Last year, I set a goal to finish my debut picture book, after more than a year of working on it. When I turned in final art, the publisher backed out. It was devastating.
Now that I'm on the other side of that, it's clear I need to change how I set goals. Before setting intentions this year, I tried something new: reflective journaling!
Here are a few reflective prompts I cooked up, so you can cruise into 2025 with a plan to protect your creativity!
Prompts for your journal
What subjects and materials appear most in your art?
Will reaching this goal provide internal or external validation?
Why do you create?
How will you protect your time and focus?
Make a plan to protect your time.
It’s pretty hard to reach a goal without doing the work. Here are some ways Introvert Drawing Club Members protect their art-making time:
Every day before going to bed, I draw a summary of my day. It is a way to draw even on days when I don't have time to draw. -
Have a creative station by your tv! My sewing box routinely travels from room to room (the living room is its favorite 📺)Also: embracing having multiple projects going on at once!
Vital for my creativity: Nap-time. Or a siesta. That's what reboots my creativity. I might not sleep, but I just let my mind wander, daydream for half an hour.
My regular creative time is after dinner. I usually cook, and once we’re done eating my hubby does the dishes and I get out my sketchbook!
In the video
Reflecting on a 2019 sketchbook vs. a 2024 sketchbook
Sharing my experience with the prompts and what changed
Bonus prompts
These prompts opened my mind so much, that I had to turn the camera back on to update! Spoiler alert - career goals are BACK on the table, but different ones. I’ll share in the comments. Let me know how you experience the journal prompts!
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