Fun

I never used to have much fun, I was far too busy working towards my creative success. I was busily searching for ideas (they never came easily), forcing myself to write articles (it always felt like a chore) and rushing to meet deadlines. The whole process was as far from enjoyable as it was possible to be, but hey, I told myself, I'm an artist I'm supposed to suffer! The funny thing was, as well as not enjoying myself I wasn't having much in the way of creative success either. Basically the work was hard to find, hard to do and hard to sell and there wasn't room in my life for much else. Put like that it's a wonder I put up with it, but put up with it I did. Are you doing something similar?

As much as we may hate to admit it there is a strong belief in western societies that life is meant to be a struggle, and an artist life is more of a struggle than most. But listen a moment, come closer, give me you ear while I whisper something to you. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE!! More than that it will be more fulfilling, more creatively successful, and, above all, more enjoyable if you throw away the idea of struggle right now! I accept that might not be as easy as I make it sound, but I hope that by the end of this short article you'll be ready to take one step towards rejecting struggle and embracing fun in your life.

As children we expressed ourselves through play. We ran and laughed and imagined. We didn't think much about what we were doing we just did it. That way we quickly learnt what we enjoyed and what we didn't. As a rule we rejected the later and got on with the former. Sadly for most of us much of this childhood innocence was lost when we started school with all it's rules and timetables. The art of "just being" was lost to many of us. This is what Christopher Robin realised when, at the end of "The House at Pooh Corner", he took Pooh up to the Enchanted Forest for one last afternoon of fun.

"Pooh"
"Yes?" said Pooh.
"When I'm - when - Pooh!"
"Yes Christopher Robin?"
"I'm not going to do Nothing any more."
"Never again?"
"Well, not so much. They don't let you."

The House at Pooh Corner, A A Milne

What we have to remember is now, as adults we have the choice again to "do Nothing" and learn to have fun and find out what we love to do all over again. If we do the rewards for our creative selves will be huge.

Sarah Bran Breathnach knows what I'm talking about. In her wonderful book, "Simple Abundance" she tells us to take the time out of our busy lives to sit in solitude and listen to our hearts until we hear what they are whispering and telling us what to do,

"Once you commit to bringing more of a sense of play into your daily round with authentic personal pursuits, life will begin to take on a harmonious lilt."

Simple Abundance, A Daybook of Comfort & Joy, Sarah Ban Breathnach

It's as simple as that, we need to commit to "bringing more of a sense of play" into our lives. It's not so hard, all we need is a little quiet time and the fortitude to use it to enjoy ourselves. As that probably suggests making the time and using it isn't always easy, it often does indeed take fortitude and commitment, but believe me it is worth the effort, and it does get easier the more practised you get with fun!

First steps are often the most difficult, so why not take one now. Get a sheet of paper and write down five things on it that you would like to do if you had the time. If you find that difficult think about five things you liked to do as a small child. It doesn't matter how silly the ideas may sound, the only rule is that you should pick things that you can do alone.

Now get your diary out and write in one afternoon or morning in the next week (be strict about this, IN THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS) and make an appointment with yourself to do one of the things on the list. His week I'm making a lemon sponge cake packed with strawberry jam like I used to do with my mother. What are you going to do?

That's it, that's all I'm going to suggest you do. A first step to having more fun. If you take it I promise that in time you will start to hear your creative-self whispering louder and loader about your creative journey. It'll be far easier to see your way. Have fun!