GETTING COMFORTABLE WITH DISCOMFORT
/
Art-making naturally invites discomfort, and asks us to be present and resilient in the face of this unsettling feeling. This dance with discomfort occurs for a number of reasons, but one of the most activating for us is our fear of encountering the unknown. We’re simply hardwired to avoid it, and often rendered uncomfortable as a result.
When we are always moving ourselves away from discomfort, believing that anything negative in our life must mean that we're doing something wrong and it should be avoided, we end up feeling even more discomfort. We’re now layering on feelings of frustration and shame onto a very natural part of the process of growth and learning.
When we are only desiring or allowing positive experiences in our studio practice (and our life), we create a constant state of longing for things to be different. The longing itself is a negative experience.
So what can we do?
We can simply be aware of the discomfort when it arrives for us, and use it as an opportunity to practice staying present with what it feels like to not avoid and resist. For now, in this moment, just sit with it and acknowledge its presence - nothing more. Just acceptance. That in itself, lowers the volume on the feelings and raises the volume on your creative resilience. Here are some journal prompts to help you explore the higher reach of meeting our discomfort with our curiosity and compassion:
What do you notice when discomfort arrives for you in your creative work?
Is there a link to any particular stage of your creative process – starting, clarifying, resolving?
Where else in your life are you able to remain present when discomfort arrives for you? Perhaps there is a practice or aspect of your life that requires a lot from you…what skills have you developed in that area of your life that you can apply to your art-making?
It is said that the space between not knowing and knowing is always going to feel challenging and even frustrating for us. If you can accept that as a truth, then what can you tell yourself that could help you remain present and calm?
This short version blog post is a part of my Mindset Moment series, an accompanying edition to my bi-monthly blog post. My intention for these Mindset Moments is to speak to some of the common challenges artists face with their creative work, and how a mindset shift can make a difference.
They are short reads, with a suggestion or writing prompt that you can work with…as well as an invitation to join in the conversation, sharing your experience and insights.
Join the conversation by leaving a comment under this blog post, or on my social media posts. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me, wherever you find me.
Please subscribe to my mailing list if you’d like to receive these posts, along with my longer bi-montly blog post and newsletter.