Practice, painting, and prayer

I'm sure you've heard as much as I have that practice makes perfect. It's easy to think about performance artists when it comes to practice. Singers, musicians, and actors oh my! Singers, musicians, and actors oh my! Singers, musicians, and actors oh my! They practice until they have mastered their craft... and then they practice more. Even before a performance, they practice.

If you're a performance artist stop reading this; you should be practicing. Now that I've taken care of them what about practicing if you aren't a performance artist? Think about the last time you intentionally practiced whatever it is you do creatively. I know I'm addressing a wide scope of talents so bear... bare... behr with me.

For many, practicing might simply just mean consistently doing. For others it means returning to the basics. I guess it boils down to the fact that we all need practice if we want to grow which includes everything from painting to prayer. Sometimes the thought of practicing isn't always fun but you can find ways to make it interesting. Practicing could be as complex as giving yourself an assignment to complete and as simple as going to the museum just to observe.

I'd like to encourage you to take some time, choose an aspect of your life (profession, hobby, whatever) and think of how you can begin to practice.