Tuesday 28 February 2012

What do you do when you are in a rut?

Change comes and goes through all of our lives.  Seasons,  time, children growing up, getting old......the list is endless.  Some feels good and others not so good.  I think the quote for sound of music describes to me how change can work positively live

'when the lord closes a door somewhere he opens a window'

. For me this is the only way to move forward.  Positively viewing change no matter how difficult it is. 

This week I sent my 18 year old off to university in Palmerston North.  This is a 6 1/2 drive away from where we live.  It was so hard to leave her there and I felt a door close in my face.  I can see some windows opening now though.  I can see that I have done a great job in preparing her for university and she will be fine.  I can see possibilities of a little more time for myself and for my younger children at home.  With that little more time I am hoping to get more art done as well. 

I am struggling though with using this time.  I just want to go to sleep or curl up on the couch with a book.  I think the major issue is interuptions.  Even with this new time interruption's still come so often that I lose momentum and therefore stop doing work in my studio.  I also am struggling with direction at the moment.  I really don't know where to go and what I want to achieve. 

Maybe my cat has the best idea.....curling up in a bag of stuffing and sleeping.  Do you think the kids would find me!


Sam in a bag of stuffing


Fast asleep


He's hiding in here!



Look how high up he is....

It's a shame sleeping doesn't solve all problems.

So I want to ask you all how do you cope with a loss of momentum?  What do you do when you are in a rut?  What goals do you have?   Please can you leave a comment below if you have any ideas.  Could you please ask around through your communities online and invite others onto my blog to help answer this question?

I look forward to hearing your ideas.

5 comments:

  1. It may be a door closing for you but it certainly is an exciting one opening for your daughter. I remember going to that same city 49 years ago to Teachers' Training college. They were wonderful amazing years. I especially enjoyed doing my main study in art with 2 amazingly talented artists/ lecturers.
    One never loses that artistic bent; just maybe it gets channelled in a different direction. Over the years I have painted, made prints in various ways/forms; had a big rest from it and am now back using it in quilts and mixed media wall hangings.
    With all your wonderful sketches I would be going back through them and searching the possibilities for extending the ones you think could be a theme and start experimenting.
    I have seen your work at Calico Christmas so know you have loads of talent and a great eye for colour.
    I wish you luck. ( Maybe you do need an extra sleep...your body may be trying to tell you something ).

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  2. I like to pull out all my UFOs/WIP's (whatever you want to call them) and look at them, sort through them, have a cull, make a list and usually by the end of it I have some inspiration to work on one.

    Melody Johnson says, "Go Back to Basics" when she has a slump. She pulls out her sketchbook and has a flick through.

    Maybe take a class or an online course? Get out a book from the library on a completely different medium?

    Or maybe you need a creative holiday? Refresh and recharge.

    Good luck.

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  3. Oh I wish I knew the answer to that question! I have been in a creative rut for a few years now. I'm not a creative person, but I used to be able to express myself well through words. Now I seem unable to even do that and it is so frustrating! I am discovering, however, that when the rest of my life is in order, I can focus better on my writing.

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  4. Thankyou all so much for the push I needed :) You have been my motivation this week.

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  5. Sleeping does help! When I wake up at 3am I always have good ideas!

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