Freedom Through Routine

It’s that time of year when we pause to take stock of the past and make plans for the future. This year feels heaping with struggles and triumphs. When I look back over my schedule I get dizzy. And when I look at the biggest lessons I’ve learned, one thing stands out: this was a year of STRESS.

Learning how to manage and live with stress on a daily basis was my biggest, longest challenge this year. And my number one goal for next year is to keep stress management as a top priority. I’ve watched myself on days when it felt like my thoughts were racing and realized that my ability to focus and make good decision is impaired…and so is my self-awareness.

If I’m chronically stressed, I’m more likely to have trouble planning, make poor decisions, unconsciously seek comfort or escape (hello, wine and chocolate!), and I’m not even aware I’m doing this because I’m stressed. The worst part is that people are really good at rationalizing our actions, so, after eating all the chocolate and drinking all the wine, I might tell myself “I deserved it” or “just wanted to relax”, which is fine sometimes, but could prevent me from confronting the stress that drove me there and finding healthier ways to deal with it.

If 2020 was a year of stress, 2021 will be a year of routine.

I’ve found that regularly scheduling stress-reducing activities into my week keeps me from getting to that spun-out place. The bonus is that most of these are things I wanted to do already (exercise, meditate, go for walks, take a long bath), I’m just encouraging myself to do them regularly by prioritizing and scheduling them.

Everyone has their own list of things that relax them; I challenge you to write yours down and pick one or two that you want to make a habit of. Write it down, make a plan, set an alarm – make time to connect with and care for yourself.

One way I practiced self-care this month was by making a reservation to visit The Blanton’s Expanding Abstraction exhibit.
Hiking is a long-time favorite way for me to get exercise, relax, and clear my head. Here, I’m soaking up the sun on the Barton Creek Greenbelt.
Some fall colors along Turkey Creek Trail in Emma Long Metropolitan Park.
Allen Park’s short but sweet loop trail.
Magical springs along the Little Fern section of the River Place Nature Trail.

MORE GOOD STUFF

In November, I was one of over four hundred artists who participated in The Austin Studio Tour. This was the first time the annual tour went virtual and I was really impressed with the quality and quantity of videos produced by the community. Check out art studio tours, demonstrations, and interviews with artists online at austinstudiotour.org for at least another week. (I’m hoping they keep the site up past the end of the year, but we’ll see.)

“Pink Prickly Pear” – Acrylic On Canvas – 12″x24″, painted as part of The Austin Studio Tour.
“Among The Hoodoos” – Acrylic On Canvas – 20″x24″, finished during the studio tour. Based on a photo I took of Bryce Canyon National Park in 2014. I think I started painting this because I’ve been feeling some serious wanderlust after spending so much time at home.

In late November I received a grant to build a sculptural art piece that’s inspired by and created from optical illusions, color theory, and color-changing light. It’ll be part of a drive-through art event just outside of Austin on January 15th and 16th. Tickets haven’t been released yet, but you can follow the event on Facebook to stay up to date.

As I mentioned in my last post, I’m loving Elizabeth Gilbert’s take on the creative process and found a short version if you don’t want to read her book. Check it out:

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for letting me share my art with you! Your support means the world to me.

Wishing you stress-free holidays and a safe and happy new year!