Balancing Wins and Challenges: Maintaining Motivation in Your Creative Journey

Find out what I have done to maintain motivation and balance the highs and lows of my creative journey, ensuring that challenges don't overshadow my wins.

When you hit challenges and road blocks it can be very hard to find the energy to push through and even when you come out on the other side the exhaustion can get in the way of seeing and feeling your wins. There are a few things that I have started doing that help me with keeping my energy and motivation through highs and lows, challenges and smooth sailing.

One of the biggest things is talking through my challenges out loud, I usually find a solution this way. My lovely life partner or my friend Miranda are usually my sounding boards. Occasionally my 8yr old German Shepard lends his ears and cuddles. Having at least one person to listen and support you through the challenges and to celebrate your wins is always helpful. Having someone to listen and support you, helps you not feel alone and takes some off the pressure and stress off of you. While having someone celebrate your wins, no matter how small, helps you to see the wins. It can be hard to recognize and see the wins when you are focused on how you got where you are currently and everything you need to do next.

The next thing I have been doing is writing out my challenges, what I have learned from them and my wins, no matter how small. I have days where I don't get everything I want done and feel lazy. I have always felt like this and have always had a hard time relaxing. Finding a balance between work, home, supporting my art endeavors, and me time has been hard for me. Me time is new to me and I have been trying to make a point of setting aside me time for the last 2 years. My partner helps a lot with this as he can tell when I need a break, often before I do and offers to finish my task while I sit and relax for a minute. I still feel lazy when I do this, but not nearly as much as even a year go. We call need a balance. Writing out my challenges, what I have learned from them and my wins, and everything I have done that day or wee is an exercise that helps me see just how much I am doing. As well as the progress I am making.

It is important to recognize the journey it takes to accomplish you goals and day to day. This is something that wee often forget. Comment below how you maintain or re-gain motivation for creativity or daily tasks, along with a recent win, small or big.