Switching Gears

Lately, I’ve been working on writing related activities only; writing, editing, designing book trailers, researching, marketing, reading…etc.
But I was restless.
I wondered why this feeling of missing on something was gnawing at me. Between writing (remember the word is a big umbrella for everything related to it) and housework, I hardly have a moment of rest. I don’t fall a sleep, I faint into it at the end of the day. Yes, I’m a busy person.
Still, something was missing.
So, I read a writing-reference book instead of the usual novella or novel. The first chapter covered the importance of paying attention to things surrounding us—people, buildings, smells, textures, tastes, and sounds.
The one thing that gave me that power to taste life, besides writing, was painting. And so, I switched gears and went after the other hobby that infused me with creativity. In doing so, I remembered why I haven’t been painting; I’m one of those meticulous people who go over one spot several times to perfect it. As a result, I decided to challenge myself, sort of tricking the inner me to be less deliberate.
Using the help of a half hour tutorial, I gave myself two hours to finish a painting. The topic wasn’t original, but my aim was to get my strokes to relax and flow on the canvas.

This is what I accomplished. It still has a long way to go, but I think in two hours and a half I’ve managed to capture the essence of a painting. Usually I achieve that after two days.
Sometimes, trying something new suffuses life with a bit of extra creativity.
Restlessness is gone, hunger to create is back; mission accomplished. Now I’m ready to tackle that dicey scene that has been annoying me.