Be Nice to Yourself! by Lindsay Bandy

I’m so excited by all the talk of goal-setting around here! We are truly a strong community making each other stronger all the time!

As you get into the swing of things here in 2017, I just wanted to give you a quick reminder to be nice to yourself. This year we’ll all have days ridden with self-doubt and fear of failure. We’ll all have days where we feel like we’re torturing the words or pictures out of ourselves, and days when our work is not our best work. It might even be headed straight for the garbage. There will be set-backs or times when life gets in the way of our creative work. Even the best of us will have those days. So be sure to remind yourself of a few things….

-It’s okay to make a mess sometimes. It’s part of learning. (Just ask my kids.)

-It’s okay to give yourself breaks from a project when you’re stuck. Sometimes a few days off or even just a good nap can re-set your muse. Writer’s/Illustrator’s Block is real….but it’s not permanent.

-It’s okay to re-think and re-tool your goals as you go. Were you too ambitious for your own good? Slow down a little. Just don’t give up. Were you too lax? Adjust your schedule and get that butt in the chair.

-You are not alone! It’s okay to ask for help and hugs and tissues. Consider joining a critique group in person or online.

-It’s okay to sit back and remind yourself why you’re doing all this in the first place. We are all on a journey of love. It’s not always easy BUT it’s worth it for you and the lives you will touch, both now and in the future when *all your dreams come true!* So enjoy the process, and make it meaningful right now. Enjoy it. Share it. Make the best of it.

Cheers to a productive and happy 2017!