(a.k.a. Finding Yourself Again)
I found as I got older, I started to feel rather useless and unproductive. My children were grown and married with their own children, and I didn’t have a real outlet for my creativity and ideas. I started taking some art lessons in my early 50s beginning with a watercolor class which I enjoyed immensely and found I was fairly good at it. I continued to dabble in it for quite a few years but didn’t know what to do with my pictures.
After I had my midlife crisis (as some would call it), it led to a divorce and moving out of state. Loneliness set in, and the feeling of uselessness intensified. At this point, I began to paint with acrylics and wanted to try abstract art, so I took lessons with an artist I met at the Laguna Beach Art Festival. The art lessons began on the very weekend I had an immense emotional event in my life (that is for another blog), and I almost didn’t go but decided that it might be good for me. While I was there, my teacher kept telling me, “Stop thinking; just paint,” so I did. What came out of it was a very powerful painting that is still one of my favorites to this day. I titled it, Emerging/Disappearing?.
This was the beginning of a new direction in painting for me as I found that it gave me an outlet for all the emotions I had buried all my life. I have since sold many pieces and done commissions.
My Heart Prayers
As the years moved on, I wanted to find something I could do to bring in a “passive” income to put towards retirement. I began looking at things to do online including a blog and online stores. None of that really took off, so I decided to start a YouTube channel. Initially, it was going to be about DIYing since I am a big DIYer, but I quickly saw how much work that was actually going to take, and I didn’t have the time or the “want” to make it happen. Then I decided that since I love scripture so much, I would start a channel where I would read scriptures accompanied by music and video. This is something I’ve been doing for about six months now. The learning curve for me is quite steep, but it is growing slowly, I really enjoy it, and I feel it helps others.
Grammy Pammy
I also began writing children’s books from the stories I would tell my grandson and have completed two books so far. Again, the learning curve is steep as is trying to find illustrators and do the editing. I’ve been blessed to have family members who are quite proficient at editing, so when I actually let them help, it became much easier. I will write more books but am still looking for a good illustrator and – the biggest hurdle – learning how to market the books. I hope you will check them out.
All this being said, my point is:
Don’t be afraid to start something new!
Don’t let fear of new things keep you from living your best life!
As ‘mature’ women, we have more time, more wisdom, and more creativity than we’ve ever had. There are so many things to learn in each new endeavor, but this is what makes life fun and is an important part of keeping our minds sharp and our creativity fresh.
Keep going even if you’re afraid, and it will be worth it!
So encouraging. It’s easy to feel useless and unproductive. I never thought I was artistic, until I discovered photography and graphic design. As it turns out, I have a fairly good eye and am creative.
Thanks Lauren!
This will encourage so many! Thank you for sticking with it! You’ve got this! Take the next step with intention! 🙂