New Year, New Habit

Happy 2021! What are your intentions for the new year? As we head to the last days of January, this is a good time to revisit your list of resolutions to make sure they are not forgotten. One of my intentions for 2021 is to make art daily, and by that, I mean drawing or painting every day for at least 30 minutes. I wanted to create this new habit because expressing my creativity is a vital part of myself, just like breathing.

In this post, I share how it has been to make art every single day since January 1st, and I’m here to support you if you are building a new habit too. Remember that any new skill requires clarity, consistency, and patience.

Knowing why you are doing this new thing is really important, especially when the voice in your head says “let’s skip it just for today” and try to take you sidetracks. There are days that I’m exhausted and don’t feel motivated to make art, and skipping my art practice is just the perfect excuse. On moments like this, I say to myself “it’s only for a few minutes, and I am aware of how necessary it is to express my creativity”. And, do you know what happens next? I usually draw or paint for over half an hour, and that makes me feel really good.

To keep the new habit consistent, I try to do it at the same time every day. For example, during the week I make art in the evening, and on weekends I prefer late morning. That helps me manage my time, and my brain starts to understand that certain moments are dedicated to the art practice. Because of that, I don’t overthink what time I will draw or paint. So figure out what time works best for you and keep a routine to help your new habit stick.

A final piece of advice is to be patient with yourself. We don’t learn how to walk, talk, or write in one shot, for example. Like anything new, it takes time and practice to develop a new habit. Some days are easy for me to start a new painting or draw something that inspires me. But there are lots of times that I have zero ideas of what I’m going to do. When that happens, I sketch something no matter what it will look like. I show up for the new habit detached from the immediate outcome because the skill will build up over time.

So, if there’s anything new that you are trying to implement in your life, do it regularly until it becomes second nature for you. Remember why you are doing it, repeat it, and be patient with the process, because you can do it.

Write in the comments below what are your intentions for the new year, and let me know if I can help you with anything. I would love to know about your plans!