This week has been full of workshop filming, commission painting, and evidence that God sure has a wacky sense of humor.
(All the pics in this post are from Summer Camp filming!)
First, filming. This is the first time I'm filming WAY before class begins; I've had instances where all the raw footage was filmed and loaded before class started, but I've often spent the nights during class sessions editing video for the next day, pushing myself well past midnight to keep my posting time goals.
And it takes a little bit of the fun out of it, to be honest. Especially for me, who has to balance activity and rest on such an unpredictable knife's edge, and who usually tumbles down on the wrong side and right into bed.
This year, I made a commitment to myself to deliver what I promise. This means living a more honest life with a word that can be trusted. I've made so many mistakes over the years as I tried to live and deliver like all those artists I admire -- cranking out classes or tons of content, blogging on a schedule, taking staged photos...all those things we see everyone doing.
But I've learned we all just need to relax into our own flow, work when we can, and cherish those high energy days. It means saving things to be posted when I haven't been inspired for awhile, planning WAY ahead, and having content already written or filmed before offering off a class.
I feel like this means I'm starting with the RIGHT kind of energy. That I'm 75% finished filming the class and just put it up for registration. It means less stress & more fun. It means I can add bonus content whenever I want, & have more time to devote to students.
It means I can teach from my heart.
Second, is new commissions. I've been getting more and more of them as I continue evolving my new direction & style. The more I experiment and grow closer to the vulnerable center of my heart & God, the greater the blessings that have come to me. I adore painting and can't wait to get into the studio -- and now, having sold more paintings since March than I have...ever...has me diving deeper into my art journal practice and spreading paint on canvas when those journal pages jump out of all these little books I have.
As for God and His wacky sense of humor? Well, I'm sure you know all about that. A gift fell in my lap last week that will make blogging and photographing my work and making videos so, so much easier! I'm typing this on a keyboard to my phone right now! This makes life easier for me, more comfortable, and less stressful.
Which gives me more energy for paint & play & writing words.
How have you brought yourself more in line with your own heart rhythm? Where do you hold your stress? And how can doing things your own way help you get closer to a more joyous life?
With love,
Samie
(Who is always here to talk; I may take a couple days to reply, but am so, so here.)
