Sow a Mustdo Seed
Although we’re getting into the longer evenings, the days still just disappear don't they?
If you’re like me, I promise myself I’ll work on a specific project when I have more time over the summer, but inevitably I’ll get to the last month of summer and realise I have barely begun!
Often, my excuse for not pushing those projects throughout the year is 'I don't have time' or 'I can't fit that in, even though I really want to'. Can you can relate to those excuses? If so, you're maybe not nourishing your must do's.
Recently, I shared the difference between a ‘have to’ and a ‘must do’ (if you missed it, you can read the full version here,) but in summary a must do is something that is on your heart, that doesn’t need done right now, but is super important for the ‘right, what do I want next.’
Have to’s on the other hand are all the things that we need to do to keep life ticking along. Sometimes by the time we get through all our have to’s, there no time or desire left for the important must do’s.
If any of the above sounds familiar and you're struggling to make time for yourself, I encourage you join me and plant a mustdo seed...
Sow a Must Do Seed
To put it in context, my favourite way to take a break is bringing a cuppa and lunch out to the slated seat in my back garden to nosey out into the neighbouring field.
But last year my garden was a mess, the grass was overgrown, weeds were everywhere and the flowerbeds were empty. I stopped taking my break there and completely avoided it...but I missed the quiet time it allowed.
So this year, one of my must do's was to plant the garden. To sow seeds, delight in watching them grow and to see the garden flourish into my retreat again.
So little by little I tackled the garden with an hour here and an hour there and realised that any must do project can be treated the same.
We just need to Plant a Mustdo Seed!
Your seed is planting one hour into your week, just one.
Like a seed, it's better to start small and grow bigger, rather than risk stunting growth or wither. It doesn’t matter if that is making art, going to yoga, meeting a friend or going for a walk - think of what you really want to do and plant it.
But, here’s the important thing… you must plant that seed first into your diary and work your have to’s around it. That’s so important it needs repeated…plant it first!
Next week, do the same and watch your mustdo grow – eventually, those repeated hours/seeds will grow into flowers and some day you’ll have grown that blooming garden, rather than letting the weedy have to's take over.
It will take time because a garden, your art or a 'must do[ne]' wasn’t grown in a day.
Studio Notes
Want a dose of creative encouragement straight to your inbox with creative tips, lessons, discounts, strategies to help you make time for your art? Studio Notes provides a behind the scene insight into the studio and lessons, tips and encouragement for your art:
ForM is by far my favourite group exhibition of the year to visit and I am honoured to have been one of artists involved in it this year.
If you missed the exhibition, here’s a round up.