Nat

Julia Cameron, author of the great book The Artist’s Way, has published a third book related to that one, called Finding Water: The Art of Perseverance. This book aims to help artists find inspiration. Like The Artist’s Way, it is filled with concrete advice for creating new work (books, paintings, songs, anything similar). In it, Cameron, a prolific writer and composer, describes her own efforts and tricks to push through her own depressing creative droughts.

In one chapter, she describes the phenomenon of “the long, dark night of the soul.” This type of bleak period of doubt, common to spiritual seekers, which I think some would describe as temptation, some would call the devil, and others would merely call inner turmoil. The 12-step programs such as Alcholics Anonymous have a saying they use to counter such events: “You can’t think your way into right action, but you can act your way into right thinking.”

So, says Cameron, list for yourself the small actions you can take that will make you happy: walk the dog, bake bread, play tennis. Then remind yourself to do these, until you are moving forward again. She recommends this approach to artists, suggesting that you make a plan to take a few, small creative steps.

It’s great advice. I recommend it. My response after reading this today on the plane was to outline a concept for a new book of poems, which felt great.

What actions do you take that reliably cheer you up?