I wanted to write about perseverance this month because it’s so important for creativity and for art, but also because it’s what I am struggling with right now. I’m struggling to persevere at working as an artist and promoter of creative play because though I know it to be my calling (and just knowing that feels like a huge accomplishment!), I have no income from it and I’m not sure how much longer I can persist under those circumstances. But, thinking about what it takes to keep moving forward against all odds has me thinking about how persistence is often necessary in creating.
It’s so easy to postpone our creative time because it’s only a priority for us and not for anyone else in our lives. It’s so easy to give up on a difficult piece of art when we’re working alone in our studios and we become fearful about how the work will be received. But, “unexpressed creativity is not benign,” to quote Brené Brown. Making time for your creativity keeps negative emotions like rage, grief, and sadness at bay and is tremendously important for your emotional well-being. And, art plays a vital role in our society. Art illuminates what is hidden to others; it comforts others who recognize shared experience; it expresses beauty and it inspires. Keep on.
