As an artist or any other creative entrepreneur you are on the path of constant improvement. Growing, learning and refining skills is the most important part of your job. It’s not always easy and sometimes it takes years to notice your progress, yet it happens nonetheless. On your path you make certain choices that affect your future work and life, you experiment and learn, and there is a lot of things you wish you had known sooner, things you wish you had changed earlier, mindsets you wish you had implemented in early years of your carrier, especially those that you learnt much, much later. Sometimes you’d like to move back in time and tell all about them to your younger self, but it’s impossible. You have as much time in this world as it is and you can only have an influence on your future self. Your past self is the person who has grown to be present you. However, if there was a possibility to meet your younger version, what would you say to them? I’d certainly have a few comments to deliver, some of them rather simple, yet I remember they had been needed long time ago. Here are the golden few:

1. “Practice makes progress, not perfect” - definitely the one I wish I had understood sooner. Striving for perfection may be draining; keeping your bar too high may be mentally demanding and frustrating. Small steps every day, without judgement, would keep your work consistent and your mind - open. So the best advice for my younger self would be: “don’t be too hard on yourself.” It’s your life. They only one you have. You are only human. You are not and never will be perfect. You make mistakes. And by making mistakes - you learn. Stay humble. Be realistic.

2. “Celebrate everything” - even small victories, even tiny accomplishments. You got up from bed even though you didn’t feel like it? Celebrate. You finished your boring assignment? Celebrate. You had a bad day and made through it? Celebrate. You filled the dishwasher? Celebrate. Have a cuppa and your favorite biscuit. Play a game. Hug your pet. Get yourself your favorite snack in the local grocer’s. Light a candle. Listen to your favorite music. Read. Chill out. Train your brain to receive support you need from the best and all-time available source there is - from you yourself. Exercise being proud of your journey. Make it enjoyable. Reward yourself. This way you’d love your work more than ever. You’ll enter your studio every day eager to do stuff. And celebrate the fact you do it. It’s not selfish. It’s self-care.

3. “You are not alone” - there are many people like you, and every one unique. They have their experiences, histories, wounds, they are in various stages of their own journeys and they struggle too, even those who are accomplished and renown. They keep learning, they want to stay creative and inspired, even if it’s sometimes difficult for them. Reach out to them. Offer support, or collaboration opportunity, exchange ideas. Chat with them, or write to them. Learn about their paths, techniques, approaches, inspirations, dreams. Honor them. Listen. Listen. Listen.

4. “You are your own severest critic” - and no matter what negative thoughts you may have about your art, or your progress, or the lack thereof, it’s not as bad as you think. You are always learning. You are always in the middle of your journey. Give yourself some credit for it. The worst critic, the bad boss sits right inside your head and tells you painful, abusive things. Listen to it if you want, but don’t take it so seriously. Do not hurt yourself. Your mind is more resilient than you think.

5. “We all are stuck in the Desert of Blah sometimes” - I heard the term “The Desert of Blah” in the ArtJuice Podcast and immediately loved it. It’s the term used for the times everyone experiences every now and then. The term for the days without inspiration, or without will/energy to create, for the days away from the studio and the days when you don’t want to set foot in it, because nothing turns out as you planned with your painting. The days of many wasted papers, of throwing canvases into the corner and sensory overload. Days when all you want is to introvert, wrap yourself up in a blanket and just play the game, read the book, or watch Netflix in silence, and you don’t even want to look at your studio. Yes, blah. The Desert of Blah. Nearly all creators have these days. They feel guilty they have these days. They wish they never experienced them. There’s a lot of frustration going on and a lot of grief, when you glance at empty canvases and imagine all those works you had planned to do but you didn’t, because your creative mind’s battery is flat. Don’t worry. These days pass. Celebrate them as well. They are there for a reason. They allow you to rest.

6. “You can’t please everyone” - Do not try to pursue people who are emotionally unavailable to you, family or not. They will never appreciate you, no matter what you do. They will seek neither contact with you nor be interested in your progress. Do not become a performer for their entertainment, because that will only make you exhausted, empty and unhappy. You will form bonds with right people sooner or later and you will accompany each other on your paths. Let go off the others. Their presence in your life was never needed, nor was it essential.

7. “Do your own thing” - Favorite quote of my father. It’s your journey. It’s not the journey of your parents, friends, siblings or partners. You own it. If you want to express feelings through your art - do so. If you don’t - then don’t do it. Your motivation, ideas, inspirations and approach are your own only. The important thing is what art means to you. Learn new techniques, try them, experiment, discover, play with them as you see fit. It’s you who has something to say through your art, not anyone else. Let it be yours. Don’t look too much at the others. Don’t compare yourself to them. Don’t try to copy them. Get busy with your stuff. And keep busy, busy, busy.

8. “Don’t worry too much” - as simple as it is. Although a necessary reminder. Always.

9. “Don’t overthink it” - same as above. Some things in your head tend to grow so much they blow out of proportion. There is a lot of non-helping thoughts that turn into stumbling stones on your way. It’s like the whole room of people was constantly talking out loud and you weren’t able to fish that one important message. When it comes to this it’s a mess. Write the thoughts down. Order them. Dissect them. Discard the improbable. Rationalize and once more: rationalize.

10. “Community is important” - I like to work alone. I always did. There were times I was so into it I kept isolating myself. In such days I didn’t speak even two words together to anyone. To me the process, the job and the experiment was more important than the social aspect of connection. It was like entering a lab of a mad scientist - a grumpy recluse who is not keen on visitors, because they interrupt their pursuits. But after the pandemic I grew to appreciate the connection more. I practice it, baby steps. Going out of the “lab” is beneficial for the psyche. Meeting like-minded individuals - even more. Support from fellow creators keeps your mind open, gives you valuable insight, and - last but not least - is fun.

11. “Never throw away your old works” - they are the best sign of your progress. Even if you consider your old paintings or drawings bad, ridiculous, horrible, embarrassing - don’t trash them. Save them. You don’t need to watch them often. Just let them be there, somewhere in your studio - as a reminder of the path you went. The proof of your accomplishment. The memento of who you’ve once been. And if you ever doubt yourself - just take a look at them. See for yourself how far you’ve traveled.

12. “Proper studio space has an influence on your work and mood” - can’t repeat this one enough! In order to function efficiently you need your personal (and personalized!) space. If you don’t have a proper one, you won’t be able to fully enjoy your work or even you’ll stop working definitively. You’d feel bad coming to that place in the first place. Even a small area in your apartment or house is sufficient - just make it your own and yours only.

Well, that’s it. I hope my past self would listen to some of it at least. Work would have been much easier if I had known these things or had been aware of these nuances long time ago… It’s actually a good practice - to write down wisdom you’ve learnt during years of your progress. You can’t pass it on to you anymore, but you can share it with some other person who needs it. Who knows, you may even help someone.