I think I've mentioned this video before on the blog, but here it is again with context.
It's a video from Creative Mornings, "a monthly breakfast lecture series for creative types." This particular lecture is by Kate Bingaman Burt, an "illustrator, educator, and maker of things." She works primarily with automated directives, and talks here about the idea that constraints drive creativity.
She relates her fear of a blank piece of paper. It's intimidating. I feel the same way about my time. A wide-open day is intimidating. How will I fill that time? How should I fill that time? How many things will I fail to get done in that time? Could I have better used that time? I will get less done in a completely wide-open day than one where I only have a 30 minute window between work and other obligations simply because of it's overwhelming emptiness. It's like when you have so much to do that you simply sit down and do nothing instead because you don't know where to start, except the complete opposite.
One of my biggest problems is that I am an "all-or-nothing" girl. In other words, if you can't give your best, don't even bother. If I can't set aside several hours to deep clean my house, then I won't clean at all. Sometimes I come up with an idea for a project, but don't think I can carry it out exactly how I imagine it in my head, so I never start it. If I eat an entire pint of Ben and Jerry's in one sitting, I have already failed and won't even try to eat well the next day. If I miss a day of reading my Bible, why bother picking it up the next 35 days. Yeah, it's been 35 days.
While always giving your best is a great sentiment, this is a horrible way to live. Procrastination by way of perfectionism...strange. It doesn't even make sense. Each day is a learning experience. No one picks up a paint brush and instantly composes a masterpiece (except for child prodigies, but let's just not talk about them).
How many experiences have I missed because I was afraid to fail before I even started?
Don't worry. Just do. Make. Create. Try.
I will stop admitting defeat before the day has even begun. Let's say it again together, louder this time.
I WILL STOP ADMITTING DEFEAT BEFORE THE DAY HAS BEGUN.
Kate Bingaman Burt's rules for a project are as follows:
1. You must have a limitation on your format
2. You must have a framework for your content
3. You must have a restriction on your tools
So here's my project:
Every day I will pick a phrase or verse from that day's Bible reading. I will write that verse on a postcard, and send it to someone. I will only use black ink. I will do this for 3 months. I will photograph each postcard, and at the end of each week I will post the photos here.
SO, if you would like to receive a postcard (whether I know you or not), send me your address to this email: inspirepostcards@gmail.com, and you will receive one!
Please help me out and send your address! Also, who doesn't love to get mail that isn't someone asking for money?
I have tried this kind of project before and lost track. You may remember a little thing called "100 days of Hand-lettering" that lasted less than ten days. Sigh. Well this time, I'm inviting you to keep me accountable. Bug me about it. If I haven't posted in a while, feel free to send a barrage of texts, emails, phone calls to get on it.
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