To the Artist Who Can’t Seem to Stick With It: This Is for You

We get stuck.

We second-guess.

We think we should be more disciplined, more talented, more… something.

But what if being prolific doesn’t mean producing tons of polished work?

What if it means being someone who returns?

Someone who knows how to begin—again and again.

These are the three warm-up practices I return to the most when I want to build confidence, quiet the noise, and reconnect with my art.

They’re not fancy. But they work.

They remind me:

You don’t need to feel ready to be an artist. You just need to show up.

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1. Draw How You Feel

The fastest way back to your inner artist is through your emotions—not your expectations.

When I’m overwhelmed, uninspired, or afraid to start something new, I give myself permission to draw the feeling.

No pressure to make it pretty.
No pressure to explain it.
Just a visual pulse check.

Here’s how it works:
I sit down with whatever is in front of me—pen, crayon, watercolors.

I close my eyes, take a breath, and ask:
“What am I feeling right now—and what might that look like?”

Anger becomes jagged charcoal lines.
Hope becomes soft watercolor swirls.
Restlessness becomes overlapping shapes in all directions.

This takes 3–5 minutes.
And it reminds me that the act of creating is already enough.

I don’t have to be “in the zone” to begin.

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2. Use What’s in Arm’s Reach

No digging. No curating. No searching for perfect conditions.

Sometimes what keeps me from starting is the idea that I need a perfect workspace, the “right” brushes, or a clean desk.

Nope.

Here’s what I do instead:
Grab what’s near me—a grocery list, an old piece of junk mail, a half-finished page from last week.

Set a timer for 5–10 minutes.

Let myself respond to what’s already there—collage over it, paint on it, scribble through it.

This takes the pressure off inventing and shifts me into responding—which is what art is, really.

You don’t need more supplies.

You need less overthinking.

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3. The One-Layer Challenge

This is how I make art on days when I’m afraid to mess it up.

Here’s the deal: I give myself one and only one layer.

• One collage background and done.

• One bold ink drawing and done.

• One color wash or loose floral and done.

Not because I don’t want to do more.

But because I want to prove to myself that a single, imperfect offering is worthy.

I can always return to it later.

But more often than not, I don’t.

Because the power of this exercise isn’t in the result—it’s in the completion.

The moment I say:

“This counts. I count.”

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Why These Work

These are not warm-ups to get me to the real art.

These are the real art.

They build momentum.

They build trust.

They help me remember that my creativity doesn’t come from having everything figured out—

It comes from being willing to begin, over and over again.

And every time I show up—messy, uncertain, under-caffeinated—it gets a little easier to believe:

I don’t have to be perfect to be prolific.

I just have to begin.

If you’re struggling to start—any of it, all of it—remember: our actions (and inactions) are rooted in our thoughts, so feel free to borrow one of mine to gently grease the wheels and get you moving.

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A Thought You Can Borrow

When you're stuck, try thinking this instead:

• “Even one mark is enough to remind me I’m an artist.”

• “I don’t need to finish—I just need to begin.”

• “This doesn’t have to be beautiful. It just has to be honest.”

• “I trust that the act of creating is doing something good for me, even if I can’t see it yet.”

Write one on a sticky note.

Tape it to your table.

Whisper it when you hesitate.

Let it be a gentle nudge—not a shove.

A whisper that says:
Come back. I’m still here. Let’s play.

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If you’ve been feeling stuck, inconsistent, or quietly ashamed of the courses you haven’t finished—come sit with me.

Let’s release the guilt.
Let’s make one mark.
Let’s call it enough.

You don’t have to get it all right.
You just have to start where you are.

I’m so glad you’re here.

Love,
Lynn
Make art. Be happy. Trust your pace.

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Ready to Begin Again—Together?

Join me for a free 60-minute Zoom workshop:
✨ When the Courses Don’t Work Anymore
A gentle reset for creative women who feel stuck (again)

🗓 Saturday, June 14
⏰ 9:00–10:00 AM PT
🎨 We’ll reflect, create, and reset—no guilt, no pressure.

👉 Click here to save your spot
Come as you are.
Bring your unfinished course (or just your coffee).
We’re not trying to finish—we’re just starting again.

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