I’ve been doing The Artist’s Way with a group of lovely ladies since the start of the year.
For those who don’t know it, it’s an amazing journey - but the thing I want to highlight is that it’s a 12 week commitment that requires you to do a few things each day or week for the entirety of the 12 weeks 🤯
One of them is a weekly Artist Date, which is essentially a 2 hour moment where you take your inner artist / creative / child out to play. You do things that seem silly, fun, pampering or crazy! Anything to feed your inner artist.
I know the value and importance of this part of the teachings, and yet I have consistently failed to get myself out for this 2 hour date week on week since beginning in January.
Any time I have a 2 hour block of time, I’m either napping or working. A 2 hour block of time is precious is motherhood-land. Even a 1 hour block of time is!
I was feeling a bit disappointed with myself, but then the group of us gathered to check in with how we were doing the other day. One of the girls said she was doing her Artist Date as and when she felt like it. So for example if she had a desire for a drink on a Friday night after a fitness class, she would in that moment go to a pub by herself.
I loved the serendipity of this way of doing Artists Dates (vs planning them ahead of time). But I found myself feeling a bit sad as she said it… because there is just simply no way I can do that anymore. In this current season of my life, doing things on a whim is something I have put on pause. As a mother who is still breastfeeding—I am always going to be prioritizing my daughter’s schedule and needs (by choice, of course) so she doesn’t go hungry!
So I let it go, this comment about the serendipitous Artist Dates. The quick yet very true dream of mine to just follow my body’s desires for just one moment a week dissipated before it took any real shape.
A few hours later, I had to take the dog out for a wee before bed. We’re in the middle of the UK countryside at the moment (like 20 minutes drive from the nearest supermarket through single track country lanes kind of remote countryside!).
So I stepped outside with him, and found myself looking up. It was a full moon in Leo (my sign 🔥) the night before and I didn’t get a chance to see it then!
The moon was nowhere to be found, but boy did I see something else. ALL of the stars. Shining so bright. The little dipper, the big dipper, the north star. My inner child was alive. She perked up and just stared at the big, big universe with wonder.
Mind you, it was bloody freezing outside and I was in a light sweater and sandals. I did not come prepared to have an extended moment outside - I was assuming it would be just a quick 20 second wee break… and yet I couldn’t leave.
I had to indulge my body. And more importantly, my dream of following my body’s desires.
So I stood there for three or four minutes, just stargazing.
Allowing myself to be swept up in the moment.
Letting myself feel small in comparison to the vastness of the universe.
Seeing my mind wander in awe of these fallen angels.
And then I got really cold 🥶 … so I went back inside. The reality of motherhood & entrepreneurship-hood came crashing back into focus. But in just 3 little minutes, I was a new person. I was rejuvenated. My inner child (ahem, artist) had come out to play. I had given Her exactly what she wanted in that moment. I didn’t need to pre-plan my Artist Date. And it didn’t need to be 2 hours.
I have always known the power of a micro-moment, and yet I forgot it in this context.
The power of a micro-moment is profound. Doing something that gets you a taste of what you desire deeply for 3 minutes is often more impactful than doing something slightly less satisfying for 3 years.
It’s why I write in short bursts, rather than super long prose.
You don’t need 20 minutes to gain the perspective or wisdom I wish to impart. You just need a few.
So try and gift yourself 3 minutes to follow your body’s desire today.
And who knows, you just might end up amongst the stars 🙃