The great shake-up: How reading The Artist’s Way changed my life
A 30-year-old book transformed the way I see the world — and as promised, why and how I express myself
By Andrea Bauer
I’m not a fan of making New Year’s resolutions. They come with way too much pressure, and they rarely stick. Instead, I’m a firm believer that you can change your life on any day of the year, on your own terms, at a time that feels right for you.
But it was around this time last year that my life shifted dramatically due to a New Year’s–esque commitment I made to myself: I would finally read The Artist’s Way, a book that had been sitting on my shelf for more than two decades.
I can’t remember how this book first came into my life. I probably snagged it from a “free” bin at work in my 20s just because I had heard of it. As a twenty-something in the arts community, the title would often come up in conversation — someone was doing The Artist’s Way, and it was changing their life.
I would listen intently to snippets of wisdom, twirling my hair around my finger while wistfully saying, “I really wanna read that …” And yet, every moving day, my unread copy would get packed into a U-Haul only to collect dust on a different bookshelf, in a different part of town. I’ve lugged this book to seven apartments without ever cracking the spine.
Now in my 40s, I’m happy to report that I have not only opened the book, but I’ve read it cover to cover. I’m amazed at how long this gem has been in my possession without my knowing what was inside. Unbeknownst to me, the answers I was looking for throughout my 20s, 30s, and beyond had been with me all along. A classic case of Dorothy’s ruby slippers.
What is The Artist’s Way?
The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron intends to help people overcome their limiting beliefs and fears that hinder creativity. While the book is geared toward “blocked artists,” you don’t have to be an artist to benefit.
Cameron’s definition of creativity is broad, encompassing anything from writing a novel to creating a more inspired life. This workbook-style guide is organized into 12 chapters to be read over the course of 12 weeks. At the end of each chapter, there are “tasks” — exercises designed to help unblock whatever is holding you back.
There are two main components of the course, which Cameron says are non-negotiable:
1. Morning pages: Three handwritten pages every morning, stream-of-consciousness style. This is not a journal, diary, or writing exercise — it’s more of a brain dump.
2. The artist date: A block of time set aside weekly to nurture your inner artist. A solo playdate of sorts, it should inspire the senses and can be anything from visiting a museum to taking a walk in nature.
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