Category: goals

Resistance, Distraction, Unbearable, Oh My

Resistance is in full swing here this winter. Coming out of this one is going to be like wrestling with spaghetti: messy. “Doing” was a good idea, but doesn’t look like one that’s going to get a lot of traction. 

Apples on Cloth, Watercolor,  9×10 @Dora Sislian Themelis

Goals? Resolutions? Doing? All a distraction from actually working on anything.

It’s the end of January already. Is this what the year ahead is going to look like? If so, it’s going to be a rough ride. Better buckle up.

Ground hogs, bears, and all manner of beast that hibernate through the winter have the right idea. Let’s just sleep through the whole thing, and wake up when the sun is high in the sky making the weather bearable. I have had enough of winter.

However, Mr. Resistance likes to visit in nice weather, too.

Like I said, better buckle up. Mr. Resistance is very chummy with his good friend Mr. Distraction, and they like to get together often, it seems.

I am going to need ammunition, tools, plans. 

Doing, to Move On

In this new year of goals and objectives, I may be changing it up some. Maybe not completely. Not in my work, but in my approach to work. 

In earlier posts I told you how I don’t do resolutions. I feel better about meeting a goal, but I ran across something someone else wrote and it changed my thinking. That person discussed setting aside resolutions, goals, etc, for Doing. 
“Doing” makes sense.

In Progress Work ©Dora Sislian Themelis

Now, I could be a big Not Doing person when I’m on a roll. I’m sure you must have guessed that by now, how I let Mr. Resistance take up residence here and mess up my mojo.

It’s been a dilemma lately. My flow gets disrupted by whatever and I’m doomed.

So, when I read that Doing might be better than a goal it felt right. Doing, instead of Goals. Doing connotes Action in my mind. Maybe Action is also a good word.

In that context, here is my first “Action” in this year of “Doing”. I may have decided I can no longer continue on this watercolor painting I stopped working when the hurricane hit Long Island. It’s a possibility that I’ve been holding off because, in my mind, it’s done.

Although, if I look at it too much longer I might want to add some brush strokes, but then again, maybe I’m over it.

Doing has to also mean Move On.

A New Year

The new year has begun. The excitement of Christmas has passed. The baking, cooking, wrapping, decorating, celebrating, all finished. The anticipation of the new year’s start is over, as well as the very first day of 2013. Hopes and wishes for good health and happiness extended to family and friends.

I’m not one to make resolutions like many people like to do at the new year. However, I do enjoy making lists of goals to accomplish.

A New Year  ©Dora Sislian Themelis

Resolutions.

The word feels like a defeat from the start. We resolve to…something. As if we were delinquent, not up to par, and we need to get a slap on the wrist by resolving our bad behavior?

I’ll pass on the resolution to be a better person thing.

I want to DO better. Meet a challenge. Cross items off a list. Feel a sense of accomplishment.

Goals are upward moving. So I’m making a list of goals to meet in the year ahead. The list evolves as I move along in time. Here’s a start:

  • Walk every day
  • Start, and finish things
  • Schedule each day and block out hours of activity
  • Make better use of computer: web site, email list, contacts, etc
  • Continue working on art making
  • Participate in more events to show my work
  • Relax
  • Connect, network, smile
  • Expect abundance and be grateful

It’s a beginning. As I said, the list can, and will, change.

Last year, some goals I planned to meet ended up being abandoned. Others I decided not to act on at all. A few I met with flying colors.

I have no expectations other than to review the list each day, each week, each month, and revise, cut, add, change.

Things are going well so far. Today I walked.

It’s a start.

Working on Those Goals

About those goals..yes, I am trying my best to work really hard toward them. I decided the best one I can start on is in the studio. If I make it pleasant, maybe I will enjoy working in it. Maybe is a big word.
It’s a small space in my basement, but it’s mine. On the other side that you can’t see is a larger space we carved out for Son#1 and his musical instruments and other things. Now he has his own house and music space. So I confiscated some of it for me starting with the shelving. 
I moved some posters around and hung more art I did in the past, moved my art books in and generally straightened up. That door leads to a closet I need to paint and put in flat files or shelves, but I dressed it up with a hand embroidered table covering from Cyprus I had. A bamboo folding screen I’ve had forever is blocking a crummy view of an unfinished area of the space. Who needs to see that?
Bead supplies, painting supplies, brushes, small sculptures and other stuff is arranged on and in the shelves. The table on the right is where I left out some bead stuff and ideas. Some things need to stay in view. 
Today I treated myself to a real artist date at a museum nearby. In the afternoon I painted something small in the studio just to keep at it. The 100 Paintings Challenge is proving to be a real doozy. I figured out that I have only January to meet the challenge. 
Will I make it?