06| reclaiming my attention & energy
insights on focus + Scans & Sketchbooks Sunday #1
song to set the tone: Freelance by Toro y Moi
Fortune cookie of the week: “What we pay attention to grows.” - Adrienne Maree Brown
Around February of this year while finishing an assignment, I felt swamped with so many other ideas I wanted to pursue. After remembering we all have finite time and energy, I picked up a composition book and listed out all the things. I sat with them for a moment. On my dry erase board, I wrote these as my “Try It” list. From there I was able to narrow them down, explore, and experiment over the course of the year.
Giving myself permission to make things outside of photography, explore other mediums, and rebuild my relationship to kreativity has been liberating. Photography is just like my favorite hammer in my box of tools. & I’m blessed to be building for my future with it. Trying to take my photography to the next level I envisioned was beginning to feel daunting and I realized it is not necessarily due to kreative block. I was still photographing and doing the "things".
It was because sometimes when I'm inspired, I should just write about it. Sometimes, when I see a muse, I should try to sketch them. Every once in a while, I should go sip and paint a sunset with my girls.
Below I’ve shared some scans from my art journal & one of my experiences with the “Try It” list: watercolor (crayon just made a guest appearance)
When pursuing all the “Try It” interests, it can seem impossible because there’s so many people, places, and things moving as energy vampires in the way. With attention being citied as the most valuable currency at the moment, this is why I like to check in with myself every so often about what I’m doing and why.
Here’s a few things remind myself to do to stay focused:
Get moving: walk,run, lift, jump, dance.
Read a book or listen to lecture/talk.
Build routine maps & prioritize tasks. Ask for help, if needed.
Log off: Use social media with intention 1-3 times a week. Practice selective engagement online & in real life.
Reduce distractions.
Nurture mind, body, soul. Live life.
Slow down & take breaks, when needed.
Set & communicate clear boundaries.
Kreative Food-for-Thought 🤔💭📖
some reads I thought were interesting…
A Guide to Nonviolent Language for Lens-Based Work
Art Business Diaries: Can Passion Pay the Bills?
Can you relate at all to anything I discussed? If so, how did you personally deal with it? If not, what do you routinely do to kreate that space and stay on track? Any art journal or sketchbook folks here? I’d love to hear from you all so don’t hesitate to email me back or comment <3 Thanks for reading!
Until next time…
Much love,
K