The next time you are finishing up a drawing, put your pencils and paintbrushes down. Admire your page, and take a few deep breaths. Inhale joy, exhale frustration. Inhale peace, exhale stress. Inhale positivity, exhale negativity. Your mind may wonder if you are accurately representing your subject, or notice areas you want to improve. Let those waves of thoughts, questions, and judgments go as easily as they came, and come back to your page with awe in your eyes.
You made something! That’s amazing! You could have been doing anything else, and instead, you chose to spend your time connecting with nature and harnessing your creativity onto a previously empty page. Without your time and effort, that page would still be blank. Because we each have our own unique voice and style, you add your personal light to the world each and every time you choose to engage yourself in creating. You are the only one who could have created what you did like you did it. No one else could have created it exactly like you. Really revel in this moment, and be proud of yourself for creating something (regardless of how you perceive and judge the quality of your work) that shares a piece of you with everyone. Creating brightens not only your life, but also the larger world.
For maximum joy, apply this concept to all aspects of your life! Turned raw ingredients into a delightful dish (or beverage!)? That dish wasn’t there before; you made something! Played an instrument? That music wasn’t there before; you made something! Captured a photo of smiling family/adorable pets/beautiful nature? Those pictures weren’t there before; you made something! And even if you are one in a group of people photographing the same scene, each person’s photo will be from slightly different perspectives that share each individual’s unique voice. You already change the world in so many wonderful ways every day. Acknowledging your transformative magic provides space for gratitude, accomplishment, and finding joy.
We delight in sharing our creations on the Art Feed! Join any of our subscription programs (Botanical Basics, Practice of Botanical Drawing, or Community) for access to the Art Feed, your own virtual portfolio, our live monthly Webinars, celebrating everyone’s work each month, and Open Studio, a virtual space for us to draw together. Join Draw Botanical instructors and other talents of the Draw Botanical community to work on your independent drawing project, ask questions, and learn instructors’ tips and tricks right from their live drawing tables.
