The Things that I Forgot

Thank goodness for my life partner who sat me down last night with words of wisdom. All the things I know but temporarily forgot. The simple things. Like this:

I am an artist. I am not an employee. If I miss a deadline, it's only art after all. (side note: a frequent occurrence is that I meet a deadline only to have the painting sit somewhere for 2 or 3 weeks.) Self-created pressure works against me. There are only so many hours in a day, and if I try to fill them with more than I can comfortable do, I become creatively blocked. Art should be fun.

I am an artist, not an employee. That bears repeating.

I closed the doors to my studio at 6:00 pm last night. Called my massage therapist, turned on some nice meditative music, lit candles. I was in bed by 8:30. And even though I got up extra early this morning, I am pledging to myself to relax. Don't get in a panic. Do only what's comfortable, then stop.

Why do I feel so compelled to over-achieve? My clients won't desert me. I am financially comfortable. I am confident in my abilities. What crucial point am I missing?