Got back into the regular (summer) swing of things with work and the kids’ last week of holidays, just in time for our routine to change again come next week. On one hand, I can’t believe it will be September already; on the other hand, May feels like a hazy memory. We had a relatively decent summer, weather-wise, and I think that’s made it feel long even as it seemed to breeze by. I am definitely excited about switching to my fall closet – hello, sweaters and layers! – but less excited about the prospect of the cold, dark days of winter beyond.
I am already starting to mentally prepare for ‘hibernation’ mode, which this year will (hopefully) involve writing my next book. For the last few weeks, I’ve struggled with writer’s block – not in writing, but in brainstorming my next story idea – and I was starting to worry about, what else, never being able to write anything again. It’s a rite of passage, right? Well, it sucks. Thankfully, it’s over … for now … I think. I have an idea and … I’m really excited about it? Honestly, it feels like a magic trick because less than a week ago I was convinced my brain was broken. Creativity is a weird, wonderful thing.
This week, I did something I haven’t done in a long time: took a bunch of things to get tailored. It started with a NWT J. Crew dress I thrifted. I LOVED it, but it was slightly big in the bust and gaping under the arms. In the past, I might have tried to make it work* but this time, I decided it was worth the time and money to get it to fit just right. It turned out to be a relatively inexpensive fix ($20), so I took the plunge and took in a couple of other dresses that had a similar issue, including my beloved rainbow dress. I mean, I’ve had that dress for years and adore it, so it’s worth the effort, right? Especially since I’ve found a seamstress in my neighbourhood whose work I trust.
* My reason was that, for many years, my style/closet was constantly evolving, and I couldn’t always be sure that any particular item would be a ‘forever’ piece worth the extra investment of tailoring. I would either not buy something that didn’t fit perfectly, or else buy it and just make it work as-is. Now that my style and closet have ‘settled’, I feel differently about spending money on fixing up core pieces.
My current shopping obsession is still jewelry. I’ve been browsing a lot on Poshmark, because thrift stores have been a bust lately, but haven’t bought anything yet. I’m trying to be very intentional and approach it more like “collecting” than “buying”. Mainly, I want to get pieces that I can pass down to my daughter. Lately, I’ve found myself going back again and again through the jewelry that I got from my mom and grandmothers, and (re)discovering pieces that perfectly suit my current tastes. Every time that happens, it feels like a gift from the women who shaped my life; a way to feel close to them again. I love the idea of making that possible, some day, for my own kids (and, maybe, grandkids).
Last weekend, I did a big edit of my jewelry collection – putting aside stuff that doesn’t suit me anymore, reorganizing the rest, and generally making more space (literally and figuratively) for the pieces I love. I need to be able to easily see and access my jewelry and clothes in order to wear them regularly. Out of sight, out of mind. (I recently read that object impermanence is an issue in ADHD and I was, like, ‘yeah, that tracks’. LOL!) I’m now gearing up to do the same thing with my clothes, which will be harder – I have way more emotional attachment to clothes – but I’m excited to start the new season with a ‘fresh’ slate.
Have a great weekend!
Couple of things… have you ever read The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron, and worked through the processes? I am on Day 36 of Morning Pages, and am just finishing my second week of the twelve-week assignments in the book. It’s been startling, how quickly things are unblocking for me. Within days of starting morning pages, I was cold-called to audition for a big commercial (didn’t get it), auditioned for a top 10 opera company (don’t know if this will go anywhere, but they let me sing the full aria, so I didn’t crash the plane, lol), and have booked some solid creative work this month and next, including singing backup on a new album for a blues artist who tours nationally. I’m not saying this to flex – I am saying this because holy crap, once I started clearing out the dumpster fire in my creative psyche, opportunities have started coming my way.
The other thing is that Stephen King noted in his book On Writing: A Memoir, that he saved every rejection letter he ever got, stuck on a nail in his writing space. He got a lot of rejections before “Carrie” – and he almost didn’t write that book. He wrote the opening scene, crumpled it up and threw it away, and went to work his night shift janitor job. Came home the next morning to find the pages spread out on the table with a note from his wife, demanding to know what happens next.
So keep going! KEEP GOING. You are a compelling writer. As someone said in the previous post, you only need one yes!
But seriously, The Artists Way has helped me dissolve a massive creative block, and a long-standing crisis of faith, and I’m only on page 59.
And if any of your readers have gone through The Artists Way, or are thinking about it, I’d love to hear how it’s going!
I have heard about it, of course, but never read it.
When I started writing this year, I approached it in the same way as a previous major (life-changing) shift in my life — with very clear and constantly reinforced goals/intentions. I don’t like calling it “manifesting”, but more like setting myself a destination: I don’t know exactly how I’m gonna get there but I won’t stop until I do. I haven’t yet, but the year isn’t over yet, haha!
But you’ve inspired me to give The Artists Way a try so … thanks! And I hope opportunities continue to find their way to you. Good luck!