NOV 22nd 1-2-3: Slowing Down: Art And Life Appreciation
1: Slowing Down ( 2 minute read )
The world goes so fast nowadays, doesn’t it?
News cycles are shorter than ever, social media content is continually finding new ways to appeal to our shortened attention spans, and entertainment is struggling to find ways to be exciting enough, opting for quick cuts and edits to keep us stimulated.
Stimulation, is to simply keep one person focused or interested in something.
Appreciation, however, is to see the good qualities of a thing and to recognize it and enjoy it.
So I ask you, how often do you find yourself appreciating?
A good meal, or a great book, the company of a person?
Or how about even the simpler things in life?
The breeze outside on your face during a hot day.
The smell of a cup of coffee.
The sound of a bird chirping.
Okay yes, perhaps this can all come across as a bit silly, but I don’t believe it is!
There is an enjoyment to be found in so many things in life, and yet we speed on by.
This occurs with life, and it occurs with art. So much art is produced to stimulate us rather than to be enjoyed.
But there is hope!
There is a way to find it, and that is to slow down. Slow your movements, your mind, your attention.
Humans have this wonderful ability to focus their conscience on a task, and to apply effort to create a change. A delta in the life experience. A difference.
Here are a couple of ways to slow down that I have found useful:
Disconnect from technology: spend even just 10 to 15 minutes away from your phone and screens and experience a bit of boredom. Trust me, it is not as scary as it can seem to us at times!
Go for a walk: no matter where you live, there is the ability to step outside, and walk around for a bit. Focus your attention on the breeze, the heat, the cold, whatever your experience is, it is just that, yours. That is what makes it special.
Write something: this is the start of an on-going encouragement that you will see me continually repeating. Writing is thinking, writing is learning, writing is one of the most basic, yet powerful tools that we can use to regain our consciousness and sense of control.
If you were to do all three of those every day for 10 minutes each, that is a 30 minute time investment.
Pick one, and do it for a week. See what happens! Then add another.
See how that affects your enjoyment of life, of art, and how your appreciation for your own life increases.
When we go fast, stop signs can just be red blurs. Flowers turn into shapes.
When we slow down, we can appreciate the simpler intrinsic goods of life and art.
There is tons of fantastic enriching art out there, I started finding much more of it when I slowed down.
Life is hard, but we can slow down, together. Appreciation is only a decision away.
2: Creative Prompts From Us (ex. Write a short story, a poem, a song, or draw a quick illustration of these! Let your imagination run free.)
I. Try actually going for a stroll without any headphones or anything. Stop when you'd like, continue back up, simply take in the world around you. See how this stimulates your creativity.
II. For one day this following week, when you wake up make sure to not check your phone for the first hour of your day. Stay away from any screens and get some fresh air, some water, and then write for a few minutes at the end of the hour. Notice how this feels in your mind.
3: Inspirational Quotes From Others
I. “Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer.” - Leonardo Da Vinci, Painter, Draughtsman, Engineer, Scientist, Theorist, Sculptor, and Architect
II. “Nobody sees a flower really; it is so small. We haven't time, and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.” - Georgia O'Keeffe, Painter
III. “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” - Vincent Van Gogh, Painter
Thank you so much for reading!