I definitely would not have finished this course without my group!