Artists Passion

NaNoWriMo crashed and burned for me this year. While I typed out a few of my best writing scenes, they were few and far between. It’s too bad I don’t have a version of this graphic on fire or in ashes; that’s how bad it got this year.

Sometimes creativity is like slogging through quicksand. We can’t get out of the hole we’re in, and when we try, we just keep sinking deeper.

Sometimes anything looks better than the project we’re currently working on. Why not do the dishes? Clean out the kitty litter box? Or, even better, take a nap?

I’ve had paintings languish on an easel at my mother’s house until she’s threatened to reuse the canvas for one of her paintings. If creating is so much fun, why can it be so hard?

There’s tons of psychological mumbo-jumbo to explain why we procrastinate, but the truth is, everyone does it now and again. And, the why isn’t as important as the how. How we can climb out of the quicksand hole we’re in. Here are five hows to get you through.

1. Start a routine.
Routine is the natural enemy of procrastination. Set up a routine schedule and stick to it, even if you have to strap yourself to your chair and stare at a blank canvas/ sheet of paper. Theoretically, you’ll get so bored eventually you’ll start working. This is best implemented in a location without a lot of distractions. For example, strapped into your chair you’d have no problem trolling the internet for hours, if your laptop was in front of you.

2. Make a to-do list.
This one usually saves me. I love checking items off of a list; it makes me feel industrious. Of course, you have to write the list in order to check things off, which can lead to procrastination about the list itself.

3. Work in smaller time increments.
If you have problems getting started for an hour of work, take the time down to 30 minutes. If you’re still procrastinating at 30, move the time down to 15. Even five minutes of work is better than no minutes of work. Set a timer and keep going if inspiration hits and you can’t tear yourself away from your chair.

4. Check your muse.
Do your best ideas come to you on the can? Do they come after watching your favorite horror movie or reading your favorite book? As a writer, it can be strange thinking that part of my job was reading books, magazines, and newspapers. But, it’s true. Allow yourself to do the most important part of your job, sowing inspiration.

5. Take a break.
Procrastination might be a sign you’re burning yourself out, which is the kiss of death to whatever you’re working on. Depending on what you’re doing, take a day or two off. It might give you the rest you need to start up again, this time gung-ho and ready for action.

For me, NaNoWriMo failed this year because I had too much going on in my schedule. I was happy when I could type out an entire scene; all of my writing began to suffer because of the pressure I was under from all sides. Now that school’s winding down, I’m back at the game, better than ever.

I wonder if JM would consider me a writer’s block whiner… Or, I guess, an artist’s block whiner.

My mother has always been an artists. She’s also always been a very practical woman. She paints from photos, and her art usually consists of flowers, beach scenes, and forest creatures. There is only one time I can think of where she let her creativity have full reign. And, the result scared her. Scared her to the point that she destroyed the painting.

It started out as a tree with souls. It was really cool. Then, a kid emerged playing on a swing. Then, a figure emerged behind the kid. From there, the painting took on ominous undertones. My mother couldn’t deal with the images sprouting from her subconscious, so she killed them.

Some artists embrace their darker sides. There are horror movies, horror paintings, heavy metal and other kinds of music dealing with the scary recesses of the brain that hold the creepy crawlies of our minds. Justin Stanley creates sculptures and prints of fantastical torture, for example.

I’m all for creative license, but I can understand why darker art intimidates some of the ordinary folks out there. Some subject matter is hard to get through, and a good piece of art does have an impact on its audience. Everything we see, hear, taste, touch, or smell changes a piece of us before its through.

However, I believe every piece of art out there deserves to be put out in the public sphere, so everyone out there can make up their own minds. Even if a piece makes me uncomfortable. Then, I read The Girl Next Door by Jack Ketchum.

It’s based on a true story; the novel is about a 12-year-old boy whose neighbor chains a teenage girl in a bomb shelter in her basement and lets the neighbor children torture her for fun. To them, it’s a game.

The novel is a study on how ordinary people can get caught up in evil; it was very hard for me to read. I had to stop and start to get through it, and I was emotionally tired afterwards.

Does the subject matter of a group of people getting together to torture a young girl bother me? Of course. Do I believe it is immoral for a woman to allow kids to torture one another? Of course. Do I think Ketchum should be banned or censored because of the content? Not at all.

Things like this happen all of the time, and Ketchum wrote in a special section of the novel that he wrote The Girl Next Door because some people scare him, and the story of a real=life woman who also let neighborhood children torture a girl in her care was haunting him. I also think it’s important for people to let themselves feel uncomfortable every once in a while. We live in a society where we insulate ourselves from bad feelings. In safe settings, like while viewing a work of art or reading a book, bad feelings can help us grow.

They also help us see where we stand in society, and they can help us move forward in intentional living. Seeing there’s something wrong can help us find remedies. Are you worried about the environment? Take some time out of every day to actively take care of nature. Worried about all of the food recalls out there? Read up about your rights as a consume and what the government’s really allowed to do for you. And, when life gets you down, go out and create, even if it’s just for therapy. Even if the outcome disturbs you and will never see the light of day.

But, even if even you can’t stomach your work, someone may still get something positive out of it.

Just something to think about.

As I promised before, I’m going to include tips on living with passion in all aspects of life but with an emphasis on art.

Spontaneity is important not only to an artist’s life, but also the the lives of everyone on this planet. While routine and order can be calming and set us on the path to achievement, it is also important to follow the winds every once in a while. They will take us where fate decrees.

If we don’t act spontaneously every once in a while, we miss out on hidden opportunities. The muse might strike at the beach while we’re holed up in our homes in front of our computers or in a quiet coffee shop while we’re watching TV. When days begin to blend in together, it’s time to put away our ordinary things and do something a little bit crazy.

Spontaneity is also a path towards creativity. In a previous post, Anjuelle wrote:

The mind likes order, as it should. Spontaneous occurrences disrupt the routine flow of things. But creativity is about messiness, abrupt changes in the moment.

If spontaneity is so important, how can we begin to embrace it in our lives? By taking small steps.

For some, deciding at some random moment to go skydiving is a regular part of daily life, but for the rest of us, such extreme measures aren’t realistic. Embracing spontaneity can be as simple as singing along with the radio, kicking off our shoes in the park and dancing, or lying in a grassy patch of sunlight. A next step might be taking an afternoon to go to the beach or teaching a child how to whistle. With each new step, the extraordinary becomes ordinary, and we open ourselves up to new possibilities.

Watching children feed ducks might lead to a new short story or a weekend silent retreat could become a tranquil oil painting. The way we view the world changes with each new experience; it’s up to us to cultivate these experiences to make an interesting whole.

by: Liane Schmidt

…everyday.

by: Liane Schmidt

Some Say I’m a Dreamer - but I’m not the only one.
IMAGINE: John Lennon

Today’s article is about what you can do today to make this world an even better, more beautiful place right this very moment.

Many charities ask for a small donation and even if it is only five dollars, it can wear on your pocket if you are living paycheck to paycheck as many of us are. (As a starving artist, I know this very well.)

And, even if we aren’t feeling the strain of cash flow, many of us find that we hardly have time in the day to remember to buy groceries, let alone the time to even begin to think about donating to a charity. It might be a fleeting thought after we see a commercial flash by or a street representative asking for our generousity, but then our minds are back to trying to remember what we just forgot.

Whatever the reason, life happens. We are all human, we all deep down inside want this world to be as beautiful as possible, no matter what position we are at in life.

Now, giving to charities has been made easier than ever and our pockets do not have to feel pained in the process.

The “One Click” charity organizations are exactly that. Just click once on their link and a donation will be made toward whatever given charity you clicked on! Some allow you to click once a day. It’s truly, a miracle.

Below I have listed some charites that you can begin supporting and clicking right this very moment. (I have also added a few that you can learn more about by simply visiting their sites, if interested.)

“Click and do some good today.”

“God bless us, everyone.”
-A Christmas Carol.

The original one click site:

Click candle and aids research receives a dollar.

The following is a collection of many articles that I have written that cover everything from dreams and success to health and alternative ways of thinking. Enjoy!

Perfect Health

Therapeutic Visualization Healing

“If You Can Dream It You Can Do It!”

More great reading:

Health/Energy/Alternative
1. B12 Shots: The Newest Energy Booster
2. Improve Your Energy Levels
3. Hemi Synchronization
(The Incredible Power of Sound)
4. Visualization & Euphoria
5. Healthy Lifestlye
6. Mind Over Matter

Inspirational/Dreams
1. Live Life to the Fullest!
2. It’s Never Too Late
3. Life Without a Car
4. Infinite Beauty
5. Manifest Your Dreams
6. Dreams are Everything
7. Inspiration in Every Moment
8. Create the Life of Your Dreams
9. The Power of the Mind
10. All Things in Life Happen for a Reason
11. The Value of True Friendship
12. Your Dreams - The Law of Attraction

Success
1. Tips to Keep You Motivated
2. Brian Tracy’s Million Dollar Habits
3. Thinking Defines Who You Are
4. The Key to Success
5. The Value of Keeping a Diary
6. Staying Focused
7. Success is a Matter of Choice
8. Mission Statement: Your Life
9. Honesty: Is it the Best Policy?
10. Discipline

Please feel free to add: ArtistsPassion.com

by: Liane Schmidt

Everyday we encounter more choices, more options, more things that can potentially steer us away from our dreams and goals. Do not let this happen for you.

The quote: “Jack of all trades master of none” rings true for a reason. Now that’s not to say that if this is your dream or goal it is not okay. If you simply love doing many things and don’t care whether you truly excel in any, more power to you. But, if you want to master a field, you must not let anyone stand in your way. You will only be the happiest you can possibly be if you stay committed to what makes you happiest.

So how do you stay focused? How do you not lose sight of your dreams and get mixed up in the woes, excuses, or bad habits some people find themselves inextricably tied up in?

Trust your instincts.

If something feels wrong, it probably is. If you are not sure about something, give yourself time to figure out why that is. Do your best to be patient with yourself. If you have children would you rush them to start driving when they did not feel comfortable? There are times, however, when moving forward when you feel unsure are okay, but once again, your intuition can best determine those moments (i.e. you want to apply for a job, but you are nervous).

It is also important to make time in your day to slow down and reflect on your life. This time needs to be alone. It can be as little as five minutes or as long as you want, so long as you take it. It is imperative to your overall well-being. We all need time everyday to be able to take in the day, really think about what we want, interruption free. It is crucial to the ultimate goal of reaching the highest attainable avenues of happiness.

And, as always try your best to only allow positive, supportive messages, people, etc into your life. These will help keep your spirits high and keep you moving forward. Just think of how many hours a masterpiece painting takes. It can take days, weeks or even years of painstaking emotion, tears, and struggle. This is why the carefully crafted finished product becomes such an amazing, exceptional feat and a timeless, beloved piece of artistry. The Great Gatsby was not written overnight.

You can and are making all your dreams come true.

by: Liane Schmidt

…from one of my favorite authors, self-made millionaire Brian Tracy!!

“Everything counts! Everything you do helps or hurts, adds or takes away.”

“You have the capacity to become very, very good in anything that is really important to you.”

“Be selective about what you see, watch, hear, and listen to. Keep your external influences predominately positive.”

Anything and everything is possible. You CAN make all your dreams come true!!

by: Liane Schmidt

Give and you shall receive.

Like energy attracts like energy.

Put out into the world what you want back; what is truly best for you. If you want the person of your dreams, BE the person of their dreams. If you want a healthy life, live a healthy life.

It is that simple.

Yet, if we are not careful, sometimes other variables can come to play that make this equation complex.

Everyday I work as hard as I can to eliminate all excuses, the fears, and other such obstructions that hold me down and make my path to all my hopes and dreams seem too difficult or complicated to achieve.

If you want something with everything in your heart, there is nothing else you can do, but go after it with everything you’ve got.

If you want to do something - hey Nike’s not making hundreds of millions for nothing - “Just do it.”

“Just do it”.

No more talking about it. Just lace up those running shoes and hit the pavement. Done.

Time is precious, there’s not a moment that’s not.

Take it all in. Feel every salty wave that stings your eyes and makes you remember to be more careful, but makes you feel alive. And, when the water calms, float lightly, bask in the peace, bask in the nourishing rays. Just remember, just keep in mind: there will always be waves and you will be just fine.

by: Liane Schmidt

by: Liane Schmidt

by: Liane Schmidt

We are all “standing alone” in this walk toward infinity, toward our destiny, toward heaven, toward another life…depending on what faith, spirituality or belief that one lives by.

Though others are around us, we ultimately are with ourselves every moment, every second of the day, until…

And, sometimes, the walk can be humbling, the walk can be excrutiating…the walk can make you feel alive.
Article link: All Things in Life Happen for a Reason

But, regardless of where you are right now…whatever you do, keep walking. Keep believing in yourself, no matter what. No matter how hard it gets. Never lose sight of who you are, what you value most, and where you want to go.

Everything you want, dream of, think of, and feel is important.
Article link: Manifest Your Dreams!

NEVER let anyone tell you differently.

You CAN stand alone. You have been doing it all along.

And, remember, in the quiet moments while you are alone, if you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything.

by: Liane Schmidt

…in the beauty of dreams.

I believe in the beauty and best in people. I believe that those who hurt others would not do so if they felt better about themselves. We can only treat others as good as we can treat ourselves.

I believe in optimists and know that I can learn from pessimists.

I believe that I am worth the world. I know that I try my very best everyday, try to live as though each were truly my last day. To be as authentic and genuine as possible.

I believe that I have the power to change my life for the better. That I have the power to make all my dreams a reality. Therefore…

I work everyday, as hard as possible, to change my mindset to think only positive thoughts. Success book after success book, tells me this is the best way to think. If Donald Trump had only focused on his woes when he was in debt for millions he would not have had the energy, drive or direction to re-create his current multi-billion dollar fortune.

I believe that fear gives us the energy we need to put thoughts into action. Fear also gives us the heightened awareness to be sure to take care of ourselves too so we do not leave ourselves open to being hurt unnecessarily.

I believe that we all have something important to say.

I believe in myself.

I believe in the dreams of everyone. That we need everyone’s dreams to make this world a better place. Without the addition of a variety of dreams we would never know electricity, have reached the moon, and so much more…

I believe this world is a beautiful place filled with beautiful people and I will never stop believing this.

No matter what life obstacles I face, I will always believe…

Take care each and everyone. Best wishes, to all.

by: Liane Schmidt

Today, I wanted to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for everything I have in my life and all the doors that continue to open for me; to all the amazing people who have touched and will always remain a part of my heart.

I have always been a person who has had only a few close friends and have spent the rest of my time much on my own. There are millions of people we can befriend, but to me focus, simplicity, and quality versus quantity has always been one of my fervent life principles. There are things I know I want in my life, things I want to achieve, etc. I know that this means I must allocate my time wisely, efficiently, and with great direction.

I have always known in my heart that my life would encompass great achievements - we all have this potential. We were all meant to dream the impossible and make these dreams reality. Flying to the moon, electricity versus fire, these dreams were seen as ludicrous at one point in time. Never let anyone tell you anything you imagine is too far fetched or too unimaginable.

When I was a little girl I dreamed of being in the peace corp. As I grew older, I realized that such a charitable endeavor could be accomplished within the states as well. Though I have not yet achieved what my heart dreams of completely, I strive everyday to reach it. I know, this has much to do with my disciplined focus on what is truly most important to me in life.

Vision is crucial to bringing forth one’s truest dreams. Without a clear, full picture pieces of that image will be more difficult to achieve. If everyday you concentrate on what you want the most, rather than what you don’t like or don’t have, the doors to what you want open - they do. I see it everyday. I live it everyday. But, in order to be able to see these doors and walk through them stridently, you must believe in yourself, you must always believe in yourself.

You must believe you are worth the world. You must believe that the beauty in your heart is a treasure, a rare gift. And, you can believe this with everything in your heart because it is the truth.

“Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,
but that we are powerful beyond measure.”

My greatest wishes, hopes and dreams to all.

by: Liane Schmidt

Mother Nature’s doing her best these days to remind us that it IS winter! Spoken by a true Californian — I know, I know, to people all across the world this weather is probably considered warm, but to the native or almost native Californians: Grab your coats, your overcoats, gloves/mittens, anything to stay warm! It is important to make sure you take care of yourselves so that you stay as healthy as possible! You don’t want anything to get in the way of your dreams!

As the weather grows colder and people don’t want to go outside as much, this can often lead people to exercise less and fall into other bad habits! Don’t let this happen to you! For example, there are plenty of indoor exercises you can do! Lunges, jumping jacks, sit ups, push ups, isometric strengthening (yes, flex those muscles!) and even jogging in place can keep you in tip top shape so that you feel at your best always! This is extremely important while working toward your dreams! Your health is of utmost importance! Everything else - your quality of life, etc is affected by it!!

So, zip up those jackets, turn on your heaters, put extra blankets on your beds and remember if you’re a winter person, live it up! If you’re not - well, keep in mind that winter only lasts a few months and in California, it’s often shorter than that!