You know this feeling?

Hey Reader
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I painted a wild poppy painting the other day.
And I'm going to be completely honest with you...It isn't my best work. It's not one I'll be framing and proudly hanging on the wall.
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But actually, I don’t care, not one little bit…
I was having one of those days.
You know the ones.
Your head is fuller than full. 🤯
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​There's too much going on. You're stressed, a bit anxious, and your thoughts are running around like a rabbit on speed!​
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I needed to get out of my own head.
So I picked up my brushes.
And I painted.
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Not because I had a painting to finish.
Not because I needed content.
Not because I thought I'd create something beautiful.
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I painted because I needed somewhere else to put all that noise for a while.
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​Know that feeling?
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​There's something that happens when you paint that I think we sometimes overlook.
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Your attention has somewhere to go.
You have to focus on one thing…And…For a little while, you're not thinking about the mass of things that usually occupy your brain!
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You're just...there. And honestly, that's pretty close to meditation for me.
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Except I'm holding a paintbrush instead of sitting cross-legged trying desperately not to think about anything. 😄
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And this is why I keep banging on about the process being more important than the finished painting. It's all about the journey eh - blah blah - but it's true...
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​Because if I'd judged that poppy painting purely on the end result, I could have decided it wasn't worth doing.​
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But that would completely miss the point.
The painting did exactly what I needed it to do.
It gave me somewhere to go.
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It helped me disconnect from everything outside of me for a while...and find my centre again.
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​And perhaps that's something you could try too.​
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Not "I'm going to paint something beautiful today."
​Just..."I'm going to paint for 20 minutes and see what happens."
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​No expectations.
No judgement.
No need to show anyone.
Just you, some water, colour and a little bit of quiet.
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And if the painting turns out brilliantly?
Lovely.
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If it ends up looking like something your five-year-old nephew made after eating three bags of Haribo?
Also fine. 😂
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I've put together a little video showing you how I painted these wild poppies. And I'd love you to try it.
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See what happens when you stop worrying about the painting being good...and allow yourself to simply be in the process.
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Because sometimes the painting isn't the thing you're creating.
Sometimes you're creating a newer version of you!
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​Til next time...Go paint.

Sue 🎨💛
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P.S. If you’ve ever wanted a regular moment in your month just for you, where the noise quietens, you disconnect and create, and nothing else matters then this space is for you.
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Coming September...
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​The Joyful Watercolour Collective >>​
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If you'd like to join me inside a zero pressure, creative, community driven space - where you can switch off and paint - for the sheer JOY OF IT.
Drop your name down on the link above and I'll share more soon...

"The Joyful Watercolour Collective - A place you return to when life feels too loud".