This past week was a bit of a challenge for me on the artistic front.

I can't say I was completely enamoured with the paintings I produced, but there’s something about them that’s slowly growing on me.

What made this week particularly tough was the deep dive into understanding the various kinds of resistance we, as artists, encounter and finding ways to combat them before they take over.

I pride myself on being pretty aware of when I'm facing resistance versus just opting not to paint. Yet, there's this lingering guilt that nags at me whenever I’m not brushing colours onto canvas with every free moment. It feels like I should be dedicating every spare second to my craft. But part of my journey involves learning to treat myself kindly, to embrace the process, and recognise that I’m only at the start, laying the groundwork for my artistic career.

The day-to-day reality, though, often feels like a struggle against failure.

A tough day at a market, or a collection launch where nothing sells can hit hard. It's a constant battle with self-doubt. Yet, amidst this whirlwind, my solace lies in painting. Those moments in the studio, focusing solely on the artwork, make all other worries disappear.

Getting back to the Mastery Program, this week, we dug deep into identifying where and how resistance creeps in, understanding the phases of the creative cycle, and uncovering our personal superpower. This superpower, once understood, is said to reveal our purpose, giving us the clarity, motivation, and resilience to weather the storms of failure in our careers.

This week’s exercises led me down a path of revisiting past traumas, stirring up a whirlwind of emotions and tears.

But through it all, one thing remained constant—I kept painting. As Elli always says, I am a professional artist. In what other profession could I come into the office feeling sad and just decide not to work?

Looking ahead, I anticipate new revelations and artistic growth.

Until next week….