Why It’s Important To Prioritize Your Relationship With Your Art

Recently I learned the most valuable lesson in art-making that I’ve ever received:

To keep my creative reserves full, I must prioritize the relationship I have with my art.

It might sound strange, but have you ever thought about the relationship you have with yours?

Do you dedicate time out of your day just to create? Do you give yourself room to play? Do you nurture your creativity with good self-care practices? Do you set firm boundaries from negativity to protect it? Or do you neglect it?

Learning to respect mine was a lesson that the universe had been trying to teach me for a long time. Years, in fact. But I resisted its wisdom. Instead, I chose to learn the hard way by ignoring my own needs for boundaries, play, exploration, and rest. ‘Something must be wrong with me,’ I thought. Why else does it seem like my peers are having the time of their lives while I’m burnt out?

Needless to say, I took my creativity granted. And as a result, I suffered from artist block and crippling self-doubt whenever it was time to illustrate. 

Worse of all, I no longer found joy in making art.

Our creativity is our magic.

Working endlessly with no rest in sight, I’d forgotten the simple truth that our creativity is our magic. It’s how we alchemize our vision and dreams into a tangible force that can be seen and felt by many. And it’s the fuel we need as artists to show up and do our work.

So, when I didn’t protect my creativity by not honoring my relationship with my art, I limited my creative potential. I failed to understand how important it is to have a healthy art practice for my emotional and mental well-being.

Because, ultimately, our relationship with our art is a reflection of the relationship we have with ourselves.

To keep our creative reserves full, we have to take care of ourselves in order to show up for our art. Our creativity is our most valuable asset as artists—heck, as humans. It truly deserves the utmost care and protection that we can provide. And it should never be taken for granted.  We shouldn’t take ourselves for granted.

To maintain a healthy relationship with our art, we need to prioritize our self-care.

We need to play. We need to rest. And we need to devote time for making art.

So, if you’re unsatisfied with your relationship like I was, then take a moment to try and understand what’s straining it and do what you can to nurture it instead. It truly is one of the most important relationships you will ever have.

And lastly, cherish it just like you would with someone you deeply care for. I promise, you won’t regret it.