By nature, I am a procrastinator.
Procrastination became a bad habit that began in college writing term papers. I found that I often was genuinely concise and creative when my back was against the wall and my head filled with the sound of a ticking clock. I began to assume that to be at my best I had to be under pressure. They say it takes 21 days or so to make a bad habit, right? Well, I suppose mine has been practiced religiously for over 20 years.
I bought a home a few years ago and shortly after I moved in, I began sketching out my idea for a home studio. I plotted out what I needed, the resources I would require, everything. Then I set those plans on a shelf in my office where they are sitting right now - staring a hole in the back of my head.
I didn’t feel a sense of urgency. Renting studio space in Austin with all the comforts I need has made it easy to forget my home studio priorities. And every weekend, after an exhausting week, I would head to my studio to purify my spirit and mind with the best kind of meditation for me - clay. Six to eight hours on Saturday and Sunday has been my prescription for sanity as long as I can remember. I took it for granted, feeling no sense of urgency. And then COVID happened.
It’s been about four weeks since my last visit to a place I’ve called my weekend haven for over a decade. The workweek keeps me busy and distracted. But Saturday morning, when I feel the first light of the day fall across my forehead, the ache begins. The longing for something I need that I cannot have. And in those moments between asleep and awake, I feel the urgency I should have had when I first began building out my home studio plans.
Perhaps this will be enough to teach me a lesson. Maybe when this pandemic goes to an eventual end, I will remember these moments and prioritize the things that truly matter. There’s work still left for sale on Etsy, and I’ll be uploading some additional items this weekend. If you’ve shopped, I appreciate you - and hope my work brings you some peace during the madness.
Whatever you are missing most during this crisis, may you find your way back to it soon - healthy, safe and sound.
-Be Well