From Product to Process

I learned in my child development courses and in my art therapy courses that you never ask a child what their painting or drawing is, never assume what it is either. Nor do you praise it with an "Oh what a wonderful grand picture! I’ll frame it on the fridge.”

The reason being children create not for products sake, but for the process. They 'do' because they have an inner guide telling them to 'do'. We as adults are the ones who turn their joyous efforts into something that is judged good or bad. As we force labels, give praise, or critique the child learns that there must be a product and end result, something to show for all the hard work. If they themselves were not happy with their work and an adult praises it, then the child understands that their effort was good enough. Why challenge themselves when the adults are happy with a few squiggly lines?

I’m trying to preprogram myself away from all those years of training when I learned to seek approval over personal satisfaction, over the journey, over the process.

It’s been 3 working days since ‘retirement.’ I did go to the school, did walk around in a few circles, then I left. Came again the next day, but fewer circles, less time there. And now I think I’m over the first hill. I sat down, I made my lists, I made my rough draft schedule, I organized my home, and I started following through. I'm getting to be okay with the fact that I might not be published, that I don't have to all of a sudden be producing results, that this path could lead to another. That its not about the product.

In my training they told us to instead comment on the shape of a line, the colors the child used, and ask them, ‘are you happy with your work? Then I am too.’

I’m continuing my journey, and with each step I’m working on enjoying the sound of my foot on the path, the breeze in my face, the sun on my shoulders, and the process of a person living with intention.