Happy New Year to everyone. I am sending you my very best wishes and hope you have better health and lots of happiness. Hopefully, good things happen for you in 2024 and I truly hope that you can look forward with enthusiasm despite your pain or chronic health condition.
I think I say this every year – I cannot believe another year’s over and a new one’s begun. Let’s hope it’s a good one…(you’re singing, aren’t you?)
But, really, where does the time go? The year seems to have flown past.
I also cannot believe it’s almost three months since I last wrote a blog post. Perhaps I should be apologising for that but I’m not going to. I needed to take time away to focus on myself so I won’t apologise. Nobody should ever apologise for taking care of themselves.
I Am Looking Forward to 2024 With Enthusiasm
2023 turned into a good year for me thanks to getting back to my art after being away from it for so long. I am enjoying drawing again so much. I know that I couldn’t become a full-time artist and make money from my work because my pain won’t allow that to happen. However, every morning, I wake up with so much enthusiasm and look forward to sitting in front of my easel. It’s a fulfilling hobby that makes me happy.
Some people talk about having artist’s block. I didn’t have that. I had a brick wall and I just couldn’t get past it for years. Something happened a few months ago that made me push myself a little bit harder and I broke down that brick wall. I discovered coloured pencil art and found an amazing art teacher and enrolled in her online course.
I renewed my love of art. Does my pain stop me? Yes, of course it does. But most days I manage to spend some time drawing, even if it’s just for half an hour. I don’t berate myself or get down on the days when my pain says “No, today’s a rest day.” I listen to its voice because not listening will only make my pain worse.
So, the last quarter of 2023 has been good for me and I am looking forward to 2024 with a huge amount of enthusiasm. I feel as though, despite my pain, I am doing something with my life. That probably sounds a bit dramatic, but it’s true.
Let’s Journal Our Way Through 2024
I was thinking about my dream of getting back to my art and I thought, we’ve probably all got dreams. But when living with pain or a chronic illness, we might start to believe those dreams are unachievable.
The thing is, if we believe they are unachievable, they will never come to fruition.
I spent so many years saying, “I want to get back to my art,” but I didn’t do anything about it. I became stuck somewhere and used every excuse I could find – my pain was too bad; my art room was too messy; I was too busy etc. But I could have found solutions for some of those things.
Those were the excuses I made but the problem was deeper than that.
I had a fear that I wouldn’t be able to draw or paint in the same way as I had in the past. I had lost the small amount of self-confidence I’d had previously. When I looked at my old paintings hanging in my living room, I told myself that I couldn’t paint anything like them again.
I Believed I Couldn’t So I Was Afraid to Try
Thankfully, something changed inside me last year and I realised that the only way I could get through that brick wall was to break it down brick by brick. Instead of finding excuses, I looked for solutions. Instead of believing that I couldn’t, I started to believe I could.
I wrote my thoughts, my dreams and my hopes down in a journal and took steps to get to where I wanted to be.
I want to be an artist.
What’s stopping you?
You can be an artist if you make it happen.
Find solutions.
I am an artist.
I have produced a few nice drawings so far but my confidence still wavers at times. I might have knocked down that brick wall but I know that I am a still a ‘work in progress’ so I need to continue to work on myself.
4 Important Liife Lessons From My Old Art Teacher
Everyone is Allowed to Dream
When living with pain or a chronic illness, it’s easy to think that we need to stop dreaming. But that’s not necessarily true. Obviously, we need to be realistic. For practical reasons, dreams might need to be adapted. Or due to your health, previous dreams that you had might not be feasible at all. In that case, make new dreams. Everyone is allowed to have a dream.
But dreams won’t come to fruition if we keep them trapped inside our heads and do nothing about them. Writing them down can help to make them happen.
A Journal Helped Me to Look Ahead With Enthusiasm
Keeping a journal is often recommended as it can help in so many ways. Journalling my thoughts helped me to figure out what was really holding me back. Doing something similar might help you too.
Perhaps by journalling, you could also look forward with enthusiasm.
Become Unstuck By Journalling
Whether you have a dream or you just feel stuck in a situation you’re in, journalling might help you too.
Write about why your dreams are important to you or why you feel stuck in your current situation. Take your time but try to be honest with yourself. Over days or weeks you might discover what’s making you feel stuck.
Once you’ve found out what the obstacle is, you might be able to find solutions. Remember that change only happens if you help it along.
Don’t Just Stop There…
There are so many other things you could write in a journal to help put you into a different mindset.
Write about Gratitude
Years ago, I suggested to the members of my trigeminal neuralgia group to keep a journal every day and write three things they were grateful for. When living with pain or a chronic illness, it’s so easy to get bogged down by it and feel as though that’s the only thing in our lives. That’s why we need to make a conscious effort to look for other things to focus on.
Write About Your Achievements Every Day
For some people, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is an achievement. But when you’re living with pain or a chronic illness, getting a decent sleep or putting your socks on in the morning can be achievements. All achievements are worthy of celebrating.
You Are Worthy
At the bottom of every page of your journal, write a positive phrase about yourself each day such as:
- I am worthy
- I am kind
- I have empathy for others
That might feel difficult at first but please do it. Because you are worthy. You are kind. And you do have empathy.
You just need to start believing in yourself.
12 Ways to Say ‘I Love You’ to Yourself
I Hope You Can Look Forward With Enthusiasm in 2024
I sincerely hope that you can find a way to look forward with enthusiasm in 2024.
If I could share some of the enthusiasm I feel with all of you, I would. I know how difficult life is but I hope that in 2024, you might find something you can be enthusiastic about. I hope it’s a better year for you.
Thank you so much for reading.
If this post resonated with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
And feel free to share it with your friends or support groups.
Take care,
Liz.
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Best wishes for 2024.
May your 2024 be filled with as much art as you desire! I’ve discovered that I really enjoy painting with acrylics.
I hear you on the brick wall. I think the wall for me feels like it’s made of steel so I take my hat off to you for getting back into your art. It takes a lot to push when unwell, trying to swim against the tide to do something when that wall is right there in your way. I’m really glad you did it anyway and are loving it. While pain will get in the way, I hope it never takes that joy and love for the hobby away from you, ever.
Liz, Artiste Extraordinaire. I like the sound of that!
I also love your enthusiasm. It’s truly hope 2024 is a brighter year for you with lots of art, furball cuddles, comfort and small joys.
xxxxxx