My word artwise for this year is Drawing, as simple as it is. Loved to read your in/outs list, will reflect a lil a bit more in mine but definitely OUT: buying shiny courses, buying huge amounts of new materials and wishing to do everything! IN: more drawing outdoors, balance better daily life vs art, read more books. Happy 2024 Raj✨️
I love the simplicity of that! My art goal was also that simple for the last couple of years and it was the best, and most powerful commitment: it was the foundation of everything. Sometimes we can get so sidetracked by exciting 'instagram challenges', and a million prompts, and courses and goodness knows what, but what it all comes down to is simply committing to drawing as often as possible. I'm excited to see where this will take you! I'm sure it will be hugely fruitful!
I'm still banging on about sleep deprivation...I feel like you're always having to hear about that!! Sorry!🤣 I'm so predictable. The Sketchbooks: Royal Talens has been great but I have never really been in LOVE with it. I also feel ready to move on from the small size and have really loved the Pith Pomelo format, which has a bit more room for my hand to move around the page. I'm going to go into it in more detail in my Annual Review post, and explain my rationale a bit more. I'll comp you membership so you can see it. x
I have been known to binge watch them in the middle of the night when I've been woken by the kid and I can't get back to sleep...it saves me!!! It is also a dangerous time to be tempted by 'adding in another artist'...and before I know it, I've subscribed to 3 more people. Ooops.
I giggled at "Buying shiny courses" being out because that's one of my huge weaknesses. I must have at least four classes I bought in 2023 that I haven't started yet!
Freedom is a great word! I'd love to know more about how it resonates for you - is it about a state of mind with regards to your work, or anything in particular?
Such a good list of things to keep in and things to throw out, inspiring!
And I can highly recommend finding friends that are also mothers - it means so much when a person understands the phase of life you're in. Happy New Year to you 🥳
Thank you! Yes! I have made progress with finding some mothers, and connecting with some kindergarten mums, but I am amazed what a slow process it is! I'm hoping it will be better this year, something to keep working on!
It is a reeeaaally slow process....but you can also find them in other ways. I tried also tried connecting with women at kindergarten etc but have found that finding them through a mutual interest is much more successful. I joined a bookclub (because I felt I never read a book anymore 😅) and 6 out of the 7 women in my bookclub turned out to be mums. Also, when having the same interests you also tend to have more or the same parenting goals, which helps connecting 😊
In any case, going from feeling alone in motherhood to having one or 2 potential friends is a big improvement to me 🥰
That's a really good tip! One of the challenges I have had is that I am an 'older mum' in a city where the mums are all generally quite young. The conversations that you need / tend to have in your 40's are quite different to the ones you have in your 30's, and I really struggle to find women my age experiencing early motherhood here. In London I'd be falling over 40's mums everywhere, its so common! But I love the idea of finding them in a book club - that makes a big difference, to connect on non-parenting subjects.
Honestly, I LOVE the Netherlands,...I was working for a Design Agency in Amsterdam and would have moved there in a heartbeat! It is still my favourite European city! The only downer - the weather is a bit too much like London! But I'd be thrilled to pass by if I'm ever there! Where are you based?
I have enjoyed discovering your Substack today. I also use a plain style bullet journal method combined with Notion which is my second brain!
My word for this year is 'notice' which helps me to remain slower, calmer and more in touch with what is going on inside and outside of me.
My outs are: obligations which are unhelpful, too much instagram eyeball rolling, throwing too much at the canvas.
My ins are: slowing down, the right tribe, people who take responsibility for their lives.
I look forward to watching your video links and want to say thank you for a lovely site here.
Hi Clare! Welcome and thanks for finding me! 'Notice' is a lovely word - feels gentle and a nice energy to carry through the year.
I hear you on too much of the instagram eyeballing - I'm having a big re-evaluation moment on that one myself!
I hope you continue to find more of your right tribe here!
My word artwise for this year is Drawing, as simple as it is. Loved to read your in/outs list, will reflect a lil a bit more in mine but definitely OUT: buying shiny courses, buying huge amounts of new materials and wishing to do everything! IN: more drawing outdoors, balance better daily life vs art, read more books. Happy 2024 Raj✨️
I love the simplicity of that! My art goal was also that simple for the last couple of years and it was the best, and most powerful commitment: it was the foundation of everything. Sometimes we can get so sidetracked by exciting 'instagram challenges', and a million prompts, and courses and goodness knows what, but what it all comes down to is simply committing to drawing as often as possible. I'm excited to see where this will take you! I'm sure it will be hugely fruitful!
Raj - I love your ins/outs! interested by your sketchbook swapping in and out. And I love lifting weights, definitely the only exercise I like doing!
hope the sleep deprivation gets better! xx
I'm still banging on about sleep deprivation...I feel like you're always having to hear about that!! Sorry!🤣 I'm so predictable. The Sketchbooks: Royal Talens has been great but I have never really been in LOVE with it. I also feel ready to move on from the small size and have really loved the Pith Pomelo format, which has a bit more room for my hand to move around the page. I'm going to go into it in more detail in my Annual Review post, and explain my rationale a bit more. I'll comp you membership so you can see it. x
Don't comp me! I'm happy to pay! Retract my membership! I'll pay you! I really like pomelo format, it's a nice size and I like the paper.
And anytime happy to listen about the sleep depravation - I had it for YEARS and would tell anyone I could how tired I always was!! xxx
Honestly, if in a years time i’m still banging on about sleep deprivation, you would have earned the comp year! 🤣 Consider it a little gift x
Love your ins/outs! Your first one “stop buying shiny courses” is very on point for me. I’ll add it to my list!
Same here!
We are all guilty!
What an inspirational list! I'm making time to catch up on Patreon videos next week and can't wait!
I have been known to binge watch them in the middle of the night when I've been woken by the kid and I can't get back to sleep...it saves me!!! It is also a dangerous time to be tempted by 'adding in another artist'...and before I know it, I've subscribed to 3 more people. Ooops.
I giggled at "Buying shiny courses" being out because that's one of my huge weaknesses. I must have at least four classes I bought in 2023 that I haven't started yet!
I have so many that’s embarrassing
I still have some from 2021 and 2020 that I have not worked through! And somehow, I still manage to get tempted...but NO MORE!!!
Love the “wearing red lip to go buy eggs!” There’s a freedom to that feeling. My word for the year is Freedom.
And yes, the lippy - sometimes its the little things that have the power to really lift you up in the moment!
Freedom is a great word! I'd love to know more about how it resonates for you - is it about a state of mind with regards to your work, or anything in particular?
Such a good list of things to keep in and things to throw out, inspiring!
And I can highly recommend finding friends that are also mothers - it means so much when a person understands the phase of life you're in. Happy New Year to you 🥳
Thank you! Yes! I have made progress with finding some mothers, and connecting with some kindergarten mums, but I am amazed what a slow process it is! I'm hoping it will be better this year, something to keep working on!
It is a reeeaaally slow process....but you can also find them in other ways. I tried also tried connecting with women at kindergarten etc but have found that finding them through a mutual interest is much more successful. I joined a bookclub (because I felt I never read a book anymore 😅) and 6 out of the 7 women in my bookclub turned out to be mums. Also, when having the same interests you also tend to have more or the same parenting goals, which helps connecting 😊
In any case, going from feeling alone in motherhood to having one or 2 potential friends is a big improvement to me 🥰
That's a really good tip! One of the challenges I have had is that I am an 'older mum' in a city where the mums are all generally quite young. The conversations that you need / tend to have in your 40's are quite different to the ones you have in your 30's, and I really struggle to find women my age experiencing early motherhood here. In London I'd be falling over 40's mums everywhere, its so common! But I love the idea of finding them in a book club - that makes a big difference, to connect on non-parenting subjects.
Its encouraging to know you found some good ones!
In my book club everyone is over 40😀✨
If only you lived in the Netherlands, I’d invite you to join :)
Honestly, I LOVE the Netherlands,...I was working for a Design Agency in Amsterdam and would have moved there in a heartbeat! It is still my favourite European city! The only downer - the weather is a bit too much like London! But I'd be thrilled to pass by if I'm ever there! Where are you based?
It was just on the news that 2023 has been the year with the most rain ever recorded 🙈
Other than that I can really recommend it 😅
I live in Haarlem, about 30 mins from Amsterdam and closer to the sea 😊