The Art of Avoidance
Why we delay what matters most
I think I’ve been self-sabotaging.
Ever since I finished the five-month-long Heart of Grief artwork, I’ve been meaning to submit it to a fantastic annual magazine competition.
I knew it was something I wanted to do while I was still deep in the process of creating the piece. Even as I finished it, I immediately set up the photoshoot for the submission photos. I took the pictures. I edited them all. I made sure they were ready.
The next week, I wrote my Artwork Statement that turned into this beautiful, thoughtful summary of the meaning behind the work. I felt good about that too.
But there’s just one thing left to complete the submission: the artist bio/statement. And I’ve been pushing it off for weeks.
Every day, I open my weekly planner and enthusiastically slide the task “write artist statement” to the current day. That thing has been sliding forward, day by day, for TWO. WEEKS.
So, the question is: why am I dragging my feet?—Oh, if it’s excuses you want, I’ve got plenty.
There’s the classic: “There’s something else I need to take care of first, so I’ll get this off my plate and then I’ll write it.”
Or the more time-sensitive: “This Instagram reel is more important because the deadline for the competition isn’t until July.”
And my personal favorite: “Oops, I forgot to look at the planner again today.”
But here’s the thing—I know that if I just did it, I’d get that bandwidth back. Much like tabs being left open for MONTHS at a time on your computer until one day you forget to plug it back in and it finally dies, closing all those tabs you had really great intentions with and the ones you kept open because it saved you a few clicks… Ahem. Anyway.
There’s clearly a reason I’m not prioritizing this.
The beautiful thing I’ve come to realize, is that once I become aware of something I’ve been subconsciously resisting, it tends to start unraveling on its own.
It’s amazing what simply shining a light on resistance can do—so much more than endlessly shaming yourself for “not doing x, y, or z, yet again.” That kind of shame spiral doesn’t actually move you forward. It just makes you feel bad. And feeling bad doesn’t help you get things done or change the pattern. In my experience, forcing yourself to push through without honoring the real resistance underneath is a fast track to burnout. And then, of course, your inner critic gets even more material to work with—Ew.
So maybe just noticing what’s been sitting on your to-do list for a little too long is the first step. That awareness offers the resistance a little space, a little tenderness—So it can start to loosen the knot.
And sure, the things we resist may look totally different from person to person, but the mechanism is usually the same: resistance is a protective reflex. A signal that something just below the surface wants your attention.
Personally, I have a hunch that what I’ve been avoiding is the potential of rejection. Not something I’ve been feeling consciously, but the fact is undeniable: I’ve resisted this final step out of some sort of self-protection.
If you feel brave enough to share, tell me your own hunches about your resistances in the comments. Let’s shine a light on the things that need a little love.
Now for an Exciting Update!
As we speak, I’m in the process of building a card deck for creative souls who know when they need a pattern interrupt and want a tool to support that! The deck is intended to provoke and instigate creative self-discovery for the times that we feel like our creativity isn’t fully “on” or like the juiciness is juuust out of reach. (Resistances, much?)
That is what I’ve personally been wrangling for the last 5 years and I know I’m not alone. Feeling that stuckness and like you’re barely tapping into your creative potential is one of the most deeply frustrating experiences to navigate. I’m calling on the things I’ve learned through this time to create the tool that can give you a bump out of stuckness and to shine a light where it matters most.
Next week, I’ll be showing you the vibe and creative direction it’s headed—you know, the pretty stuff. And if you want to keep up with the project in a real-time way, follow me on Instagram. 🌹
Yet another exciting update!
I recently created this series of moody and ethereal summer roses. I was in the park at dusk taking pictures of the gorgeous bushes in bloom and I was inspired to create some small paintings!
Dusk is the most magical time of day to me, full of transition and buzzing with more mysterious energy than the openness of the day. This is when I know the fairies come out. Because, if you listen closely you can almost hear the tinkling of their bells, calling each other out to play and make mischief.
Tomorrow, these three pieces are dropping on my Instagram and will be available to the public to collect. However, you—my kindred soul—get first dibs for the next 24 hours. This is one of the fun perks of sharing in weekly conversation together.
Hit that button below to message me and collect a special one for yourself or to give as a beautifully thoughtful gift!
Until next time, friends. Create bravely and keep betting on yourself.
Gorgeous flowers 🌹🌸