“Whatever you’re meant to do, do it now. The conditions are always impossible.”
– Doris Lessing
It has been another week full of life, the good, the bad, the weird.
But the Monday comes, and I ask – can you tell me what to do today?
It is yet another day, another week left behind, and only a moment in front.
What to do today?
As an artist trusting that we all are artists as Joseph Beuys said, making creativity and art closer to everyday life, seems one clear intentions of my practice. In a Western society, divided by duality, one has to ask themselves, where do I speak from, where do I operate from, every day. Off course, as you might until now have figured it out, there is a lot of introspection in my daily routine and it is not reserved just for one area or another. Shouldn’t we all ask ourselves – why I do what I do?
As a creative person I love reading and trying out different routines to boost my live-ability and creative foot print. What do I give today to this day? Therefore, there are many try-outs, trial and error processes daily, but I usually give myself some time to experience it. It has been said that person needs 21 days to change a habit and learn a new one and lately I read it is 60 days. Our attention is shorter and our systems need longer time to truly embed the new skill.
Photo: Ivana Filip, 2007 (intentionally left with lens water spots)
Recently I read a book by Robin Sharma ”The 5 AM club” where he offers his routine for daily living. I am not talking about a routine that makes one’s life a rut and stagnated but one that brings out potentiality of your being, kicks you in a butt and surprises you. It is as you were a drawing the same drawing every day but you know that it is not the same; timing, line, colour, shades, tones, speed of your hand, even if you do it with liner and measure, it cannot be the same. You are aware of all that you are pouring into it, emotions and feelings, thoughts, intentions,…You can see details that resemble each other, still being peculiar.
Your routine is alive and more of an intention than a discipline’s masochistic manifesto. Though I have tried those too! I felt empowered the first day and very soon, exhausted. Every day a small action, small step, we heard it and we know it. You are not a doer; you are a maker!
Herewith I offer you a few steps of a morning routine by Sharma:
Wake up at 5 am
Take one hour for yourself
20:20:20 minutes equals one hour
20 minutes of exercise
20 minutes of reflection
20 minutes of growing
Waking up at 5 am didn’t work for me, just to tell you immediately. Off course, I wanted to wake up at 5 am immediately the next day. It does not work that way! I took two weeks to slowly wake up earlier (from 6:30 to 5:30) and going to sleep with chickens. When it goes dark, you get into the soft blanket and …I will not go into details as there is a lot to read about that online. My intention is to make connection with daily creativity. While we have different obligations and schedules, we might have different clubs but the power of the morning and the birds singing while my cats are chattering, while all is quiet, is marvellous. Try it only for a day if you cannot for a week! What connects is all within you, your brain, body, mind, soul! And that is for me a creative person and a good position for everyday creativity. From that place come daily juice to draw that drawing every day, each day, and share with others.
For me art is a tool of everyday living.
What are you going to do today with your tools?
Love and thanks,
Ivana
