I have learned that Creativity is the antidote to depression, anxiety, and burnout. The key is to be creative because it brings joy or clarity, not as a way to find fame, make money, or feel relevant. It is a blessing when one can pursue one's creative ideas without worrying about paying the bills. Books I have found helpful are Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert and The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. Morning Pages is an excellent exercise to get the tangled threads out of the system so that one can get to the real nuggets of insight/clarity. Good luck!
Thanks so much for reading and I appreciate the words of encouragement. I'm fortunate to continue developing my craft while I can rely on my unrelated and steady profession for my livelihood. You're right, I think writing because I'd go hungry otherwise would push me to publish pieces starved of any interesting insight. Sometimes I wonder how the desperation might push me though.
Love The Artist's Way but I'm unfamiliar with Big Magic, so thanks for the recommendation. Thanks again.
I have learned that Creativity is the antidote to depression, anxiety, and burnout. The key is to be creative because it brings joy or clarity, not as a way to find fame, make money, or feel relevant. It is a blessing when one can pursue one's creative ideas without worrying about paying the bills. Books I have found helpful are Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert and The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. Morning Pages is an excellent exercise to get the tangled threads out of the system so that one can get to the real nuggets of insight/clarity. Good luck!
Nandini,
Thanks so much for reading and I appreciate the words of encouragement. I'm fortunate to continue developing my craft while I can rely on my unrelated and steady profession for my livelihood. You're right, I think writing because I'd go hungry otherwise would push me to publish pieces starved of any interesting insight. Sometimes I wonder how the desperation might push me though.
Love The Artist's Way but I'm unfamiliar with Big Magic, so thanks for the recommendation. Thanks again.