I’m now back home after adventuring in the van and I certainly got the taste for little creative breaks like this. I’ll definitely be planning more short trips with little kitty Rocky in the future. (If you want a one-minute video van tour, here it is! Also some pics below.)
Lately, I’ve been thinking about procrastination – because it’s something I’m certainly guilty of. On the positive side, when I have a deadline – and I’ve promised someone an outcome by a certain date – I don’t procrastinate. But when it’s an open-ended project, procrastination definitely rears its ugly head.
The sad part is that these open-ended projects are more likely to be my own personal passions or initiatives. Which means that the very activities that feed my soul – and that inspire my creativity – are likely to suffer most from procrastination. Maybe this feeling is familiar to you too?
This has been going on for decades, largely because I’ve convinced myself that my commitment to deadlines and deliverables is an important part of my professionalism. And while there’s definitely merit in that, the reality is that these deadlines and deliverables – to clients, stakeholders, acquaintances, sometimes even total strangers – mean that I’m actually living for other people’s priorities. And completely ignoring my own.
There needs to be a balance. While working with other people is important and, often, very enjoyable, I’ve realised that I need to take my own passions and projects off the backburner. Do you?
What might you need to prioritise this week?
In other news … here’s what I’ve been doing:
Watching: The Offer on Paramount Plus. It’s a dramatic retelling of how the classic movie The Godfather was made. Starring Miles Teller (Top Gun), Matthew Goode (The Crown), Juno Temple (Ted Lasso) and Colin Hanks (yes, Tom’s son), it’s a fascinating account of how The Godfather producer Al Ruddy overcame seemingly insurmountable challenges in getting the movie to come to fruition.
Reading: How Words Get Good: The Story of Making a Book by Rebecca Lee. This is a cracker of a book! It’s about all the steps, processes and players involved in creating a book and is full of clever insight, historical trivia and fun facts – all told with a unique sense of humour. I was fortunate enough to interview the author, Rebecca. If you’re interested you can view it here.
Excited by: End of financial year. Why? Because big things always happen to me at this time of year, without fail. Last year, I signed up to a mentoring program. Another year, I bought a house – literally on 30 June. Yet another year, I took a big scary personal leap because I finally believed in myself. 30 June is just my thing.
One way to make 30 June a joy instead of a chore (because, tax returns) is to ensure that you use it to invest in yourself. The best part is that this investment can often be a tax deduction. That might be through investing in a course (and there is an incredible 30 June sale at the Australian Writers' Centre right now), a meaningful piece of artwork or a personal development program. You have a lot of options – so why not make the most of this deadline?
Thanking you for: All your wonderful advice and suggestions on my question about getting stains out of Ceasarstone in the last newsletter. I’m truly grateful!
Painting: Hanging out in the studio painting large-scale floral artworks like Blushing Rose below, Sometimes, you just need a bit of pink in your life! You can view a selection of available paintings here.
Until next time, have a creative week!