Embracing the Process

So many of us start off our weeks with Friday shining like a golden light at the end of the tunnel: Let me just get through this week so that I can enjoy my weekend. I'm guilty of having had this mindset. It's easy to push through the 'mundane' routines with our eyes set on the final product or end result. I used to think of the voice inside of my head as a positive mental cheerleader (Only two more days! You can do it! Yay!) but that voice inside my head was so focused on the future, it robbed from the present moment.

It's so easy to get caught up in the final product. I began my career as an art teacher several years ago by documenting finished student artwork. In my mind, I would think I can't wait until 3rd grade finishes their peices so I can display them and photograph them! At one point, I took out my camera during a lesson and started taking pictures of the progress. I found the resulting images to be sensational. They were mini impressionistic renderings of fleeting moments, blurred discoveries, and colorful question marks. Uncharted territories.

I took my camera into my own studio, too.

Once I started looking for these overlapping moments sandwiched between start and finish, I began appreciating them in different aspects of my life. It wasn't just about "Finishing Friday"- it was about Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I began seeking out these overlooked moments and taking time to acknowledge things, as they happened, that brought me joy.

I found it took a level of committment and intention to press the pause button and capture the unfinished stages. I still have to remind myself to consiously embrace the present, love the process, and remember that the conclusion means nothing without a beautiful story to accompany it.