Mary Caroline Whims

When I started reading Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way, I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into. A few friends of mine had finished the book and given me glowing reviews. They dropped intriguing tidbits like “reading deprivation week” and “taking care of your inner artist child.”

My inner monk/artist/psychologist junkie was piqued, and I also liked the other promises the book made: it would help me break through my creative blocks and become a productive artist. (I’ve always been creative, but I can’t say I’ve always been a prolific creative.)

First published more than twenty years ago, The Artist’s Way has been around for quite some time, and many people have found it helpful. A new generation of artists is already lauding it— Olivia Rodrigo  said she can’t live without her morning pages. So I thought: why not? I’d give it a shot. I went on Amazon and bought the book.

The Artist’s Way urges you to be committed from the beginning of the twelve-week course. Its introduction features a contract with a blank space for you to sign your name. Cameron asks you to commit to reading a chapter each week, writing morning pages every day, and taking yourself on a weekly artist’s date. 

I’m in week 9 right now and have already found this book to be a helpful resource in breaking through some of my creative blocks. Here are 3 things I’ve been working with and the ways they’ve helped me.  

1. Morning pages killed my perfectionism.

The central component of The Artist’s Way—the “if you do nothing else, do this”—is Morning Pages. It’s pretty simple: you wake up and write 3 pages of stream-of-consciousness thought first thing in the morning. I’ve been doing it regularly for 9 weeks now and I’ve already witnessed several positive changes in my thought patterns, especially when it comes to perfectionism. 

I edit myself while I write. I’ve been doing it for years. My Google docs are full of notes to myself in the margins: fix this, phrase this differently. Sometimes it can even get pretty negative. I’m grateful for the logical side of my brain, and it often comes in handy at work. But my creative projects move slowly when I’m constantly editing. The Artist’s Way has changed that. When I drafted this post, I allowed spelling to be imperfect and didn’t even capitalize all my letters. My sixteen-year-old self would have screamed in horror. But that’s not the point. The point isn’t to stand on the end of the dock planning the perfect dive; the point is to get into the water by any means necessary. Maybe it’s not even a full-body plunge. Maybe you just dip your fingers in. But at least you’re wet.

2. Artist’s dates boosted my self-confidence.

The other cornerstone of The Artist’s Way is the artist’s date. These are sort of like a playdates with your creative side. So far, I’ve been to a butterfly house, explored the yarn section of my local Hobby Lobby (I don’t knit), and attended a crystal bowl sound healing ceremony.

I even trekked down to Holland, MI for an entire day of exploration. There I saw the De Zwaan windmill, built in the Netherlands in 1761. Its blades have holes from Nazi bullets. That day, I also found the first piece in what I hope becomes my own fine art collection: a set of two hand-painted wooden horses from Sweden. I felt confident, happy and free in my exploration. I felt comfortable going out and having fun by myself. There was no need to wait for a date or until I “earned” it in some manner—I could just go. It was freeing. 

3. The book has shifted my mindset around money.

Before reading The Artist’s Way, my spending habits tended to be pretty miserly. A coffee now and then was my sole luxury. I said I loved writing and creating, but I rarely invested in my creative pursuits. Since reading the book, I’ve started keeping careful track of my spending habits, and working to spend and save in alignment with what I value. Sometimes I spend money on very little things, and they bring me great joy: I recently bought flat-backed plastic gems to make mosaics with, and a bundle of magazines for collages. Sometimes it’s something a little larger that I find inspiring (there’s a large amethyst geode on my nightstand now, and it makes me happy every time I look at it).

Now that I treat my creativity like it matters to me, there’s a stronger connection between what I say I care about and how I live. Recently, I hired a cover artist for my upcoming poetry book, Neon Cathedral (see note below). Some future investments may include: a podcast microphone and a social media consultant for my writing business.  If it’s within my means, I am open to continued investment in my creative pursuits. The other day, I asked for a raise at work. I didn’t get it, but it did open up a productive conversation about my role and the way I want it to look. Since I’ve started becoming more mindful about my finances, I’ve had more fun, and I feel like I’m getting more out of my life.

I have a lot more to say about how this book is impacting me, but I can’t say it’s all the book. You know that beautiful synergy that happens between you and a book you grow to love? It’s like that. It’s a meeting of the minds with the creative mentor I never had. It’s what I’m doing with my own life, and it’s the doors that the Creator is opening for me in His good time. Who knows what He has in store for you?

Note: You can check out Karyna McGlynn’s collages  here . She’s also an excellent poet.

Photo by Anastasia Anastasia on Unsplash.