Seven Ways the Artist’s Way Has Changed My Life for the Better

The book, The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron has helped me believe in myself as an artist and get in touch with my true self. When I picked up the book, my main goal was to get better at writing. But, little did I know, it would help me realize my long-lost dreams and persuade me to leave my comfort zone. In this post, I share with you all the ways the Artist’s Way has influenced me. It can inspire you to get past any mental blocks and pursue a creative life, no matter your chosen profession.

The book, written in a 12-week course format, focuses on awakening/recovering your creativity. Doing this course meant journaling daily (a.k.a morning pages), going on weekly solo expeditions (artist dates), reading a new chapter each week, and working on insightful exercises that came with the chapter. My journey of exploring my creativity has influenced me in more than one way:

1. Getting to Know Myself

The thought-provoking exercises within the book helped me better understand myself. One exercise, in particular, made me list the things I enjoy doing and note the last time I let myself do them. 

Work and parenting often take over our lives and overshadow our desires. Now that I know what brings me joy, I readily include them in my daily life. It may be as simple as getting a massage or exploring a new place alone. But, taking time to do any of these meant I was taking time to connect with my true self.

2. Discovering My Long-Lost Dreams

The Artist’s Way helped me get in touch with my long-lost dreams. By writing out skills that would be fun to have, and classes that be good to take, I got in touch with dreams I once had but got lost in the busyness of life. I discovered interests I still want to pursue, like learning Spanish, scuba diving, and more. Of course, I couldn’t do them all, but I began creating small goals I could accomplish in a year. 

3. Re-Parenting the Inner Child

The Artist’s Way helps us reflect on opportunities we missed as children. For example, the author asks, if you had perfect nurturing, how would you parent yourself now? This question the author posed was powerful. Unfortunately, as adults, we don’t think of re-parenting ourselves. It’s too late, I don’t have time, and we can think of so many other reasons for not pursuing our interests. 

Questions about my childhood dreams or missed chances helped me discover some of my early interests. It made me realize that no matter your childhood, it is never too late to re-parent yourself. It is never too late to nurture that artist child within you. My new wisdom led me to begin violin lessons.

4. Learning to Face My Fears

If they weren’t too crazy, the author asks, what would you try? I came up with things like flying a plane, surfing, being a triathlete and being a figure skater. These things may be far-fetched, but visualizing myself doing them meant they were possible. Doing this exercise also helped me conquer one of my existing fears.

After a group kayaking lesson, I had been putting off kayaking on my own. Fear had set in. The Artist’s Way helped me gather the courage and accomplish this task. I did something I was putting off for over a year in just a few months. 

5. Believing in Myself as an Artist

The Artist’s way made me understand what it takes to be an artist. It made me realize that failure is part of the process. Author Julia Cameron tells us that the Artist within us is like a child who begins by crawling. Baby steps will follow, and there will be falls along the way. As we learn to create, we will experience funny-looking paintings, scripts we aren’t proud of, and other amateur versions of whatever craft we are trying to master. 

This outlook helped me be patient with myself when I was writing or learning to play the violin. Beyond many first drafts and practice sessions, I know there will be something beautiful at the end.

6. Protecting the Artist Child Within

The book taught me to protect my artist child within. As a budding artist, I learned to surround myself with people who support my creativity. It taught me to open myself to constructive criticism and protect myself from the ones that can cause me to doubt myself. I used this wisdom to find the right kind of coach to guide me in my writing path.  

7. Re-Creating My Zest for Life

During this 12-week process of the Artist’s Way, I learned about Artist Dates, which is a solo expedition to explore something that interests you. Taking time for ourselves is critical for artists to nourish themselves so they can draw from that creative well, according to the author. 

Several Artist Dates like nature hikes, exploring zen gardens, and art galleries all helped bring back my zest for life so I can continue to create.

The Artist’s Way has helped me nurture my inner creativity, be realistic about my progress, and not be discouraged. The book is a great way to get you in touch with your dreams and get past the mental blocks so you can pursue a life of creativity.

No matter your chosen profession, the artist way can help you unblock yourself and get in touch with your creative side. You do not have to be an artist to read the book. Be prepared to be inspired and open your minds to what’s truly possible for you.