Establishing Great Habits Over "To Do Lists"

My biggest intention as an artist is to continue growing.

I don't aspire to be famous.  I've made choices in my life that have centered on family and faith, resulting in six children and 21 beautiful grandchildren. However, that doesn't mean that I don't want to create a beautiful body of work in my life...so when I'm not traveling to be with all of those amazing people, I have to be focused to progress.

I've always been a "to do list" person, but I usually feel frustrated as I veer off that list and end up at the end of the day feeling like I didn't get what was most important to me done.

I picked up James Clear's book Atomic Habits and it has really helped me change my mindset from checking off lists to creating sustainable habits that don't focus on goals, but systems. 

Being a painter today can make you crazy.  With social media, competitions, and art societies...I've found it to be increasingly competitive and comparative.  So instead of goals, like painting a certain number of paintings a year, selling work, or getting into a show, I'm putting into place systems focused on growth.  Those systems include:

• Carving dedicated, uninterrupted time in my week for studio practice. That goes into my calendar only after slotting time for morning exercise. (Swimming, yoga or weight training)  Because If I don't exercise in the morning, well it doesn't happen! And if I don't exercise, I just don't have the stamina I need to put in the hours at the easel. So in reality, the studio is a reward for my exercise.  And a system I have always used for getting an early start to the gym is packing my gym bag the night before. (a game changer for me)
• Creating space for studies. For me this includes copying Master artists just on canvas paper to get into their head.  It also includes limited stroke studies or limited palette experiences, notans, oil sketches, gouache or pastel studies.  Perusing through my art library, reminding myself that if Monet can paint 250 water lily paintings...I can paint something a few times in different ways, enjoy the process and maybe learn something new!
• Systems to help me get into the studio on time and to make the best of that time.  At the end of a studio session, I wash all of my brushes, clean off my palette, empty the trash and put stuff away. I decide what I'm going to work on the next day and then hope I can sleep without getting too excited about it.  Nothing is worse than a blank canvas, but if I have a plan or a study ready, it pushes me in. When I get back from my workout, I pour out my oil paints. I usually have time after my workout to do a few household chores before I'm slotted for the studio.  The wet paint is a reminder, not to get distracted further in my "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" personality downfall.  Yes that bill can wait, so will the phone call.
• Self talk.  Probably the most important note, not to beat myself up if it doesn't all go well. Emergencies happen, Kids need their mom sometimes, trips have to be planned...and some days, I just need a mental health day and end up in the sewing room. I've learned that I have to give myself a bit of grace too.
• Identity.  One last thing I love about Clear's book is basing our habits and systems on our identity.  Deciding who we want to be and how we will get there. Whenever I think of becoming more like my mother, I think, well I need to serve more and be a better friend. And if I want to be an accomplished artist and can't follow Van Gogh around...I sure can read about him and his process. Even when you are my age, you still have the person you want to become.

Happy painting, friends.