Day 127: Lying Flat On My Face, Drooling

I have reason to believe a diet consisting entirely of cheese – not to mention being on the wrong side of a book-finishing adrenaline high – is a good way to ensure feeling like you've been hit by an avian-flu chicken truck. Perhaps an organic carrot juice followed by a good, old fashioned base jump is the answer.

Irregardless.*

I've decided to take a week off from writing and see how I feel. Today is my fourth day and I feel exhausted. In my overachieving heart of hearts I'm hoping my creative energy makes a miraculous recovery at some point in the next 2.5 days and I wake up on the 7th refreshed and ready to revise.

But, the lesson I learned over the past month (and the lesson several of my artist friends have been trying to tell me forever) is: you can't force it. And why would you want to, really. It's like trying to coerce someone into loving you – even if it works, it feels all wrong.

BUT. I have all sorts of other non-writing ideas I want to play with, many of them specifically for this blog. Stay tuned.

I've also decided to do The Artist's Way again. I write about this book an annoying amount, but until you either go out and get a copy or post a comment saying shut-the-hell-up-or-I'll-stop-reading, I'm going to keep doing it. I credit The Artist's Way (and Facebook, actually) with turning me into a person who has lived as a full-time artist for a year now. For all intensive purposes.**

However, there is still work to be done. My overly serious approach to the artist's life is annoying and counter-productive. I experience crippling artistic jealousy and mood swings on a regular basis. My beliefs about artists and money need a major overhaul or I really will die penniless and alone and it will be all my fault.

So, back to the good book I go, and while I rest my writing brain and refill the creative well, I will cultivate my belief in abundance, possibility and unicorns.***



* Not a real word.
** Not a real phrase.
*** Totally real.