Repeat after me.

PHASE I: Creation

1. Creativity flows from me easily

and feeling stuck is temporary.

I go through phases of creation and absorption.

Each are necessary to the artistic process

And I accept myself in either phase.

I listen and observe,

I speak and perform.

Everything I do is art,

And it flows from me easily.

2. My art makes me feel good

And when it becomes difficult, I know exactly what to do—

I know if and when I should be working on something else,

When to rest and restore balance in myself,

When to go outside, eat and socialize,

And when to push beyond my perceived limits.

Because I am able to hear my inner-voice

And I listen to my heart.

3. I am in myself when I create art.

I breathe and take my time,

And I am not ever in a rush to finish

Because out of carelessness,

I may miss something,

And because there is nowhere to go.

4. I express myself fully through my art,

Even the parts I want to hide,

Because others are hiding them too,

And I am brave enough to be seen.

5. My art teaches me about myself.

I sort myself out through art

And I am more loving because of it.

PHASE II: Sharing

6. I know when my art is ready

And when it’s still in progress.

I can feel when I am holding onto my art for too long

When I feel this, I let go of my art

And move forward.

I let go

Because there is nothing to hold onto.

Nothing to gain, nothing to lose.

Nothing can stay

So I share my art with the world.

7. I do not allow what others think of my art to affect what I create.

While others are busy judging my last work of art, I am busy creating the next.

I do not have time to think too much about what others say of my art

Because I am too busy improving.

Their opinions, good or bad, are a reflection of what’s happening inside themselves.

I cannot control others’ perceptions.

So my self-worth is neither dependent upon praise nor shaken by criticism.

I take only what is useful to me and discard the rest.

Because I know my worth

and it exists independent of my art—

Inside myself.

I allow my art to be as it is,

Not as others want it to be.

My art is a reflection of who I am,

But it is not who I am.

I am so much more than my art.

8. I care not for perfection.

The cracks in my art

Is where the light shines through.

9. I do not take myself or my art too seriously.

I play

and take risks.

Sometimes my art is messy.

At other times it is precise,

But whatever it is,

I remember to smile

And laugh at myself.

10. What I give to the world comes back to me.

Because I share beauty and love,

My art attracts beautiful

And loving people.

Friends, partners and soulmates.

The art I create reaches the right people at the right time

And brings them together.

I create to benefit myself and others.

What I create spreads into the universe,

And reaches the hearts of others.

What I create matters,

They act like seeds for a better future,

And the raindrops are my practice.

PHASE III: Starting Again

11. My art is an open-ended commitment.

I will never paint enough paintings,

or write enough books,

or dance enough dances.

There is always a next

Until there isn’t.

For this, may I create as if it were my last.

12. I start again in every moment

With love and patience

Because I believe in what I’m doing

And the moment is all there is.

Thanks for reading—I hope you enjoyed. If you did, please share it with a close friend and consider following the journey:

Wishing you well.

Love,

David

PS — thanks to my patrons who support my work.

PSS — you can purchase my hiking memoir, The Trail Provides, on Amazon and Audible today.