Recalibration

"In art intentions are not sufficient ... What one does is what counts and not what one has intentions of doing." Picasso

I am reminded of this quote whenever I get to that point where I have too many projects and/or ideas "in the works" and I find myself flitting from one to another but never following through on any one in particular. It's paralyzing and something that I find happening more, now that I'm retired. When I was working and had a hundred and one things to accomplish in a set period of time, I didn't have the luxury to second guess everything. It was get it done and move on or there would be consequences. I took pride in the fact that I always managed to be creatively productive, throughout my career, and made it a point to participate in exhibitions on a regular basis. (I sometimes wonder how in the world did I manage the responsibilities of being an artist, wife, homemaker, mother, and teacher!) What can I say other than I'm the quintessential type A personality!

When I was young, a high school art teacher admonished me for always having "too many irons in the fire". As I look back on my life, I have to chuckle because that has stuck with me and was such an accurate assessment. But then again, I need to ask - Is that such a bad thing? I think that I just need to recalibrate my way of thinking and be more realistic in my expectations. Maybe it's just taking me longer than I realize to shed that sense of constantly needing to meet demands on a set schedule. (I can be my own worst enemy at times!) I need to remind myself to relax and go with the flow; enjoy this new stage of life and focus more on the pure joy of the creative process rather than feeling the need to constantly produce. If I can accomplish this I know I'll be less "hardpressed".