About a year ago, I posted: Five Reasons to Participate in Online Art Challenges, Video and Giveaway. That post described some of the valuable takeaways from Mindy Lacefield's #365Faces challenge on Instagram, as well as a video fast forward of one of my faces.
I've been participating in the #100daychallenge on Instagram. My theme this year is #100daysofresistanceart.
I'm challenging myself to not only do a piece of art a day around this theme, but to incorporate creative lettering. This is something I don't feel confident about. But with each effort, I gain a little more confidence.
Here are five more reasons to participate in online challenges (or any kind of challenges).
1. If you never try something new, you'll never know what you're capable of.
It's super comfortable to keep doing something I already feel I've mastered and am good at. But if I don´t challenge myself and try new things, I'll never know my potential. My advice: choose one thing you´d like to try but are afraid to do wrong, and go for it!
2. Challenges help us grow.
I know that in my life, challenging situations -- even very unpleasant ones -- have helped me grow personally as well as professionally. Have you experienced this? Sometimes we have to experience failure, pain, and even near-destruction to grow and realize our true potential. My advice: Do something you didn't know you were capable of, and observe whether you become more confident, knowledgeable and skilled. You'll never grow by just thinking about trying something new.
3. Challenge breeds creative thinking.
When I challenge myself to do something new and scary, it prompts realizations, new ideas, and new inspiration in ways I never even imagined. My advice: do something you feel you don't have the skills for and just see where it takes you, and how you find solutions you didn't even know were up your sleeve.
4. Challenges make you more aware and in the moment.
When I keep doing things that are in my comfort zone, I get mentally lazy and tired. When I challenge myself, I am much more focused and engaged. My advice: Do something out of your comfort zone and be aware of everything about it -- even how it makes you scared or tense or insecure. And then watch how those feelings change as you make progress.
5. Challenging yourself will help you outside of your artwork, when life throws you curve balls.
One of the reasons to practice difficult poses in yoga is to watch how your mind reacts to the challenge. We practice maintaining an even breath and holding our calm and peace, even when we are wobbling or throbbing. The idea is to take that practice off the mat and into the world. If you challenge yourself in your art by learning a new technique, and practice being kind to yourself as you practice, you will see the value in every experience whether it is good or bad. As a result, you will be that much more calm and resourceful when faced with challenging and unexpected events outside your studio. My advice: do something new and scary, and know that every time you persevere, you are taking an important step to realize the possibilities that life has in store for you.
Why did I choose the theme of Resistance Art? Because I have decided to be involved, on a daily basis, in what is going on in our country.
We recently celebrated the holidays of Passover and Easter - both of which involve themes of rebirth and renewal. In addition, in the Passover seder, we recite the reminder: Never turn your back on a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
It is an imperative to be an up stander - not a bystander - to injustice whenever you see it. ONWARD!
AND - THE WINNER OF LAST TUESDAY'S BLOG HOP IS:
Jill commented on all three blogs, and I pulled this comment out of the hat! Jill - please email me your snail mail address - jessicasporndesigns at gmail dot com.
Thanks all!
I've been participating in the #100daychallenge on Instagram. My theme this year is #100daysofresistanceart.
I'm challenging myself to not only do a piece of art a day around this theme, but to incorporate creative lettering. This is something I don't feel confident about. But with each effort, I gain a little more confidence.
Here are five more reasons to participate in online challenges (or any kind of challenges).
1. If you never try something new, you'll never know what you're capable of.
It's super comfortable to keep doing something I already feel I've mastered and am good at. But if I don´t challenge myself and try new things, I'll never know my potential. My advice: choose one thing you´d like to try but are afraid to do wrong, and go for it!
2. Challenges help us grow.
I know that in my life, challenging situations -- even very unpleasant ones -- have helped me grow personally as well as professionally. Have you experienced this? Sometimes we have to experience failure, pain, and even near-destruction to grow and realize our true potential. My advice: Do something you didn't know you were capable of, and observe whether you become more confident, knowledgeable and skilled. You'll never grow by just thinking about trying something new.
3. Challenge breeds creative thinking.
When I challenge myself to do something new and scary, it prompts realizations, new ideas, and new inspiration in ways I never even imagined. My advice: do something you feel you don't have the skills for and just see where it takes you, and how you find solutions you didn't even know were up your sleeve.
4. Challenges make you more aware and in the moment.
When I keep doing things that are in my comfort zone, I get mentally lazy and tired. When I challenge myself, I am much more focused and engaged. My advice: Do something out of your comfort zone and be aware of everything about it -- even how it makes you scared or tense or insecure. And then watch how those feelings change as you make progress.
5. Challenging yourself will help you outside of your artwork, when life throws you curve balls.
One of the reasons to practice difficult poses in yoga is to watch how your mind reacts to the challenge. We practice maintaining an even breath and holding our calm and peace, even when we are wobbling or throbbing. The idea is to take that practice off the mat and into the world. If you challenge yourself in your art by learning a new technique, and practice being kind to yourself as you practice, you will see the value in every experience whether it is good or bad. As a result, you will be that much more calm and resourceful when faced with challenging and unexpected events outside your studio. My advice: do something new and scary, and know that every time you persevere, you are taking an important step to realize the possibilities that life has in store for you.
Why did I choose the theme of Resistance Art? Because I have decided to be involved, on a daily basis, in what is going on in our country. We recently celebrated the holidays of Passover and Easter - both of which involve themes of rebirth and renewal. In addition, in the Passover seder, we recite the reminder: Never turn your back on a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
It is an imperative to be an up stander - not a bystander - to injustice whenever you see it. ONWARD!
AND - THE WINNER OF LAST TUESDAY'S BLOG HOP IS:
Thanks all!
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Thank You!
Excellent post Jessica!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I am so happy we have you and your daughter championing for us~thank you!
I do love the phrase you recite for seder~beautiful.
Congrats to the lucky winner of the stencil, although we are all winners when we get to view the beautiful artwork of you and your team!
hugs and blessings,
Jackie ")
What fun designs and great thoughts on bloghopping. I like to hop to see the creations, tutorials on how to make something, get ideas...there are lots of reasons!
ReplyDeleteWonderful reasons!!
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful post, Jessica - love, love, LOVE it! Your pieces are amazing - artist resistance rocks!
ReplyDeleteImagine my surprise when I got to the bottom of your truely inspirational post Jessica and saw my name! Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!
ReplyDeleteLove your resistance art! I have been taking part for a while in the ABC Wednesday challenge. This round I am creating "speak out collage cards - using quotes from people who have made a difference.
ReplyDeleteWords from the wise! Your messages and art are powerful!
ReplyDelete