friends who create

One of my priorities in my personal life is finding time for creative projects... it's just so tough to carve out the time! I've been thinking for weeks about maintaining work/life, corporate/creative balance, and was really struck by Joanna Goddard's blog post featuring this WSJ article regarding time:

Change your language. Instead of saying "I don't have time" try saying "it's not a priority," and see how that feels. Often, that's a perfectly adequate explanation. I have time to iron my sheets, I just don't want to. But other things are harder. Try it: "I'm not going to edit your résumé, sweetie, because it's not a priority." "I don't go to the doctor because my health is not a priority." If these phrases don't sit well, that's the point. Changing our language reminds us that time is a choice. If we don't like how we're spending an hour, we can choose differently.

Isn't that so true? I haven't been prioritizing these creative projects-- it's been all talk and no action. It's sad because in college, I had a whole bunch of passion projects, from writing poetry to volunteering at startups and film sets. So for much needed motivation, I reached out to some friends and asked them what they were working on....

Mary Kate paints portraits of disadvantaged kids from all around the world for The Memory Project, using her art background for good. Danny L meets regularly with his high school friends for band practice in Staten Island. Eunsan bakes. Neetu is building her fashion social enterprise startup, Revival Style. Damian volunteers at an animal shelter.

Everyone has something they care about, but it's making time for them that really counts. What are your projects that you make time for? I'm slowly filling out my sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project and trying to fit in some time to volunteer.

(top photo via colormekate, bottom photos by Mary Kate)