Every year, thousands of people all around the world commit to a project for 100 days. Join Us!
#The100DayProject starts on February/13, this year, and I'm seriously considering joining the challenge.
My first thought was, how? What could I do? How to integrate this into my busy schedule? And more importantly, why?
At the beginning of the year, I tried the #sketchbookrevival challenge, along with #karenabend and #themintgardener, which consisted of five days of drawing/painting #florals using different materials, but not entirely tricky techniques. For me, it started as a test to see if I could keep on with it.
Long after the challenge finished, I kept on using the same "methodology."
At some point, a month passed, and I was still doing it. In the middle of my difficult day, I could find time to draw or paint some simple florals.
I do not feel with the energy, time, or mental space to develop a very exigent artwork for now, and these it's something I feel capable of doing every day, for 100 days. Yes, every day.
As I continued, some details of the work organization became naturally answered:
Size: #postcards (A5)
Theme: #botanicalart
Technique: #watercolor #graphite #colorpencils
Colors: #limitedpalette on each (3)
Time: Minimum #10minutes #dailyart
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." - Lao-tzu
It looked like I had a plan.
The main idea remained to keep the practice even if I return mentally and physically exhausted from my working day.
Some days I have more time and energy than other days, so I also planned and separated some working tasks of my project.
Create a graphic, cut paper, make the background, research and select the inspirational motives, leave the space ready to start working the next day. I know myself, and I will find myself working ten mu+inutes of two hours, depending on the day—no sorrows or guilt.
I am just enjoying the process.
But why? Why do this if I already have so many in my hands?
My first reason is that those ten minutes allow me to separate my work from after work-life and brain. And we all need that!
After, I enjoy drawing and painting.
Not less important, I need to keep my practice, even if and recover my skills. This project is a way for me to recuperate that hand muscles and keep practicing my creativity.
For me, this will become a daily commitment to complete a chapter, but also to open new paths that can lead to something new, not sure.
I`m also determined not to become stuck in the “not good enough” trap.
But, I want my project to be good. I mean that I will be seriously committed to it: I intend to make mistakes but correct them. Lose a few days and come back, anyway.
Because that’s what happens when you practice, you get better! You show up; you do what you can even when there’s a voice that tells you, “why to bother?”. We will always win and change something for the better after we repeat and do something consistently, repeatedly over a reasonable period of time. I believe it with all my heart.
And you, are you thinking about joining any challenge this year? Join us with your project: big or small. Running, writing, or reading. A small step a day.
Some extra tips:
Make sure you can do it in 5-10 minutes a day. More time is nice if you have it, but if it's a really time-consuming project you probably won't do it every day.
Make sure the tools you need to do your project are accessible and portable.
Pick something generative. Then whatever project you choose, think about how you can make it easier and more fun.
Any day is a good day to start your own #The100DayProject. If you miss the date, just start, anyway.
You can do works in progress. You don’t have to complete a new work every day, the idea is to work on it every day.
Everyone miss a day (or a lot of days 😉). Don't stress, do what you can, and have fun with it. Make it work for you.
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