​Day 24 of I'm Doing Jack Shit In January Challenge – Doing Jack Shit Is Enough

I’ve been taking adult continuing education art classes on and off for a long time. Early on, I discovered pastels (artist speak for fancy expensive chalk) and really took to them. But then I felt like I should be learning other mediums too, and really got in my head that I wanted to master watercolor.



So, for years I took watercolor classes, and sucked. I tried different teachers, different studios, but I just couldn’t get the hang of it. I thought there was some secret code to doing watercolor and if I kept trying, I could just crack it. My teachers were all helpful and nice, except for one, who was helpful and actually honest. After watching me struggle for many classes, Charles said “Look, I’ve seen you draw. You’re good. But this – this is just not your medium. You used to bring pastels to class. Why don’t you bring those again?”



I wouldn’t. I just kept plugging along, not really enjoying the process or anything I created, but sure that my hard work and persistence would pay off eventually. Even after covid hit and I took a break from classes, once I started back again, I picked up watercolor in one class, and added the new challenge of acrylics in the other. I couldn’t let go of this idea that I needed to be constantly striving to meet my definition of a “better artist.”



In January, I started this restorative yoga challenge, and by the time my new art class session started a few weeks later, I automatically grabbed my 30 pound bag of pastel supplies and happily lugged them into class. In my art classes (and in life in general) I was over managing and trying to force a particular outcome, and in doing so, I had lost the joy of actually creating for the sake of creation itself. My yoga practice reminded me that when I let go of needing to be somebody (great artist, great teacher, great mom, etc), I can connect to my authentic self and know that I am already enough.



Now I change the way I approach my classes, and I Make Art Fun Again. Hey, I should put that on a hat!






#yoga #yogachallenge #yogapractice #restorativeyoga #relax #art #pastelpainting #iamenough