This is such a validating post. I seem to go through months of this, then months of energy. The last time I felt so down I tried hard to let myself binge-watch without judgement, knowing I would come out of it, and I came out of it sooner. Sometimes, perhaps, the self-judgement was keeping me in freeze for longer than the processing. I’m a mom so I’m always working and pushing my body, even when I’m not being creative. And, I’m a woman, and I know life and energy moves in cycles we were not brought up to honor. So thank you, Amie, for being honest and transparent and normalizing this part. It’s really, really helpful. Congratulations, you are doing it 💗💗💗
Divine timing has me screaming internally sometimes. This article appears at the right time because I kid you not, I just got up some moments ago after bawling my eyes out, for I am exhausted, jaded and drained. And here comes this post embracing me reassuringly. How relaxing this knowing that your rest is as productive as your active hours. You need not put up a strong front. One can let her guard down. All's well, all's taken care of. Let go and relax... Breathing in and out. Thank you!
I ruptured my Achilles 5 weeks ago. I am an athlete, moving 2.5-4 hours daily prior to my injury. I also am a mother and an artist. I am quite physically stopped, relying on everyone, mainly my partner, for most things. The first 4 weeks I turned to art to fill a gap, and I am quite burnt out creatively trying to run and fill space meant for stillness. The past few days I have done nothing but watch TV, play Minecraft on end, and snack. I have felt horribly guilty and “lazy” and feeling disconnected from my body as it changes. This found me at the perfect time, Amie. Cheers to simply being and gifting ourselves the gift of being and rest and recovery without guilt.
Thanks for writing this. We're all so used to pushing but not real stopping. Fallow is a new favourite word of mine since I've been on submission and now publication merry-go-round. When a field is resting the undersoil ecosystem is becoming healthy and rested for new seeds at a later date. If the field doesn't rest, those seeds don't grow as well.
I think that's not only a problem of artists. Because of my depression I spend some time in a clinic and they said that time slots for doing nothing are an important component of the treatment plan, because doing nothing is so difficult to handle for most of the people there.
Everytime I face this problem I ready a certain japanese poem that says: "Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes and the grass grows, by itself." (Matsuo Basho)
I always think of when I lived in France. They have the concept of bonheur, they talk about it all the time over their long 2 hour lunches. It almost feels like capitalism doesn’t exist there but art is way more present and consequently the life of the artist too. As you say in your book ‘be wanky about your art’ (in the UK we call the French pretentious but I love their confidence ) and I feel this is sort of a constant conversation about rest or an attempt at regulation. In no other place have I experienced this sort of societal attempt at being an artist and knowing what the artist needs.
Drink wine and lounge for days, smoke a cigarette and stare at tree…
I can deeply relate to this, especially in this moment. I loved this line: "Creatives do so many brave, terrifying things and this must, always, at some point be repaid in safety and stillness." It really validates that creativity is not easy, nor is rest, but both a required in an ongoing dance we need to honour. Thank you for sharing. 💕
Congrats Amie! I totally know that "what do i do with myself, now?" feeling, i always get it after coming home from tour with my music project. that couch time is well-earned, feel good about it! : )
Our society does not like us doing nothing…I struggle with rest too. Thank you for pointing out the difficulty of coming back to a secure place after having navigated the whole process of création. Of course our bodies need it. Thank you for making us feel seen, in all our aspects.
I am right there with you! Thank you for articulating the experience I call “traveling the Bardo” and affirming the entire creative process that necessarily involves rest.
Thank you so much Amie for sharing your journey. 🥹💜 now you rest, take all the time you need. Even though its soooo hard but you need it. Creativity needs rest and solitude💜🩷💜🩷
This is such a validating post. I seem to go through months of this, then months of energy. The last time I felt so down I tried hard to let myself binge-watch without judgement, knowing I would come out of it, and I came out of it sooner. Sometimes, perhaps, the self-judgement was keeping me in freeze for longer than the processing. I’m a mom so I’m always working and pushing my body, even when I’m not being creative. And, I’m a woman, and I know life and energy moves in cycles we were not brought up to honor. So thank you, Amie, for being honest and transparent and normalizing this part. It’s really, really helpful. Congratulations, you are doing it 💗💗💗
Divine timing has me screaming internally sometimes. This article appears at the right time because I kid you not, I just got up some moments ago after bawling my eyes out, for I am exhausted, jaded and drained. And here comes this post embracing me reassuringly. How relaxing this knowing that your rest is as productive as your active hours. You need not put up a strong front. One can let her guard down. All's well, all's taken care of. Let go and relax... Breathing in and out. Thank you!
So glad to read the honesty of this, and also that this IS part of the whole. Sending love and whatever nourishment you need.
I ruptured my Achilles 5 weeks ago. I am an athlete, moving 2.5-4 hours daily prior to my injury. I also am a mother and an artist. I am quite physically stopped, relying on everyone, mainly my partner, for most things. The first 4 weeks I turned to art to fill a gap, and I am quite burnt out creatively trying to run and fill space meant for stillness. The past few days I have done nothing but watch TV, play Minecraft on end, and snack. I have felt horribly guilty and “lazy” and feeling disconnected from my body as it changes. This found me at the perfect time, Amie. Cheers to simply being and gifting ourselves the gift of being and rest and recovery without guilt.
Thanks for writing this. We're all so used to pushing but not real stopping. Fallow is a new favourite word of mine since I've been on submission and now publication merry-go-round. When a field is resting the undersoil ecosystem is becoming healthy and rested for new seeds at a later date. If the field doesn't rest, those seeds don't grow as well.
I think that's not only a problem of artists. Because of my depression I spend some time in a clinic and they said that time slots for doing nothing are an important component of the treatment plan, because doing nothing is so difficult to handle for most of the people there.
Everytime I face this problem I ready a certain japanese poem that says: "Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes and the grass grows, by itself." (Matsuo Basho)
I always think of when I lived in France. They have the concept of bonheur, they talk about it all the time over their long 2 hour lunches. It almost feels like capitalism doesn’t exist there but art is way more present and consequently the life of the artist too. As you say in your book ‘be wanky about your art’ (in the UK we call the French pretentious but I love their confidence ) and I feel this is sort of a constant conversation about rest or an attempt at regulation. In no other place have I experienced this sort of societal attempt at being an artist and knowing what the artist needs.
Drink wine and lounge for days, smoke a cigarette and stare at tree…
I can deeply relate to this, especially in this moment. I loved this line: "Creatives do so many brave, terrifying things and this must, always, at some point be repaid in safety and stillness." It really validates that creativity is not easy, nor is rest, but both a required in an ongoing dance we need to honour. Thank you for sharing. 💕
Congrats Amie! I totally know that "what do i do with myself, now?" feeling, i always get it after coming home from tour with my music project. that couch time is well-earned, feel good about it! : )
As a recovering from me/cfs artist I sooooo feel you, Amy! We got this ❤️❤️❤️ Thanks for sharing! Thanks for being you! 🙏🏻🪻
Our society does not like us doing nothing…I struggle with rest too. Thank you for pointing out the difficulty of coming back to a secure place after having navigated the whole process of création. Of course our bodies need it. Thank you for making us feel seen, in all our aspects.
Thank you for this. You are so brave!
I am right there with you! Thank you for articulating the experience I call “traveling the Bardo” and affirming the entire creative process that necessarily involves rest.
I have never related more to a post about the striving and resting cycle of the creative process. 🐛🦋
Thank you so much Amie for sharing your journey. 🥹💜 now you rest, take all the time you need. Even though its soooo hard but you need it. Creativity needs rest and solitude💜🩷💜🩷
Thank you, thank you, thank you ❤️