This is what I've learned:
Be kind to yourself when you are trying to break a cycle.
My thought process after I've finished a mixed media collage:
- I can never do that again.
- Yes, this was my last good piece I'll ever make.
- All my inspiration is gone.
- This will never work.
After years these thoughts automaticly kick in after every finished piece.
Then I made the deer collage and what a collage was that! I really challenged myself with this one. I wanted to create a background like I've never done before. So when it was done, you now know what started in my mind. The 'I can never . . .'
Only this time, I had so much fun creating the deer piece that I was curious what I could create more. And before I knew it, I was creating another one without my normal thought process. I said to myself: Let's see if I can make an even better one, than the one I just finished.
Breaking the cycle, challenging myself is the answer for me.