The Artist’s Way - Week Eleven

Week eleven is about autonomy in all its forms. It's about nurturing ourselves to create a strong spiritual and creative foundation.

Building that base level looks different for everyone. We must each experiment to find the right balance. Personally, I find that freedom, success, and feeling grounded are my vital contributing factors.

My idea of freedom is having flexibility in the way I spend my time and being financially comfortable.

I have experimented with a multitude of different work schedules that have allowed varying levels of flexibility for my creative pursuits. Right now, I’m on a schedule that is a little too rigid. It doesn’t allow me the flexibility to sign up for equity auditions, but it does give me time to focus on writing. In the next couple weeks, the focus will be to work on balancing it a little.

Financial comfortability doesn't mean wealth or being rich. It means I have the ability to relax and am able to focus my energy on creating, because I’m not worried whether or not I’ll make rent this month. Ideally, it means that I know I’m able to pay my bills with a little leftover to spend on myself. I have been in the position were I’m worried about how the $2.90 it takes to ride the subway to work will effect my bank account. It’s an almost paralyzing place to be.

Success will be when I can leave my day job to act an write full time. For you it might look like fame, or it might look like a small, quiet life on a farm in Tennessee. What’s important is knowing what it looks like for you, so you can point yourself in the right direction. Your vision of the future may very well change, as long as you can recognize that, all you have to do it readjust.

Lastly, it is so important to feel grounded. In The Artist’s Way, Cameron recommends physical activity. I agree. When I first moved to New York and had yet to find a job, I spent the bulk of my days going on these tremendously long walks. They were incredibly therapeutic. Moving my body got endorphins going. It cleared my head. I still try to go on some sort of daily walk, but the long ones are mostly reserved for Sundays now. Swimming did something very similar for me in high school. Exercise takes you out of your head. It’s a form of meditation that allows for new ideas to appear.

Obviously, it’s all relative. This is what works for me. Autonomy is about knowing and owning yourself. It’s about honoring your needs.