This will likely be a bit of a short post, but I’ve had a few thoughts rumbling about in my head and wanted to get them on the digital page while they were germinating. It’s about my creative side and how I recognize I’ve neglected it.

I started this blog as a way to foster that part of myself and it sort of took on a little life of its own, becoming a form of personal op-ed space as well as an exercise room for my own attempts at writing professionally. And for a while, I actually kind of felt like I resented that. But some introspection and the tail end of the Blaugust Initiative pretty much rewired me a bit, transforming my annoyance into acceptance.

Thing is, if I’m going to be any sort of successful creative sort, I’ve got to keep creating. I can’t really just…flop back on a chair and call it good. That’s not how you grow. And though every artistic person I’ve ever met seems to hate their own art, they still keep making it until they look back and see their growth.

Clearly, I need to do that too.

What I think will help isn’t just setting something of a schedule for myself, but also returning to other creative endeavors and finding the enjoyment in making that sort of thing. Which means I’m going to return to my streaming starting tomorrow and will even return to drawing again. Because, honestly, I’ve missed both.

I don’t know how long or how successfully I’ll make being a creative person as a job work out, but I think this mental reset has helped. I’m going to try to grow, but I’m not going to make myself crazy by looking at metrics and the like. Marathon, not a sprint. Exercise gains over time, not direct injections of HGH for immediate bulking.

That’s not how I need to do this.

So why am I putting this out there? Well, first and foremost I’m just looking to say thanks to those who’ve stuck around and supported me as I get through these personal doldrums and come to this realization. Honestly, the folks who have my back are too warm and wonderful to count.

I also want to thank Blaugust and Belghast directly for the spark. And while I still feel like I’ve “failed” the initiative, I have seen and read and have been exposed to so many awesome folks, which in turn has once more helped me re-ignite.

I’m not gonna sit here and make promises. But I am going to say I’ll try. Let’s get it done, y’all. ❤