I just moved. Relocated. Took all my stuff, packed it up, and moved it from one place to another. I think I might hate moving more than almost anything else in all of creation. This one was a relatively local move, with a few small trips back & forth, and then one big thing involving truck rental and furniture. Somehow that made it even worse, long and drawn out and lingering.
As if moving itself wasn’t aggravating and brain-swallowing enough, the whole process got interrupted multiple times by crises and very important things that had to be seen to, in both good and bad flavors.
In case you were wondering – yes, that’s exactly why I haven’t written this post until now. I hope you’ll accept my sincere apology.
I did everything I could to keep on top of everything, and tried to make it as easy as possible to facilitate my creative pursuits. I got a laptop (used). I carried a notebook at all times. I packed all my Most Important Art Supplies into one very obvious bin and kept very careful track of the thing.
But I only managed to do a very few bare minimum critical things during the whole event. Even the few and small blocks of time I set aside to be protected no matter what had significant things happen right in the middle of them that trumped that “no matter what.”
It drove me absolutely nuts. It was draining, frustrating, and even depressing.
It took me a while to figure it out, but I don’t do all that well if I don’t spend some percentage of my time creating. That percentage can wane a bit in the face of something like a move, but eventually I have to dive back in. If the low zone lasts too long, things can get ugly. Writing and painting and general creating are simply a critical key and necessary part of normal functioning for me, right up there with eating, sleeping, and exercise. Even in times of grief, I process emotion better by creating something, like a video or slideshow or painting of the lost loved one.
As near as I can tell, my brain gets doses of good brain chemicals, all the things to keep life and everything running smoothly, from working on, making progress on, and finishing up creative projects. Even crossing a thing off my to-do list can deliver a good hit.
Today, the final most critical key fell back into place: I set up my drawing table. I had to, because I have a paying gig, and they’ll want to see some things sooner rather than later.
And so, if you’ll excuse me, I need to head off and get back up on the horse…
And tell me: How do you handle major disruptions to your creative flow? I could maybe use some tips for next time a crisis rears its head!
