Jananas

Something clicked in my head last summer. I was creative. I started experimenting and making art. I created and produced and lived.

Then I started working. It was (it is) hard to create. I’m often wiped out at the end of a way. I don’t have the motivation or the energy. I’ve been carving out time to create over the last few weeks. It means making it a priority.

It also means making space for art. Before, my supplies were starting to take over. They were cluttered and piled and messy. For me, that’s stressful. When clutter stresses me out, I ignore it.

Instead of ignoring it and ignoring that creativity, I decided that I had to make space for it. On Monday evening Jason and I moved furniture and rearranged. I moved supplies and tidied. I created space.

This shelf has paints, batik supplies, needle felting supplies, some rug hooking leftovers, and canvases. All neatly laid out so that I can see what I have. Now when that moment of inspiration hits I can create instead of frantically searching to find what I need.

How do you carve out time for what really matters to you? How do you prevent duties and responsibilities and obligations from creeping up and taking over the time and energy for creating?