Today I turned 38, and it felt like the right moment to look back at the last twelve years of painting and everything I’ve learned along the way. Becoming an artist is not only about mastering technique. It is about managing your time, working through fear, staying curious, and protecting your energy so you can show up for your work with joy.
If you are somewhere on your own creative path, I hope these lessons help you feel encouraged and understood.
If you'd like to watch the video on YouTube, you can do it below:
1. Sketchbooks Become Your Creative Legacy
Sketchbooks are one of my favorite parts of being an artist. They are not just practice tools. They become personal keepsakes and little time capsules of who you were at that moment.
I still have my sketchbook from high school. Opening it brings back entire memories, like being fifteen and drawing Matthew McConaughey. Sketchbooks hold your ideas, experiments, feelings, hesitations, and breakthroughs. Paintings take up space, but sketchbooks hold entire periods of your life in a small, magical book.
If you want help getting started, I have a free 7 Day Sketchbook Challenge that sends you a creative prompt each day. It is a gentle way to ease yourself back into the habit.
For additional inspiration, check out my high school sketchbook below. And yes, that is a portrait of Matthew McConaughey with hearts around his name, what can I say.
2. No One Protects Your Creative Time Except You
If you wait for the perfect stretch of time to paint, it will never appear on its own. Daily responsibilities are always waiting to fill the space. Laundry, dishes, errands, emails, social media, or simply being tired will happily take over.
You may even slip into productive procrastination. Your house gets cleaner, but your art stays untouched.
If you want to create consistently, you need to treat your art time as something that gets a rightful spot on your calendar. Write it down. Set a reminder. Protect it the same way you would protect any other meaningful commitment. Your future self will be grateful.
3. Lifelong Learning Keeps Your Art Fresh and Exciting
Being a lifelong learner is one of the most important habits an artist can develop. No matter where you are in your journey, there is always something new to explore.
I still watch YouTube tutorials, read creative books, listen to podcasts while I paint, and take occasional online classes from artists I admire. My sketchbooks are filled with colour charts and small studies, and I can see clear improvement when I look back on older pages.
Staying curious prevents you from feeling stuck. Curiosity feeds inspiration. It keeps the work fun.
If you want structured guidance, my acrylic courses on painting flowers and colour mixing walk you through every part of my process.
4. Learn When to Say Yes and When to Say No
In the early years of my career, I said yes to nearly everything. Those yes moments helped me grow. They helped me build confidence, learn quickly, and break through imposter syndrome. I said yes even when I was nervous, and it pushed me forward.
Now, the opposite is true. I have to say no far more often.
Your long term goals need space. Not every opportunity fits the direction you are going. Sometimes saying no is uncomfortable, but it is also an act of trust. You trust that you are allowed to focus. You trust that your energy is valuable.
If you are introverted or easily overwhelmed, soft boundaries count. Muting group chats, skipping events that drain you, or deleting apps that steal your time all help you protect the space you need for creativity.
Say yes when you are learning. Say no when you need clarity.
5. Failure Teaches You More Than Success Ever Will
Failure hurts, and it is uncomfortable to talk about, but it is also one of the best teachers you will ever have.
Failure simply means you tried something and it did not work out the way you hoped. It does not mean you are untalented or unworthy. Artists are vulnerable by nature. We make something from our inner world and hold it up to be seen. When it underperforms or falls flat, it is easy to take personally.
I fail often. I have spent weeks on paintings and tutorials that didn’t do well on YouTube. I have had months where everything felt like it was taking off, and others where everything went quiet.
When something fails, I look at the data, learn from it, and figure out how to add even more value next time. Every failure gives you information, and that information is what makes you better. Sometimes it is better to release a piece that might fail than to hide it forever.
6. A Cozy Workspace Makes You Want to Create More
Motivation comes and goes, which means it helps to make your creative space feel inviting. A cozy environment can gently pull you into the mindset to create.
I like soft lighting along with my studio lights, lots of plants, a diffuser with a scent that fits my mood, and sometimes even noise cancelling headphones if I need to stay focused. These small sensory touches make me want to sit down and paint.
Even if you work at your kitchen table, you can create a little ritual. Light a candle. Put on music. Make your tea. Treating art time as something special turns it into something you naturally look forward to.
7. People Will Be Mean, So Build a Support System and Become Your Own Cheerleader
This is the hardest lesson to talk about, but it is an important one. As your work reaches more people, you will receive negativity. Some comments will come from strangers. Some may come from people closer to you. They always sting.
Here is what I have learned. Happy people do not post mean things. It is almost never about you.
One thing that helps is having a hype squad. A small circle of people who cheer you on and remind you of your strengths. I share new work in our group chat and they celebrate with me. I do the same for them. We lift each other up.
If you do not have that yet, my free Facebook group, The Art Incubator, is a welcoming place to meet supportive artists.
More importantly, learn to be your own biggest cheerleader. The fact that you create anything at all is extraordinary. Your creativity is a gift, and no one can take that from you. When things feel hard, remind yourself that you are enough, you are allowed to grow, and you do not need anyone’s permission to keep going.
Final Thoughts
Your creative journey will look different from anyone else’s. It will have peaks, valleys, breakthroughs, plateaus, joy, frustration, and everything in between. But you are building something beautiful and meaningful every time you show up.
If you enjoyed these tips and want to take your acrylic painting skills even further, I’d love to paint alongside you in my Painting Flowers in Acrylic course - perfect for creating vibrant, expressive blooms from start to finish. And if you’ve ever struggled to get the exact colors you envision, my Color Mixing with Acrylics course will give you the confidence and know-how to mix any hue you need.
Leave a comment