Things Can Look Better in the Morning
Have you noticed that life at night can look different that life in the morning? Well, the same can be said for our artistic creations. Sometimes we need to sleep and check it again in the morning. So our next watercolor wisdom - lessons I’ve learned through watercolor that can be applied to life – is…
Things can look different in the morning…
We’ve talked before about perspective which is so important for the creative mindset. As an artist, we can sometimes question our creations. Are they good enough? Are the colors accurate? Is that eye the right shape? Is that leaf bending the right way? Is something missing? Is the painting finished? We’ve talked about getting lost in the details and stepping back to view the painting as a whole… to get a new perspective. But sometimes, when we’re unsure, we need to do more than back away… we need to step away… take a break… sleep on it. And when we return and look at the painting, things often seem clearer. Yes, that eye is shaped correctly. No, that leaf isn’t quite right. Yes, the colors are perfect. No, nothing is missing. We’re able to view the painting “in a new light” and “with new eyes.” Sometimes what we couldn’t see the night before, stands out in the morning. And then we know what to fix. Sometimes what was frustrating us the night before doesn’t frustrate us in the morning. Or the uncertainty of the painting’s completeness at night is replaced in the morning with a satisfaction that it is indeed finished. Removing ourselves from the painting and returning later can help us see more clearly and with more certainty.
In life, stepping away can be beneficial as well. When someone angers us and we just want to respond harshly, it might be best to step away… calm down… process the situation… and return with a clearer head and kinder words. Or maybe when social media is beginning to impact our mental health, it’s good to step away… take a break… and focus on what is really important. Or when work is really busy and we’re getting lost in the details, step away… take a short walk… breathe… and return calmer and more ready to handle those details. We just need to take moment.
Stepping away is another way of clearing our head, calming our mind, and finding new perspective. Sometimes stepping away for just a few minutes is all we need. And other times, we might need a bit longer… like a night’s sleep. And in the morning, we can see what we need to see with more clarity and certainty. So don’t be afraid to step away… take a break… sleep on it.
When we give ourselves time to process, calm down, and breathe, it can make all the difference in what we see and how we respond.