When do you have the time?

And a list of things I've pushed aside.

When I share that I’ve been learning how to paint, the first thing people ask is, “When do you find the time?!?!”

Fair question. I’m a mother of two (young kids), have a job (trying to run my own business), a house (1869), a dog (woof!), etc.

Here’s the answer:

1. I have severely reduced how much TV I watch, and also sadly how many books I read. 🥲

2. I paint between the hours of 9pm and 11pm after the kids have gone to bed. 😪 (This is when I used to watch TV and read books.)

3. I’ve actually stopped using most social media. It has been liberating. I get back some time, and also mental space and reduced emotional angst.

4. I’m taking virtual pre-recorded classes that I can watch at any time and at my own pace.

5. I’m taking occasional in-person classes that occur on Sundays.

6. The house is pretty consistently a mess.

7. I’ve built in two accountability groups to keep me going. One is the sketch group which meets weekly and the other is family sketch night, which takes place weekly or biweekly on zoom at 9pm Eastern.

Our Recent Family Zoom Sketch

A recent Family Sketch Night project. Cousin M shared this photo after her trip to Banff.

I was pleasantly surprised by the end result, though it was getting late and I got lazy with the trees.

Original photo by Cousin M.

So there you have it! I’m often sleepy when I paint, and sometimes it just doesn’t happen, but I’ve been more consistent than not and I’ve noticed that greater consistency has both helped me improve my painting ability, and also find a little something that felt lost - or perhaps buried - and is finding its way back to the surface.

What is it that you’ve been wanting to make more time to do?

-Lana

P.S. I’m trying to better understand what brings people to Words, Photography, Art. Would you mind taking a moment to let me know here in this very brief survey? 🙏

Woof! I mean, thanks. 🐾 Hm?