Slow the fire down

This time, let’s start with a story. 

One day my parents took me to a karting race track for the first time. I believe I was about 6 years old. 

There was an instructor for kids, so they put me in a small kart and the instructor explained how things worked: where to press to accelerate, where the breaks were, and so on.

He told me to go for it and raise a hand if I needed anything while on the track. 

As iconic and silly as I can be, I pressed deeply with my feet on the pedal for gas. 

Like, real deep. So much that the kart continued to gain more and more speed. 

I was flying through the track.

My dad thought I was so full of confidence but my mom felt something was wrong. 

I also felt something was wrong. 

I remember looking to the side of the kart and seeing the white box with gasoline raging. 

I didn’t get, though, in those fractions of seconds, that it was boiling because I was the one making the kart fly through the track but somehow my brain was too overwhelmed to just think “girl, lift that foot out of the pedal!! And pull the freaking breaks!” 

So I kept flying in the direction of the first curve of the track.

And then it happened. 

BAAAAAAAM!!!!!

I crashed against the wall of tires.

And then, ONLY THEN, the kart stopped and buzz in the head still going, I raised my hand to ask for help.

(I wasn’t injured) 

The punchline

Well, here is a nice point that I now see in that story. 

I used to tell close friends how I always fell into a working cycle where at some point the train was moving too fast so I would feel overwhelmed, crash, and then take some time to start again.

What I’ve realized lately, though, through coaching and personal work, is that I’m actually the only one driving the train, and I’m the one who’s supposed to pull the brake and lift the foot off. 

Slow down, take it easier, as you wish.

But I didn’t see it, I was so close to it. Caught up in the cycle. 

Different stages, different levels

Like my dad sometimes says, there are always a lot of different-level tracks. 

The mood now is simplifying. Slowing down.

Thanks to coaching this has started to shift.

Like my coach, Scotty Russell shared once, no need to aim for the top of Everest all at once. Make it to the next rest station.

You always show up, (unless you’re not well of course), sometimes you push through, but then you take a rest, and celebrate. 

The power you have

It’s so ironic but true, that the hardest thing for me lately has not been to learn to work harder; but to rest harder and play. PLAY. 

Associating my creative moments with play has changed my perspective on it. There are no real deadlines hanging over my head, except for the ones I create. 

I am in control of my time and energy, which also brings the challenge of being my own obstacle. But realizing this is HUGE. 

Many people don’t realize that many situations happen for them, and not to them, that they are in charge of the result of the event. That can be harder or scarier which explains why a lot of times we don’t jump to that conclusion. 

It is a reality that the art field is a stressful, unpredictable, and challenging environment, but it is on us to learn to bring in calm and a healthier way of doing things.

That 1% is gold

Recognizing how much I was trained to exceed or try to succeed at all I used to do, makes me see how tough I can be on myself sometimes. 

But I don’t need to be afraid anymore of that 20% or 30% I didn’t bring home. Sometimes it’s really about that 10% you put in a day. 

The accumulation of all these 10%, the days you showed up no matter what, until one day you get to feel that 100%. 

Who knows, maybe you never get to 100%. Maybe 99%. 

We’re human, not machines, so I like to believe there will always be space for that 1% (or more when needed) of no perfection, or human flaw. 

1% of taking the space you needed, that important mental rest. Every. single. week.

Sometimes that’s how you get to be 100%, looking back and putting together the percentage you put in, even if 1% only, and the percentage you weren’t able to bring in, despite all the work you did. 

To remember…

You’re human. And it’s ok. You’re already enough. Your worth is not connected to your work.

I know, said and repeated many times. But somehow, in a fast pacing society, it is too easy to forget this, therefore the reminder.

About this blog’s artwork

When I was sketching for this artwork I thought of that kart racing moment and thought it was such a good portrayal of the message I was trying to share that I decided to draw it.

I thought also about what kind of character I could use to make it fun and memorable. Of course, a witch racing on (actually out of) a broom, totally out of control.

Because you know… I always hoped to discover real magic, and then I realized, I might just have that already with my art <3

The witch design is based on previous work because I like exploring my original characters further and, the socks are a soft wink at the artwork of the previous blogs! So fun and freeing to use the same palette too!

Lastly…

Thank you for your time and read, feel free to share any constructive feedback or send any questions on topics you would like me to write/draw about :)

Stay safe and inspired,
Rita