The title of this post is by Dostoevsky and one which resonates with me, although I would argue that "Love will save the world."
This blog has taken a quick change of tack. I had a lovely winter walk this morning with my doggy companion. I do most of my thinking whilst walking and I was ready to come home and write all about walking and creativity. However, just as I sat down, pot of tea in front of me and a pile of books for reference, a very dear friend emailed me with a blog post by a person called Molly. She writes weekly newsletters and covers a range of topics about living in Scotland. I will leave the link to her website at the bottom of this post. Notebook open and pen in hand, I thought I'd quickly read the post. It was about why she gave up social media, apart from her Youtube channel. It was a very thought provoking read and one that led me to ponder as to why I do this?
Hmmmmm, so here it goes, the question: Why do I do this?
My simple answer is that I love to write. I am a deep thinker and love philosophy, hence the title of my blog page. The Pondering of an Artist, which compliments my art and the desire to share with you where my enthusiasm for creativity comes from. I enjoy journalling, and writing down what I am grateful for. I love a positive quote or affirmation here and there which motivates me to do what I do. I always try and look on the bright side of life which can be tough for all of us sometimes, especially in winter. Molly's post caused me to question the amount of time I spend on social media and why.
I was a late comer to the social media party, it never really appealed to me, having resisted Facebook, Tik Tok and Instagram for years. I was lucky enough to grow up in a time with no social media, mobile phones or computers. I got to play outside with my friends, climbing trees, riding bikes and whizzing down hills on skateboards without knee pads, a helmet or even brakes! Guess what, I survived. I didn't fear missing out and I certainly didn't care about what some celebrity was doing on holiday or what some unknown 'friend' was having for their dinner. I really didn't see the point of it all. However, saying that, I do believe it is a good tool for keeping families and friends in contact over the miles. I craved a quiet life, living peacefully and being in control of what I let into my world.
I have been fortunate enough to be able to pursue my vocation in art and along the way I have become more connected to the seasons and nature and I started a garden with the help of my dear friend. I got to the stage with my art where I felt the need to share it with other like minded souls. I needed to get myself out there and Instagram helped me to do just that. I gained confidence and it raised my artistic self esteem. I started to believe in myself and my abilities. I saw how other artists express their creativity and I found that the artist community was encouraging and inspiring, so I guess I shall ask myself the question again...
"The artist has one function - to affirm and glorify life." - W.Edward Brown
So, why do I do this? Because if I can bring just one person some joy and raise the frequency of the planet by just a fraction then I've done a good job. I can honestly say I am not in it for the money as I get no business from Instagram. I have come across some creative and passionate individuals who have also brought me joy and raised my frequency. It's easy to get lost in the world of Instagram, the time spent scrolling through posts, trying to find the perfect photograph or piece of artwork to post. I make sure I control my time on Instagram and don't get wrapped up in the fake reality of it all. Remembering that life is not perfect and not to compare my life with that of others, it is after all just a snap shot. It's important not to get focused on followers, likes and comments and to take time out, this is easier said than done as I find that it can become addictive, but if I continue to follow the right people and only engage in what interests me, I find I enjoy the positive aspects of social media. I put in boundaries, I avoid any political or everyday news content and continue to control what I let into my arena. I will continue to put positive content on there most days and after reading 'Hippy Highland Living' and Molly's blog I will now be putting my phone on 'do not disturb'. Instagram is habit forming, but I am fully aware of these traits. I will continue to share my art and hopefully spread some delight in the process and I will continue to enjoy looking at other's artwork, remembering that when I am done to look up at the beauty all around and to not miss any rainbows.
I hope you have enjoyed my adhoc writing, this is brought to you barely edited and is just my thought process typed and posted for you. Thank you to my friend for sending me Molly's blog and to Molly who sparked my afternoon of writing freely and without perfection.
My next post will be about walking and my observations whilst out and about. We are in the last month of winter and spring is just around the corner.
Sending love & light,
Clare xx
Stay naturally curious...
Sources:
Write for Life by Julia Cameron
The Power of your Subconscious Mind by Dr Joseph Murphy
Lovely photograph taken from Unsplash