Self-awareness and Recognizing Old Habits – Week 2

I have a confession.

I’ve never finished one of these art challenges before.
There, now you know.

Will I finish Mermay 2023?

I’m optimistic.
Not only am I creating external accountability via social media posts, these blog posts, and the emails I send to subscribers (sign up here if you want in), but I’m getting better at self-awareness. And that might be the key.

A brown skinned mermaid with natural black hair bends over a frond in a kelp forest. She has a pink tail and is wearing a pale pink puff-sleeved crop top. — Alexis Nelson, Forager and Tik Tok Star

Week 2 finds me struggling with a classic Alisa problem: as I get more practice I get cocky, and subconsciously start making each painting more complex than the previous ones.

This is why I failed at previous art challenges. For example, one Inktober past, somewhere around week 2, I decided that a stippled portrait of Gollum was appropriate. I completed the portrait, but I made it so complex that I became overwhelmed and gave up on Inktober.

I’m doing the same thing now, check out Sophie McPike below. There are not one, but three characters I have to make look like someone who exists. And let’s not get started on the background. (insert sheepish look from Alisa)

A cute mermaid with a pink tail and floating brown hair is accompanied by two greyhounds. They are pictured before a violently colourful coral reef! — Sophie McPike, Artist and Dog Mom Extraordinaire

I had to (gently) remind myself to stop and move on. Several times.
Which I did.
Sooner than I wanted to, and later than I should have.

I’m optimistic that I can work with this habit and finish Mermay this year.

I’m more aware of the habit than I have been in the past.
And I’m more accepting of my nuances, and much less aggressively critical with myself than I ever have been.
(Yay! Join me in a celebratory dance! wiggle wiggle wiggle!)