I gather all of my paints, take them out of the various assortment of boxes and trays and lay them out in front of me. I then sort them in order of colour and how often I use them. Each box of paint normally contains an assortment of other non painting related rubbish, pencil sharpenings and even once a kettle so it's a good few hours of untangling my paint room whilst trying not to swear at how often I forget to put the lid back on the paints. I go through this ritual often and even I know how completely pointless it is. No matter how organised I get it's never long before I am back in front of a canvas completely surrounded by mess and within minutes my organising is kaput. Then there are times when I just sit in my art studio and pick up the paints and just make. It's the latter I prefer to do yet still I catch myself doing the pointless little things more often than I would like to. It's the difference between being busy and being productive. I prefer productive, like I think most people do yet I still fall into the mindless business of a day to day. Recently I've been looking at my body of work and I am beginning to suspect that some of the things I used to do to be productive have now fallen into the category of being busy.
One of the things that we all have to deal with as we grow is the shift in our energy levels. This is something that I am learning to see as more and more of a helping hand from the Universe lately as a way to help me to priorotize! We all have a finite amount of mental resources, creativity, inspiration, passion, these energies are limitless, the human body is not. There is only a finite amount of time that we can focus on something before we start to frazzle out and the older I'm getting the more I am seeing that. It feels like the entire culture we live in revolves around the energy levels of a 20 something which leaves most of us staring blankly into nothing by 3pm. So i'm re thinking about how I approach my day and I am noticing much more clearly than I used to the things that bring me energy and the things that take it away. For instance painting mellows me, it's my meditation and even cardio seems to empty my body of stress but the day to day running of a business is tiring. I love the actual readings but I am not a great multi tasker, so all the call backs, texts, emails and other social media I find a little draining. I like the conversation aspect of it but it's the one area in which I get ridiculously blokey and switch off!
So now I am back in a fun space of figuring out how to design my life around feeling good. Not that I was feeling bad before it's just that I am in a new space now and I need something extra. So far my ideas have been getting up a half hour early to start my day painting, doing the blogs less regularly so I can spend more time on them plus giving me more time to finish my books, going back to the gym and making my music rehearsal more regular. I am also looking to be more mindful and more present in my business. I've toyed with many ideas but I'm trying not to overload myself. Anything I can do to help those who come to me to remind themselves of their own power and grace I am totally up for. It's just one of those times when things get redefined and repackaged. Of course, you, my readers and clients, if you have any suggestions then now is the time to bring them to me. I am open and actively seeking things to change. I am also more focused on being more productive which means simplifying everything around me. Breaking things down into their basics and working from that. Productivity is a part of mindful creation. It's taking the abstract and making it solid. I am ready to cut away in inessential and step into a more cocreative experience. How about you? Want to take this journey with me? What in your life drains you and what fills your cup?
Thank you for reading,
Big Love,
Ryan James x
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P.S. Let's carry on the conversation below! Where in your life do you need to be more productive? What needs to be set free or cut loose? Shre your ideas or insights below!