You Can’t Get Lost If You Don’t Know Where You’re Going

Sometimes the hardest part of painting or drawing is not the fear of the blank page or the cost of materials but the fear of wasting time. I often catch myself hesitating to start unless I have a “serious” plan in mind. Doodling or practicing feels almost forbidden, as if every hour should result in something finished and worthy.

But art is not just about the result. It is also about play, exploration, and the simple joy of making marks. You can’t get lost if you don’t know where you are going. When I remind myself that drawing can be a game, that painting can be an act of curiosity rather than pressure, I feel lighter. The process itself becomes worthwhile, no matter what comes out of it.

Allowing myself that freedom is not a waste of time. It is exactly how growth happens.