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This past Sunday, I ran my first ever half marathon. (I can’t believe I just typed that sentence!)

13.1 miles!

This has been a huge long time goal for me. Being more of an artistic type, I never knew if I would be able to put myself in the “athletic” bracket. It’s always seemed mythical to me.

I first began running when my kids were still very young but it was mostly very short jogs and not at all on a training level. Something would usually happen where I would back off. I went through years of admiration for runners as I watched my husband compete in many races and endurance events.

Somewhere along the way, I had decided I just couldn’t do it, it was too hard, too lofty, and took too much time.

I had no idea how much joy it would bring me, how much peace and solitude, and how much it would benefit my art practice and mental self-care.

Physical and mental self care is a hot issue right now. What does self-care mean for an artist? After all, the creation of art is one of the tenets OF self care.

Many, many people turn to art for a sense of peace, calm, and joy.  Anxiety slipped out the door when I picked up my first pastels. I didn’t have to worry about kids or finances or a million other things, just which color to choose next. So beautiful.

But what happens when what previously brought you joy becomes art-as-a-job and wounds you a little?

Burnout. Overworking, no balance, too intense, stress, striving.

Finding balance has been very hard for me over the years. I can be a workaholic, wear too many hats, and have my hands in every single aspect of my business. My grip is very tight. I have quite a bit of a perfectionist/achiever mentality and while this can be great for some things, it’s really hard in other ways.

Teaching weekly online classes last year was wonderful, but also incredibly stressful. I worried constantly, always felt the pressure of a deadline, and worked between 50-60 hours a week behind my desk, not in front of my easel.

I was frustrated and felt I didn’t have any time for myself or really anything else.

So I made time by deciding to run. Makes sense, huh?

The effect wasn’t immediate, but I began to feel better and noticed a huge uptick in my mood and art creativity on days I ran vs. days I didn’t. Plus, there was all this new time to think! I began to wonder how else I could heal my inner artist wounds.

Artists are brutal self-talkers. We have negative dialogue, we beat ourselves up over “failures”, we put our hearts and souls into our paintings to a huge degree, we internalize EVERYTHING, we take things personally, we hurt when rejected, we stay up too late, drink too much coffee, have bad backs and knees from standing or sitting for too long, our necks hurt, our hands get raw. The list goes on an on.

If you find yourself nodding “yes” to these, consider the following to reacquaint yourself with the peaceful artist within…remember her?

1. Sign up for a local community art class in a different medium

In the midst of my inner turmoil of “I’m at burnout level oh no what do I do” I decided to sign up for pottery classes. This was one of the highlights of my year and I was so excited to return to the ceramics studio each week. My little tiny pots and those fumbling, HILARIOUS attempts were such a mood lifter.

I was terrible and it was so freeing! I didn’t have to be perfect and it was ok because no one was and we all laughed and had clay smeared on our faces and it was pure joy. My teacher, Kent Harris of Blue Sage Pottery, had so much joy for his creations, it was infectious.

I went home elated after every class. Making these little 3D pots made painting my 2D paintings even more fulfilling. I was using my hands in an entirely new way, forming the clay. It was so liberating!

2. Give yourself the power of a schedule

I use a daily calendar to keep me on track. I posted and blogged last year on my Patreon channel 160+ times and that meant a lot of planning and much detail.

It was very important early on to only tackle what was immediately necessary. My mind works in that I see every single tree instead of the forest.

All of the trees need attention simultaneously and all with the same amount of intensity. They each need different pruning and water and all at different times and there are SO MANY TREES!

That’s way too much pressure!

So I gave myself the gift of a schedule.

I settle on what needs to be accomplished that day and stick to it. I also give myself standard “hours” and also (try) to stick to them. I get dressed in the morning as if I’m heading to work outside of my home studio. I check my notes, set my tasks, try to stay focused, and when I’ve done the things on the list, I really try NOT TO DO MORE THINGS. If I’m especially productive and get my list accomplished, it’s difficult not to think “Oh! It’s so early, I’ll just add to my list since I’m ahead.”

No!

Give yourself a break! If you accomplish what needs to be done and focus on the next best step to take, that’s enough for the day. Allow yourself downtime.

At the end of everyday, I write down the next days schedule. I move things around, I give myself some breathing room.

I also give myself some grace.

3. Take a nap (no really)

Salvador Dali is famous for his practice of “micro-naps.” You can read more about his method here. Basically, he napped with a key in his hand and when he drifted off, the key dropped and woke him up.

“The experience of this transitional state between wakefulness and sleep is called hypnagogia. You’re floating at the very threshold of consciousness; your mind is sliding into slumber, but still has threads of awareness dangling in the world…”

When my brain is tired and can’t think of anything creative or when there are deadlines looming and I’m feeling stressed, I take a short nap. It seems counterintuitive but is so important for mental self care. I don’t sleep with a key in my hand but I do set an alarm for between 26-30 minutes. Just giving myself permission to close my eyes and rest for half an hour does wonders for my attitude, my productivity, and my creativity!

I used to love longer naps when the kids were young. I was exhausted but found myself struggling out of sleep inertia (that awful groggy feeling).

So, short sweet naps for everyone!

4. Find your Yes

I like to think positively. Reframing the idea of “learning to say no” by thinking of it instead as finding my yes.

What gives me energy? What parts of my day do I adore and which parts are sucking my energy? What is a “yes” for me in regards to my work load, schedule, and time commitment?

How can I do more of the yes and less of the no?

For me, that meant rescheduling my 2020 online courses to a healthier balance. I needed less hustle in my life which led to more rest and rejuvenation.

Finding your yes can also mean giving yourself artist dates (as Julia Cameron calls them in her amazing book The Artist’s Way). If you haven’t read this book, stop reading this blog post right now, order it, and read it instead.

I love to:

Head to the garden nursery (like my local Pete’s Greenhouse…always at the top of my list)

Head to a local museum, movie theatre, or book store. (I’m still reading, btw!)

Go to the children’s craft aisle and buy some glitter and glue. Have fun!

and finally…

5.Get outside

When I set myself outside and into the natural world on a regular, intentional basis, it changed my life. I’m stronger and healthier, have more energy, and an entirely new outlook on painting and creating.

I got myself out the door and unplugged from all notifications, texts, messages, emails, “to-do” lists and away from my studio, away from my painting.

I had so much time to think and observe. I saw sunrises and sunsets, I ran in the intense heat, the rain and in the snow and ice. I ran along cliffs and valleys in Palo Duro Canyon (a favorite place to paint). I fell and scraped my knees and hands and bled and cried. My husband and I ran together some of the time (especially towards the end of training and on our long runs), but mostly it was just me and the road. I didn’t love every second but am so grateful for every minute.

I took care of myself. It made me a better artist and I am so very thankful.

xoxo,

Bethany