I want to start painting again. I do paint sometimes, but I’m not very good, and that usually makes me stop. I tend to think of painting and drawing as talent-based, even though I know they’re really a mix of talent and skill—and skill takes work.
I was recently thinking about Ed Sheeran on The Graham Norton Show, showing how rough he sounded when he was younger compared to now. What changed wasn’t just ability—it was passion and persistence. He cared enough to keep improving. I think that’s where I struggle. I’m good at starting things, but not so great at sticking with them. That’s not exactly new—I’ve been saying the same thing since I started this blog in 2019.
I don’t want to be a famous painter. I just want a hobby that’s mine, something I can get better at and enjoy. I’m great at baking and pretty good at writing, but even those don’t always feel like hobbies. Baking is more of a stress outlet, and writing can start to feel like work—especially when I think about the countless stories I’ve started and never finished.
As a small step toward that softer kind of life I’ve been wanting, I actually signed up for a painting event in Long Beach soon. It feels a little out of my comfort zone, but in a good way—like I’m letting myself try something without needing to be good at it right away. Maybe that’s the point this time: to show up, take it slow, and just enjoy creating something that’s only for me.
