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About 6 months ago I bought my first tarot deck and since the moment I picked it up for the first time it’s had a huge influence. I know that for a lot of people tarot seems like hocus pocus, either a complete scam which preys on the vulnerable or something reserved for witches or at least those who love a cloak. While I am a proud cloak (thanks Elizabeth Suzann) wearer, tarot for me is about reflection and intimacy.

The wonderful Sarah Hughes wrote a piece for the Guardian about the rise of tarot lovers like me, who are new to the cards and using them as a tool for focus:
“People are clearly looking for other ideas, and I think tarot allows us to consider where we fit in the universe. It works as somewhere you can go in with a problem and come out feeling clearer and better about the world.”

Sarah’s article is far more articulate than I could ever be, but I also want to share my own story. I think hearing it first person makes a difference. I also just love talking about things I love.

I can’t lie, I was initially drawn into Tarot because of the beauty of the cards. There’s a deck out there in every style imaginable. My first tarot loves were the slightly more old fashioned ones which draw on religious imagery and medieval aesthetics. But my deck is Caitlin Keegan’s Illuminated Tarot which is bright and bold, something altogether more modern. Then you’ve got decks like Adam JK’s which strip the illustrations back to their purely symbolic form.

Whatever your preference, you can’t deny that tarot decks are works of art. Not only that they’re works of art you’re encouraged to interact with, to engage with, to make your own meaning out of over and over again.

That’s why I love them.

For me, Tarot isn’t about predicting the future. It’s not a magic 8 ball or Bill and Ted. It’s a visually engaging lens through which you’re encouraged to make your own meaning.

Currently, I do a daily reading with a single card. I like to use that reading as a bit of motivation for that day. I end up shaping how I reflect on what’s happened with the card in mind, trying to see how my story could be a part of that universe.

Now, I know some people would see that as me trying to force the card to come true. But it doesn’t matter if it’s “true”, whatever that may mean, for me. What’s more important is that it gives me a new perspective with which to look at my day. It gets me out of my head and out of my set brain paths. As someone who suffers quite seriously with anxiety, that’s pretty much magic for me.

I also like to do bigger readings when I start a project, or I just want to do some more reflection. Again these readings for me are about trying to look at my plans in a new light. They’re proved to be a source of inspiration. Using the cards also helps me dig to my underlying fears or motivations far quicker than just thinking to myself. They push me to find solutions and to confront my real demons.

So, that’s why Tarot is an increasing force in my life. Expect it to become an increasing influence in my artwork as well.

But for now I just want to learn more.

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2 years ago I moved to London, I started my job, and, importantly, I started this blog. 2 years and 330 posts later (say what?!), I thought I’d share where I’m at and some of the things I’ve learned along the way, because my relationship with this medium has definitely changed.

 

Before I get into those reflections, I first want to say that I’m so glad that I decided to start blogging. It’s been such a great creative outlet for me. It’s pushed me to make more and to improve as I make. It’s also given me the opportunity to do so many other pieces of work. So I can’t wait to be able to do another one of these posts in a year’s time.

The Content vs Community Debate

The tension between just making content and actively trying to find an audience has always been my biggest struggle. It’s something I’m still trying to work out how to balance. My natural tendency is just to make what I want and worry about finding a community later. But while everyone says “just make good content and your audience will find you” I think in this day and age of endless content you do have to reach out. I’m in the process of trying to approach that process of reaching out in a more structured way that doesn’t feel like an add-on to “the real work” because I do really enjoy having those conversations when I make the effort.

 

Constant creation is draining

Over the last 2 years, I’ve written over 200,000 words on this blog and created probably close to 400 illustrations before you take into account the work that goes into my Instagram and newsletter. That’s a lot. I don’t really ever sit down and appreciate that it’s a lot. Instead, I’ve found myself going through periods of just being exhausted by this platform because it doesn’t stop. I take perhaps 3 individual weeks off a year. Stepping down to 2 posts a week has definitely helped but I can see myself taking a few longer breaks in the coming year.

 

I don’t see the point in making content I don’t care about

I’ve done some form of Blogmas twice, and if I’m honest with you, I don’t know why. Blogmas is a lot of work. I have to force my content to fit. It has never been that boosting for my blog because everyone else is doing it. So this year I’m not going to be following the herd. I’ll still make Christmas content, but it’s not going to be the same. That’s just one example of where I’m starting to realise that there’s no point in creating content because it’s the done thing if it’s not what I want. There aren’t any rules.

 

Just tell the truth

The posts and newsletters I’ve received the best feedback on are the ones where I’ve been completely honest. They’re also the ones I’ve enjoyed writing the most. Whether that’s confessing that I might not want to make my side hustle a full-time freelance career to discussing the fact that I’m pretty much a hermit. Even when the truth isn’t very exciting I just want to be honest, and not because authenticity is “in” now.  Doing anything else feels kind of redundant now. I’m no longer concerned about feeling like I’m selling my soul when I bare it on a screen because isn’t creating a fake personality to sell even more damaging?

 

It’s an outlet, not a job

This isn’t true for everyone, but it is for me and it’s something I have to remember. I don’t owe anyone content other than myself. Workovereasy is here to be my outlet, to support my goals, not the other way around.

 

Any other bloggers out there in the same boat? Or, perhaps better, have any words of wisdom to share?

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In my last post, I talked a bit about harnessing that back to school feeling that always accompanies the start of September. I’m rolling with that theme again today and sharing a few kick-ass motivational quotes to really get you moving. These are some of the words I come back to when I’m feeling unmotivated or when I just need reminding that you just have to do the thing.

 

Feel free to print, share, pin any of these illustrated creative pushes to spread the (inspirational) word.

“It’s through mistakes that you actually grow. You have to get bad in order to get good.” – Paula Scher

 

“You can’t use up creativity the more you use the more you have.” – Maya Angelou

 

“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” – Sylvia Plath

 

“Everything you can imagine is real.” – Pablo Picasso

 

“To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it.” – Kurt Vonnegut

 

What are your favourite quotes which inspire you to get making?

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I don’t know about anyone else, but whenever we get to September and the weather starts to cool and the nights draw in I get excited. I get excited not just because I’m my best self when I’m wearing a jumper, but because it marks back to school time.

I have always been a complete nerd and I still am even though I haven’t had a September term start for 7 years now (uni started in October for me). September still marks that get back down to business refresh for me, and here’s how you can embrace it too.

 

  1. Set some goals – first things first, make sure you’re set up right by having something to aim for. I’ve written before about setting goals, but the key highlights are: make your goals something you control, something that stretches you but isn’t unrealistic, and something measurable.
  2. Get a planner (or make sure you’re on top of your current one) – one of the greatest joys of starting the new school year was getting a new planner and laying it out exactly how I wanted it. That’s totally something you can do even if you’re not going back to school.
  3. Feel free to pick up some shiny stationery too – few things motivate me more to get making than having some new stationery to play with – it’s sad but it’s true. Whether it’s a notebook, some pens, post-its or even some new software to play with, try changing up your practice by bringing in some new tools. Plus, you can support creatives and small business owners while you’re at it too!
  4. Pick something new to learn – okay, so the real reason you go back to school is to learn. Trying and learning new things has been one of my main goals this year, and I’m ramping that up now I’ve got my September mojo back on. Join me either by signing up to some online courses either via Skillshare, YouTube, iTunes U or anywhere else, or doing something in person. There is a course out there for absolutely everything.
  5. Put your best foot (and your best outfit) forward – the biggest change you can make to get your back to school on is to decide to put your best foot forward. One way you can do that, or at least I will be doing that, is putting a little bit of effort into how I present myself. Did anyone else plan their first day of school outfit the night before? It might seem super surface level, but you know sometimes you have to fake it til you make it.

 

That’s how I’m going to be embracing the new school year spirit even though work doesn’t take a 6 week break for summer, which, by the way, remains a travesty. Is anyone else going to be doing the same?

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Today is my 25th birthday. I’m officially a quarter of a century old. I’m supposedly in the prime of my life, although I’m not sure that one’s true. I’m in my mid-twenties and I’m going through all of the anxieties and confusion of “who am I?”, “is this being an adult?”, “what do I actually want to do?”, “where did my friends go?”, “how do I make new ones?”, “wait, how am I meant to save for a house?”, and everything in between. But I’m also more settled in myself than I think I have ever been, a reflection I seem to have every year.

Expect updates to the blog and my portfolio and store to match my new age and outlook.

I’ve never really had much of an issue with the idea of getting older, but maybes ask me about that when I’m turning 60. In fact, when I was a kid, I feel like I was always waiting to get older, waiting to be an adult. Now, I’m pretty content with where I’m at. 25 feels about right.

I was going to do a potted summary of what I’ve achieved this year, but as I started to work out my list I realised it wasn’t all that exciting. I haven’t done many of those big life-changing things this year. I guess that’s part and parcel of getting older. When you’re 5, you grow so quickly and hit milestones every other day. When you’re nearing 25 that doesn’t happen as frequently. But that’s not to say I’ve not achieved anything.

In the last 12 months I have…

  • pushed my illustration practice further and further forward. I’m working with exciting clients on exciting projects, and I’m starting to turn it into a real business.
  • grown in my role in my day job. I’m being trusted more and more to take on big chunks of work on my own, which is a big deal as a consultant. I’m currently working on a super important project around asylum appeals as well.
  • started taking care of myself better. I’ve made running a fully fledged part of my life. I’m eating better (and more vegan). I’ve made steps to look after my mental health.

 

But I think what’s more important than what I’ve achieved is what I’ve learned over this last year. I’ve learned how to do a lot of things. But I think the main thing I’ve come to realise is that I need to shift my mindset to focus on the process of doing things and learning. I need to enjoy the making and not worry so much about the outcome. The outcome will always appear if you do the work.

 

In response to that, before I’m 26 I want to receive 25 rejection letters. This is a light version of Tiffany Han’s 100 rejection letters project and I want to use it to challenge myself to put my work (and more importantly myself) out there more with no fear.