"The reminder for ambitious people â donât forget to stop, take a look at all you have & be happy.â The Counter Balance is the personal blog of Alicia Waters, sharing the pursuit of creative happiness.
I kind of feel like I've jumped into a pool this week, metaphorically speaking. I feel rejuvenated & excited & fun! Maybe it's that summer is almost here, maybe it's a weekend hanging out w/ the girls is coming up, maybe it's that Drew & I are getting married in 19 days...!! I just want to draw all day, so while I have the chance, I'm going to!
Even with all the "online motivation" I can fall trap to getting stuck in a valley. I start thinking of all I have on my plate & I become immobile. All I seem to be able to do is think & fall off the grid. My connections and my accountability falls to the side and my list making can go into overdrive until I shut off. Ever have this problem?
I think, or I hope, we all do. I hope this problem happens to everyone, not because I think this falling is good for us, but rather I think it's good for us to realize that it does happen to everyone. All I know is that you keep moving and sometimes you even have to move yourself through the motions. Eventually your brain or your heart will heat up enough to catch the spark again.
Sometimes it's merely a matter of needing rest. Other times it's just regaining perspective. Timing is a silly force of nature. Silly meaning absolutely amazing. Timing brings everything to you in its place just when you're ready for it. Be awake to accept it.Â
I'm so happy to share my first guest post from Jake Jorgovan who reached out to me to share his thoughts on losing touch with creativity - which I know we've all been through a time or two by now. Enjoy!
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GUEST POST BY JAKE JORGOVAN
A few years ago, I was running a creative agency. My job was to sell and produce creativity for a living and I did a pretty decent job.
But something happened during those years of running the creative agency.
I began to lose touch with creativity itself. My creative work began to become work and it lost its enjoyment.
I became miserable and it almost felt like I had any other corporate job.
Since then I have made one small change in my creative life that has drastically affected my happiness, creativity and professional work.
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CREATING FOR PURE ENJOYMENT
Everyone I know that is a creative professional absolutely loved creating when we were younger. We would spend hours drawing, designing or practicing music just because we loved it.
Somewhere along the line, most of us stop doing this.
We get busy with paid clients, life, dogs, kids and a million other things that get in the way.
We stop creating for the enjoyment of it and start creating for the money that comes from it.
I was in this boat for quite sometime, and then I made one small change that completely revamped my creative career.
Create one personal project per week
I began working on one personal project per week. That project wasn't tied to any monetary gain, self-promotion or client work. That project was purely for me.
I didn't always spend a ton of time on it. Sometimes it was a quick 30 minute sketch, other times I would spend several hours on a project.
Every time after I finished the project, I felt refreshed. Sometimes I didn't even like what I had created, but it didn't matter because I enjoyed the process of making something purely for me.
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THE INSPIRED CREATOR
A few months ago several friends and myself started up a Facebook group called The Inspired Creator. It is a place for creative professionals to have an outlet and accountability for creating that one personal project per week.
It is a place for creative professionals to get back in touch with their creative selves.
I can honestly say it is one of my favorite things on facebook now. I love seeing what people create, and I love knowing that I am kept accountable to keep creating.
I am happy to say that my good friend Alicia has been quite active in the group and has even brought a few friends with her. If you are interested in joining, just request to join the Facebook group at the link below.
facebook.com/groups/theinspiredcreator
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Jake Jorgovan publishes a weekly newsletter about creativity, marketing and living a non-traditional lifestyle at http://jake-jorgovan.com
As I mentioned in my last post, I recently watched âThe Art of Pricing for Profit Workshop" & I've had a breakthrough in creating new work that is priced at different levels. I'm still working on my custom flower crowns from last week but I'm also working on a new ampersand illustration & some TN pride made from the iris. I'm thinking the ampersand may have 2 versions, because I intend on doing it in watercolor but I really like the simplicity of the black pen brush also. I've also thought it could be cool to print it on a type of canvas and do a cool wall hanging, but we'll see what happens. Excited to see where these go & excited to get work up in the shop soon so I can finally start sharing!
I used to keep a blog where all I did was post articles, talks & books that motivated me because friends were always interested in the info I passed along to them. I stopped a few years back b/c it got old feeling like I was only regurgitating other peoples thoughts.
However, I still think sharing your motivators is important & here's what I currently have circling through social media, tv & the stereo to keep me moving & learning:
Aidy Bryant
I love SNL & always have. It seems in recent years the women of the show have been taking over & I love it! One of the newer cast members Aidy Bryant has become one of my favorites & I just love her sketches as well as following her on twitter. I think what I get most from following her is how to have fun & do what you love. She always looks so happy & she's killing it!
Mindy Kaling
Last year I read Mindy's book Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) & I became a huge fan of hers. I also started following her on twitter & instagram & this lady works her butt off. She's funny & hard working & she's running her own show! Her book was very on par w/ Tina Fey's Bossypants for me & I love the background of girls who always felt kind of odd as a teen b/c they always kind of knew what they wanted to do when they grew up. It's also great to see how successful they are now & everything they've done to get here - they definitely do the work.
Arianna Huffington
I still know very little about Arianna Huffington as she didn't pop up on my radar until a few weeks ago when she spoke about her new book, Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder, on Late Night w/ Seth Meyers. A super successful lady talking about how we all need to sleep more?? Yes please! I'm still reading her book but so far so great & I'll probably re-read a few chapters b/c I think it's one of those books that's an easy read but there's a lot of thought that goes into it and my brain needs time for things to sink in. I highly suggest looking into Thrive.
Jake Jorgovan
Jake and I have been friends for some years now & we met here in Nashville while he was running a super successful media company. It's crazy what a few years can bring b/c Jake is now traveling the world and redefining what his career looks like. I will admit I thought he was a little crazy but the idea of what he wanted to do sounded like fun. Now I will say, he's onto something really great and this guy is going to continue doing amazing things & surprising us for a long time. Find out more about Jake on his site & blog where he is a lot better at updating than me, but I'm learning!
Tara Gentile
I recently became familiar with Tara as I started doing my biz research on getting into the Etsy game & redesigning our MID site & shop. I came across "The Art of Pricing for Profit Workshop" video on Etsy & stayed up until 1 in the morning filling up my sketchbook w/ notes. I have easily talked about what I've learned from this video for a solid week & I've dove into Tara's website for even more information. As someone who always had a full time job I never stressed about making a stable income from my artwork that I sold online. Now the tables have turned & I'm so happy I found Tara so I can hopefully learn from the master!
Ri¢hie
For the past full month I've easily listened to Ri¢hie's album at least once every day. It was the record I went to when painting signs for CreativeMornings and it's the record I listen to when cleaning or cooking around the house. It's also the record I go to when I'm working on illustrations or website design - it's the record to get ANYTHING done. It's so much fun & to go along w/ most of the people I've mentioned above, he doesn't take his work too seriously & that's what I need right now. It's great music & everyone should listen & book them for a show b/c they need to play again soon so I can get out of the house & have some fun!
A BIG internet THANK YOU to all the people mentioned above for doing what they love & on their own terms. It's all truly motivating.
ps. my color palette today seems to be brought to you by easter m&m's. I'm not eating them as I post this, but I should be.
>> GO HERE << If you're trying to find the link to help me decide how to print & price my new illustrations! 9 quick questions & I really really appreciate it.
Once I get things figured out maybe I'll even try to give a discount to those who are helping me out so much in the beginning. Thank you!!
The past week since our first CreativeMornings in Nashville I've had a flood of inspiration. It's really been crazy. As many know, I'm a ux designer & aspiring illustrator 24/7, paying the bills & finding my thrills. However, the past few years illustration has been something I've found very little thrill in due to lack of open hours & inspiration. Still, I forced myself to sit & draw as often as I could but most of the time I felt like what I was doing wasn't any good. It wasn't terrible, I mean, I still made prints & sold them, but I just haven't felt excited about what I've been producing. As much as I gave myself a hard time I also let it slide b/c I'm not a full time illustrator, I do it on the side or in my spare time. So I know that I have to put in more hours and that's just the way it is until something changes.
Ever since I left my job & started doing the work I set out to do, everything has just fell into place. I'm constantly amazed that I am still working & that people care. My world has SIGNIFICANTLY changed in the past month. It's a gradual change but now after a few weeks I can see how those changes have added up. It's kind of funny how many times I've told people how happy I am... kind of makes me wonder what exactly I've been these past few years. What I can say to piggy back on my last post is that I'm very happy to be sharing my truths.Â
I have managed to create 3 new illustrations in about 5 days. I can't remember the last time I was this excited about what I'm doing. Not only am I excited, I'm really proud of it too. After working my butt off on CMNSH I've felt an overwhelming sense of pride that I am working on a free event offered to people in our community. Very few things are free these days & everyone on our team is giving of their time & talents to make something better for Nashville's creative enjoyment & it's amazing! That feeling has only gotten stronger since our first event- So much that it's flowing over to my work. I'm constantly thinking about what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. My intention is that I'm creating things to help people. Be it an app that will make others enjoy their job more or illustrations that will give people a warm & fuzzy feeling for themselves or as a gift.
These illustrations were created w/ a pen brush, watercolors & some photoshop collage, b/c I like to piece things together & have the freedom to constantly change my ideas. (The current famous females are only being used for my draft process, they won't be what I sell, there will be no copyright issues here, thank you & good day.) It is my hope that I will soon publish these headdresses on Etsy & allow people to send me a photo of them, a friend or loved one & I will customize their photo w/ any headdress they like. I'm still working on the cost, photo specs & printing process. What I know is that everyone should be able to own a piece of artwork that feels special & custom to them & they shouldn't have to break the bank to do it. I'm so excited about the possibilities this will bring & I am truly excited to find a few ladies out there interested in this project.Â
So that's that, speaking my truths one flower at a time.
An ode to the wonderful Debbie Millman and this quote from her recent interview with The Great Discontent. If youâre not tuned into her podcast, youâre missing out.
On a side note, I donât make enough gifs! Will rectify this ASAP.
Do you ever get so caught up in what you're doing you forget to take a moment & collect? That's the exact reason I started this blog, to counter balance against that - & yet, here I am, catching up after the past month and a half. I'm still getting used to showing my work & even being allowed to share it. A lot of my work the past few years has been kind of like a secret to a lot of people. Working on the projects I do, it's common that I'm not allowed to share a lot of my process. Not being able to share my work has been a struggle. It's made me wonder why I do what I do & how I'm doing it, because ultimately art is supposed to connect & communicate with people and on some level, I havn't been able to do that for years. Until recently I've been cooped up in an office feeling tied down & unable to reach & fail on my own terms... and I really don't mean that in such a negative way. It comes down to this - I needed to get out, get away, brush off everything that I felt has been weighing me down & I needed to center and focus on what is going to help me grow.
Donezo. I'm there. I'm in the process, that is. Here's what happened:Â â
I quite my j-o-b. When I say that out loud it still sounds ridiculous. Something I wanted to do a year ago and went through the heart-aching struggle of "Should I? Why shouldn't I? Can I? Why not? This is crazy! This is brilliant! Someone tell me what I should do..." The same week I started as a freelance designer again, I received word that I was also chosen as the host of CreativeMornings Nashville. Talk about AMAZING timing! So I'm freelancing, I'm working on MID w/ Drew, I'm working at a start-up & I'm hosting @Nashville_CM. I went from unhappy & stir crazy to ecstatic & crazy/stupid/tired out of my mind in a snap of a finger. I should also note, this is a metaphoric snap - the kind that actually took anywhere from 1-6 months to achieve. It's easy to say "snap" because looking back all that happened in this time was for me to feel ok with making a decision. Lots of time!
So here's what I'm learning:
⢠Organization is KEY
Every time I feel overwhelmed making a list and dividing tasks into priorities solves 90% of my issues. Sleep solves another 5% & red curry or a crunchy shrimp roll solves the other 5%.
⢠It takes longer than a month to figure things out
Once I entered into this new freelance lifestyle, well, I honestly slept a bunch at first. I'm pretty sure I spent the first week wondering if I had made the biggest mistake ever. After I survived week one, I realized I was still alive and maybe I should take advantage of that. I've made goals and lists and set big dreams for myself... I'm still a work in progress but it keeps me trying for better. Waking up at a certain time, taking a shower so many times a week, not always working in my pajamas - baby steps!! Finally as I approach the end of month two I realize that thinking I would have this all figured out after month one was a silly mistake. I shouldn't have put that pressure on myself & as I keep learning - I'm still here, so tomorrow is another day to try again.Â
⢠Good people in, Bad people out
Seems like an easy thing to remember but after working multiple days in a row by myself it can get a little lonely. I have to remember to seek out the people who keep me motivated, the people who bring good thoughts to my attention & want to share their projects, processes & inspiration. Even though freelancers can spend a lot of time working alone, it's great to know that everyone working for themselves has a common bond & we all want to see each other succeed. A big nod to this goes out to my friends at & surrounding Fort Houston. You can't fake support & this place has it busting out of the seams.
⢠Keep the bad thoughts long enough to change your direction
I'm not going to say we shouldn't think bad or negative thoughts. That's ridiculous. We all think the ceiling's going to cave in every now and then. What I do believe in is acknowledging the negative thoughts, that something could indeed go wrong or you could fail, then shake hands & be done with it. Change your direction and walk away towards a better idea. Sometimes I think, what if I can't pay my bills this fall? What if a project doesn't come through and then I'm screwed? Then I remember, I've already had a handful of projects not come threw and I'm still kickin. Spring literally just got here, it's not even Summer yet - why am I worrying about the Fall?? I'm a BIG planner, so this is generally my biggest problem with my fears - the fear of actually having to live in the moment. It's scary & thrilling all at once. I dig it - most of the time.
⢠Learn more!
It's crazy to think "I just went out on my own because obviously I'm good at what I do and I can stand on my own two feet so see ya later RSS feed & books & other people's advice..." Doesn't that sound ridiculous? If not, please read that again with a lot of sarcasm behind it. We need to keep learning! Once I left my job and got over my fear of being afraid, I started reading books again. I mean, I've had all this extra time on my hands, right? Not to mention, this is THE perfect time for CreativeMornings to rule a big chunk of my life. Not only do I still get to geek out over all the amazing videos online, but I get to seek out creatives in my own city & talk them into teaching my peers and I something we never knew or need a reminder on. What could be better at a time like this? Please take my advice & check the talks page on CreativeMornings, I promise you will find something of interest & you will feel better about your next 20 minutes.
On the bookshelf:
Recently finished: Show Your Work, Austin Kleon
Recently finished: The Day the Crayons Quit, Drew Daywalt
Currently reading: Thrive, Arianna Huffington (I'm one chapter in & super excited)
In a nutshell - I'm learning things, I'm growing & odds are I'm making some killer mistakes that I might not even realize right now - but I'm still moving forward & I'm going to do my absolute best to keep sharing & stop catching up.
"You have to live your life with a certain blind confidence that if itâs your destiny to succeed at these things, it will happen, if you just continue to follow a straight path, to do you work as conscientiously and as creatively as you can, and to just stay open to all opportunity and experience. Thereâs a performing motto at Second CityâŚto say yes instead of no. Itâs actually an improvisational ruleâŚItâs about supporting the other person. And the corollary to that is if you concentrate on making other people look good, then we all have the potential to look good. If youâre just worried about yourselfâHow am I doing? How am I doing?âwhich is kind of a refrain in Hollywood, you know, people are desperately trying to make their careers in isolation, independent of everyone around them.
And Iâve always found that my career happened as a result of a tremendous synergy of all the talented people Iâve worked with, all helping each other, all connecting, and reconnecting in different combinations. SoâŚidentify talented people around you and then instead of going into competition with them, or trying to wipe them out, make alliances, make creative friendships that allow you and your friends to grow together, because someday your friend is going to be sitting across a desk from you running a movie studio."
Sometimes I fall into the trap of "I can't." A client makes so many changes that I lose my position on what problem they've hired me to solve. My thought process turns into "I would move this here, but I can't. I would make this smaller, but I can't." Typically those defeated thoughts arrive b/c I'm listening too much to other people and I've agreed to stay within their boundaries. Listening too much to other people means I'm certainly not listening to myself.
Sometimes the hardest person to listen to is yourself.
When you listen to yourself you're admitting you have an opinion. You just might have an idea. Your idea might be right. Your idea might be better.
And if it's not, then listening to yourself means you were wrong. You made a mistake. You have to try again.
Having to try again - if that's the biggest downside to listening to ourselves, where's the problem, really? Try again & again & again. Most of the time trying again takes less time then trying to make something bad work.
If you feel uneasy about what you're doing, if you're not enjoying yourself, if you can't stand behind what you're creating - step away. Come back with fresh thoughts - LISTEN TO YOURSELF - & try again.
Try, try again.
-A
image courtesy of google search, unknown author. if you know who did this please share!
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