(Only two more weeks!)
In this chapter, Cameron focuses on how artists and creatives can protect their newfound creativity and artistic growth. She highlights common obstacles that can sabotage creative progress and offers strategies to safeguard one’s artistic journey.
Dangers of Creative Sabotage
Cameron discusses how, after making progress, artists often encounter self-sabotage. This can come in the form of toxic relationships, self-doubt, fear of success, or procrastination.
She encourages readers to be aware of these destructive patterns and take steps to counter them.
The Role of Workaholism
Many creatives overwork themselves, either as a way to avoid facing their emotions or as a socially acceptable addiction. She explains how constant busyness can drain creative energy and leave artists too exhausted to make meaningful work.
The solution: setting boundaries, allowing rest, and making time for creative play.
Dangers of Competition and Criticism
Comparing oneself to others can be damaging, especially in the early stages of artistic recovery. She warns against taking criticism too personally and advises trusting one’s own creative instincts.
Instead of seeking validation, artists should focus on their personal creative path.
Cameron urges artists to guard their creative growth fiercely. By recognizing self-sabotaging behaviors, avoiding toxic influences, and setting healthy boundaries, artists can continue to develop their craft without unnecessary obstacles.
A lot of what's in this book resonate with me. It goes beyond wanting to be an artist but it all ties together. I also realize that over the years, I've conquered so many negatives and have basically moved on. This book has made them resurface but in a way that makes me realize that with time and the correct focus, you can overcome just about anything and you don't have to justify it. As you said Dallas, the concert was expensive, but the child in you (or the adult in you) wanted to attend the concert and it sounds like it was well worth it. That's what matters. No judgement just go for it. Our lives shape how we handle things that come our way and not all of it is good. My life has been a mixture of very good and some really awful things. The awful things have taught me, that you learn from them, you can slowly recover from some of that trauma (maybe never totally) but enough to be happy again and lead a productive and fulfilling life. No apologies, no guilt, just learn from it and do what makes you happy. If that means an expensive concert, YES! If it means splurging on an unnecessary kitchen item (HAHA that's my thing), buy it and use it. If it means when you're well into your sixties and you suddenly want to spend money on a musical instrument(s) and lessons on those instruments that you never played before or were interested in, DO IT! While I have no desire to perform anymore, I've enjoyed the thought process this book has presented. My negative self talk has really diminished over time. Sorry for rambling, but I've resonated with a lot in this book and I've also realized how good it feels when frankly, you just don't care anymore. Live your life and make yourself happy.
Dallas - Yes, I do identify that I put other things before touching the accordion. Especially when I get distracted by matters that crop up far too often that take up too much of my time. That's on me and I should know better. It's a difficult thing to change and that's putting my needs over things I can't control.
For Ann and Kit! I have a probling question: do either of you identify that you put other things before touching the accordion?
Kit, Ann, Tom: Do certain ideas from this book resonate and return to you guys? I find myself soothing/coping with certain negative self talk with her advice, as well as connecting conversations and observations to current and previous ideas from chapters.
Similar to Tom, this week was lots of travel. I am staying in an Airbnb with 4 other people, so independence of space and time is quite limited - BUT I brough the accordion with me. I need to touch it today - I miss it.
The work that I have found over the last weeks, the process of working through my tune (which has been the A section of 'Indifference') in 12 keys has been absolutely wonderful. I am addicted to the growth I am seeing my playing. I am also finding new trapped energies in my hands. This gets woo-woo but something is up there, something very old, perhaps from a past life? Or just childhood? Or a mechanical western answer? I have been doing the morning pages, which also connect with my emotional Internal Family Systems therapist I'm seeing - so I use that process to mostly check in with my parts (old traumas etc.)
Yesterday we took the ferry from Vancouver to Victoria Island, and I saw the first year graduate recital of Aleksei Pankratov. I was expecting a Bayan accordion, but it was piano! And wow what command, control, technique and expression. There were all kinds of reflections and associations going on inside my head - and fundamentally I feel inspired by this. It's my first time in a music department that has an accordion program!
this journey to the concert was EXPENSIVE! Wow the ferry was way more than I thought, and I had to rent a car! But it was what my child artist wanted - I guess. And in that way it's so important, not to make everything so transactional or measured in terms of $.
I did my morning pages every day. I did as was asked and reread some of my morning pages. It's interesting to see what I was worried or excited about. The morning pages are going okay. I just feel like I've run out of things to report or say, but I do them anyways
My artist's date was great! I went and saw a chamber orchestra. It was totally inspiring and fun. I really got lost in the music. They played Rhapsody in Blue which was wonderful.
No synchronicity this week.
I have been not as inspired this past week to play, but I'm still getting in a lot of practice. Once I start, I get into it again, so it's good to know that I can push myself through. I'm also starting to write down some melodic ideas with the idea that I might make them into a song. It's always fun in the moment, but I need to continue, so I get inspired to maybe actually compose something! Maybe I need to make it part of my routine to work on writing music a little each day.
Travel again this week. Did the writing when home, and the tasks.
It's weekly check in time. I completed the morning pages every day. I did the tasks had I planned to work on and as usual, no Artist's date. Unfortunately, my time spent on my accordion hasn't gone as planned but I hope to reverse that this week.
I have been working on the tasks and will continue to do so. I've been very bad when it comes to the artist's date and I don't see that changing this week. I've been very good about the morning pages and see no interruptions in that routine. I hope to get plenty of accordion playing in. Here's being hopeful that I can successfully complete chapter 10.
My plan is to do more of the tasks this week. I have a great artist's date I'm looking forward to! Thursday: Touchstone no.2, Friday: the awful truth no. 3, Saturday: Setting the bottom line no. 4, Sunday: Cherishing no.5, and Monday: I'm going to a chamber orchestra for my artist's date! I'm super excited. My friend is performing in it