Today I wanted to share my inspiration and hopes behind the newest addition to my Etsy shop - "Make Tons of Stuff and Don't Worry" letterpress prints. I'm beyond excited about these prints and I want to share a little bit about why.
I am a worrier. A huge worrier. I will always find something to worry about - from wondering if I locked my car to wondering if I'm making the right life choices. It traps me in my head. Making stuff helps me to stop worrying. When I'm drawing or collaging, my brain relaxes and focuses on the task at hand. My hands are moving instead of fidgeting. I can block out all of the other stuff and just make. And usually, when I'm done, whatever I was worried about before seems smaller. Creating something completely new seems to put things in perspective.
When I first moved to LA I was overwhelmed with worry about what I was going to do here, if I would like it, and if I had just made a huge mistake. I wrote a note to myself as a reminder to focus on what I care about doing - making. I wrote "make tons of stuff and don't worry" and stuck it to my wall.
As I was making stuff I realized that the message worked in another way too, and it became kind of a manifesto for me. It is easy to get bogged down in worry about if a piece is good, if other people will like it, if you should use one color or another.
But that kind of self doubt doesn't serve us. It is paralyzing. "Make tons of stuff and don't worry" is a reminder to do what you can and the flip the page. Start your next project before you have time to criticize the last one. Make another, but slightly different. Wait until later to decide which is better. Decide that everything you made is great, but because you kept making you have 10 instead of 1. Keep making until you are better at it. Make tons of stuff and don't worry. I promise to try and do the same.
I made these prints (with the help of Caitlin Metz) because I felt like they should exist in the world. I hope people will put them up on inspiration boards, give them to friends, and tape them into journals, or sketchbooks as reminders. I hope that they inspire you to make more of whatever it is that you make without doubt or fear.
If you want one (or several, to put all over your house like I have), get them here.