“Walk away. That might not be everyone’s tactic but when I get really stuck, sometimes you gotta just walk away.”
-Dan Levy to Iowa Universities, April 2021
Photo: I *think* this is from Fashion Magazine
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I think this is good advice for a lot of things, not just writer’s block. Sometimes you just have to walk away, give it a minute and come back to it later.
I see a lot of ‘you should be writing’ and 'you should be making art.’ And part of that is true but also…
…if you arent, that’s not a failure. Maybe you’re struggling to find free time outside your job. Maybe you’re raising a child. Maybe you’re traveling, maybe you dont have a place to create the art you want. Maybe you’re not inspired, maybe you’re too tired, maybe just just dont want to.
Maybe there isnt a reason for you not creating the art you want. It’s no ones business why you’ve stopped doing your thing.
That doesnt mean you quit. It doesnt make you a failure. You didnt 'used to be’ something because you lost your momentum.
A fallow field does not cease to produce wheat just because the soil is tilled. It is still a wheat field, and it’s time to grow isnt so far away. These times seem endless and dark, but sometimes they are necessary.
You are allowed to rest.
It’s also beneficial to rotate crops.
Spend some time doing/creating something different. Learn a new skill. Pick up a new hobby. It’ll replenish your creativity in a way that simply taking a break won’t.
And don’t be afraid to just putter around. Dabble. Experiment. Explore. There is no benchmark or measure of success you need to worry about. The only thing that matters is that you enjoy yourself
Productivity is NOT more important than your wellbeing. Getting things done is NOT more important than your health, physical or mental.
Capitalism teaches us that we have to produce to have worth, to deserve life. WE DO NOT. Every person has intrinsic value, no matter how much, how often, how efficiently you produce something “valuable.”
Your wellbeing is more important than whatever nonsense capitalism tries to brainwash us with to benefit a few rich individuals who manipulate our communities. You matter more.
[ID: Birds-eye view of a pinecone on wood. Right-justified white text with a black shadow reads “productivity is NOT more important than your wellbeing” down the right side. The TEP logo is in the bottom left corner.]
i think society’s obsession with productivity will be our downfall, it’s unrealistic. you don’t need to be productive every minute of the day. your body needs rest. it’s not natural to stay “grinding” or “hustling”. please don’t feel guilty about taking care of your body and taking a break when you need one.
some fav kids! this one was pretty fun to draw, until I got to the homestretch and accidentally merged all my layers and saved on my working file. thankfully it’s pretty much done but…my psd….all my layers…….are gone…….
Reminder that cis people get “gender-affirming” procedures performed all the time! Most electrolysis and laser hair removal is performed on cis women, and it’s safe and legal to perform on teenagers. Most breast augmentation and butt/hip enhancement is performed on cis women. Cis women are the most common recipients of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Cis men are the ones who receive most testosterone therapy, testicular prosthesis, jaw and chin implants (though this is on the rise in cis women, too), beard transplants, and implants designed to mimic muscle mass in biceps, calves, and abs.
Most of these procedures are performed to help the recipient feel more “feminine” or “masculine,” or to move them closer to a gendered beauty standard. Although they’re often left out of the discussion, intersex people receive many of these therapies and procedures as well. Just as with trans individuals, gender-affirmation is important to mental and physical health. Laws designed to limit access to medical care for trans folks affect us all.
But honestly?
Hurting trans folks is reason enough to oppose them.
Affirming your gender is your right.
You have no right to interfere with someone else’s medical care.
Celebrating Christmas/Hanukkah or not, the holidays are a great time to take a break on working/studying and just dedicating a time for yourself. Remember to take care of your mental health!
My entry for @dgmn2017 calendar project which I participated last year. This is an entry for November’s illustration so I decided to post it now ^^ I’m really glad to have a chance to join this project with many great artists! I’m also enjoy drawing hunter kids and their partner. I hope you’ll like it<3
