Self Care Strategies for the Artist
Here is a list of things that can help you stay resilient. The life of the artist can be very
stressful, so make sure you incorporate some of these things below:
1. eating regularly: little snacks in your bag eg. Nuts, fruit
2. sleep: yes its hard, but try to get your 7-8 hours as often as possible, of course
excluding bump ins!
3. Two glasses only of wine
and a couple of alcohol free days.
4. Exercising: walking, or finding the exercise that you love to do; walking five
times a week
5. Quiet time: meditation; creative visualisation; dreaming on the clouds;
6. Starting from where you are at I think is one of the most healthful and helpful
things we can do for ourselves.
7. Optimistic thinking the glass is half full; if you think it half empty be aware
that there is another way of looking at it
with awareness comes change.
8. Finding what is greater than yourself and dedicating yourself to it: the spirit of
theatre; the spirit of community; and if you believe in God, then God.
9. Seeing challenges rather than problems.
10. Building on your own strengths as well as other peoples strengths.
11. LAUGH
12. Asking for help when needed.
13. Artist Date: each week make sure you go on a date with yourself to a gallery,
or park, or theatre: somewhere you are nurtured (this is a hint from Julia
Cameron, and her The Artists Way
14. Julia Cameron also suggests morning pages, but they could be any time pages
(in the hand out I mention a drawing a day book. Twenty minutes of depicting
either in words or image what is happening for you right now. No editing
allowed!
15. ADD YOUR OWN
WHEN THINGS GET TOUGH:
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF
Am I doing more than I should be doing in the time required
Am I starting where Im at?
Do I have resources around me to support my actions (eg. Am I suffering from
an illness, reduced support network, tired, grieving, etc.)
HAVE AWARENESS:
IF YOU ARE : tired, difficulty falling asleep, restless, drug dependence; feeling
helpless, inadequate, fragile, vulnerable; confused, difficulty in making decisions,
memory blanks, difficulty concentrating; loss of meaning:
TALK TO THOSE NEAREST TO YOU