Do you also want to pull the covers over your head some days – dream of doing a sleeping beauty hack and wake up a few months or years later and everything magically fell into place while you were gently snoring away?There have been days when showing up has been one of the hardest things to do; everything in me screamed “go away, leave me alone. I can’t do this”. I am a firm believer in time out, it’s crucial to know when to step back, however, if I leave it too long my “diving unders” can become “my sinkings”. So increasingly even when creative dry spells hit me or life is a bit bland and not even the pinkest of my lipsticks help, I have started to make a concerted effort to show up anyway. I write anyway, I take my camera for a walk anyway, I get up early and exercise anyway (okay, not always but it’s getting better!) and I make a smoothie or green juice anyway (always).
If success is a series of small steps forward then surely failure must be a series of small steps backward. In my experience once one is in reverse gear, it seems twice as hard to push forward than if one just stays on course even if it means at a slower, less exciting pace. The secret for me at least, is to keep going. Some days, one has to be your own champion, entertainer, best friend. People have their lives and issues, no one can be available or even has the energy to be a crutch all the time and that’s why in my opinion it’s vital that one learns to show up for yourself even when the script is boring, picture out of focus, music flat with too many pauses, even when you are not excited about the exciting or when it seems to have no point, place value on your life and show up. Don’t wait for a perfect moment sometimes perfect moments are created and the artist is you.