Day 28 Slice of Life -The 100 Day Project

We are nearing the end of The Two Writing Teachers March Challenge. It was a struggle for me to write everyday this month. It was not so much about time as words and energy to create words that have some meaning to myself and others. So why am I looking to take on an even longer challenge. I really must be crazy.

Here is what I know about myself. I am better if I am working towards something. I feel responsible when I make a commitment and try harder to follow through. I also like having a community to connect with. So the idea of this creative challenge makes me think I might get more drawing done if I set myself up for this challenge. So I am going to give it a try.

This comes from Suleika Jaouad at Isolation Journals. She was writing for the NYT during the early part of the pandemic while she was in isolation at a hospital for her cancer treatment. She has continued to write and connect with people all over the world. She is once again dealing with treatment for a recurring cancer. She has set up a 100 day project on creativity for herself and others who would like to join. The goal is to do one creative task a day. Each person decides what that is and how they will go about this task. This task will go on for 100 days. (Wow – that takes up to July)

That is a long time. But is is also long enough to hopefully establish a habit. One that helps you in many ways. It takes discipline to do something for this long. Suleika says that discipline really is about three things – routine, accountability and contingencies.

In order to stay with something you need to have a routine – a time, and place that you will do this task each day -first thing in the morning, after lunch or dinner, before bed. This routine has to be easy and fit comfortable into your day or it just won’t work.

Next is accountability. This helps keep you going. So connecting with a friend or friends about what you did each day or making a calendar that you check off also works.

The last step is contingencies. We all have days where things fall apart and time is lost or you don’t feel well – something happens so what will you do on these days? Are there little steps to move you forward towards being creative that day. Maybe make that task smaller or have it be a review day of how far you have come. Do something no matter how small that helps you be in contact with that creative task.

I tried this 100 day project last summer and it fell apart for many reasons. The accountability piece was not in place for me and my expectations of the task each day was too much. I started strong and then could not keep up with what I had set for myself. I had no one to talk with about it to help me keep going. (I also broke my wrist and that messed up a great deal of things. Painting with a broken wrist did not work but I did not try to adapt. I just quit!)

So here I am this year – staring this challenge once again.

Here are Suleika’s ideas on making a contract with yourself:

Begin with:

• A List of your blocks—like consistency, crushing expectations, self-discipline, or self-doubt. Name them, interrogate them, and make a plan to tend to them. 
• A List of the things that will keep you coming back: A low bar to entry? An accountability buddy? A set routine?
• A List that is about setting a goal, set a mood intention for how you want to feel while in the creative process.
• And consider adding a pep talk for when you find yourself at a creative low point.

When you’re done, sign your contract—or laminate it, get it notarized, hang it above your desk. Whatever it takes to make it stick!

The idea is to be gentle with yourself – make it easy to do each day I think is important. You want to complete this so make it doable given your life and situation.

Here is an example of her rules the first time she tried this:

1. Write every day, first thing in the morning.
2. Write any amount (even just one word). 
3. Don’t re-read what you wrote or show it to anyone else.

This helped keep her focused and working. It gave her grace, like write one word a day if needed.

This year she is working on watercolor paintings not writing. She also uses the idea of knowing what tomorrow will be. She calls it a day when she has a clear sense of what she will want to do next, or when she is excited about painting a particular detail

She feels this is a gift for tomorrow’s self. She also been thinks about what she wants to feel after she has finished painting for the day, and making that her goal, rather than fixating on output. She wants to feel joyous and playful, even a little feral, and liberated. I think this is a great idea. It keeps the project light, fun and something you want to return to.

I’m drafting a creative contract for myself.

1. I will paint/draw every day, no matter how much
2. I will leave a note to myself about what I plan to do the next day.
3. My goals are to relax and enjoy the process. (I will not get mixed up in how good or bad the drawing or painting is. I will be just get something on paper each day.)

My next steps for tomorrow are to go back to her first questions and write answers for myself.

• a list of what might be blocks to not working
• what will keep me coming back
• review my goals and intentions – are they realistic
• who can I ask to help me with a pep talk with I get in a slump?

Sections of this post have been pull from The Isolation Journals -100 day project post that came out on Sunday March 27th. Here is the link to her post and more details if you want to follow her.

https://theisolationjournals.substack.com/