What happened when I took an Artist Date

Artist Date... what's that?

Well, it one of the three legs of creativity that Julia Cameron preaches:

Morning Pages. Artist Dates. Walking. 

According to her, doing morning pages makes you tell the world/universe what your dreams and problems are. The Artist Dates provide the answers to your dreams and problems. Walking makes you receptive. 

In my case, I've been writing Morning Pages since 2010. 

Walking? I've been walking since 2004. I accidentally discovered the calming effect walking has on my brain.  

Artist Dates? Uh.... no thanks. 

I've been resisting the Artist Date Concept. Julia Cameron mentioned that a resistance to artist dates means a resistance to self-intimacy. 

Wait, what?

It feels phony and I doubted it would really help me. 

Doubted. Yes, you heard me right.

Because one Saturday morning, I decided to give it a shot. 

My morning pages entries went like this:

"Well, it must be something that my Artist likes, yes?"

"Why not play basketball at the Arcade?"

"Why not try that wall-climbing activity?"

"Why not try archery?"

Granted, these activities are more fun when you have a companion. 

But in Artist Dates, you are your own companion. You and your artist child. 

I strolled at SM Ecoland the following day. I passed by the arcade as a war raged within me. 

"There are so many people. So many kids. I feel so left out. I must feel like a loner"

......

"It doesn't hurt to ask how much the tokens cost now, does it?"

One token costs five Philippine pesos, and single game of basketball costs 2 tokens. 

Let me tell you, my twenty pesos was well-spent!

After exhausting my tokens, I realized how much fun basketball was (or shooting balls on a ring was!)

Basketball was my sport of choice in my youth. My avenue to overcome/cover up my insecurities. 

(haha!)

But in 2nd year highschool, I stopped playing the game for two reasons:

One. I had a senior whom I were good friends with, who told me I didn't know how to dribble. Can you imagine how my frail ego took that? 

Second. During our sportsfest, I was doing my best, blocking another player from shooting, and I heard jeers that my actions could be counted as foul. So much for giving your best. Oh no, frail ego!

That was the last time I willingly played basketball. 

I would occasionally touch the ball. But never again did I approach the ball with such enthusiasm. 

After that short game, I had another brief monologue in my head:

"There's a basketball court near your house. why not play there?"

"Oh Geez, it's embarrassing to play when you're alone, groups play there too, and I don't have a ball."

"Well, you had a deflated ball at home. You can purchase a pin. You have that item to inflate your bike wheel. You check what times you aren't allowed to play."

It's so easy to discourage ourselves and shoot down that first idea. 

I bought a pin. You couldn't play after 8PM and 12NN-3PM.  Okay. I might as well play in the early morning, or after work.

But I couldn't find the ball. 

"But I just can't purchase a ball. it could be expensive, like a thousand bucks. I spent 3,000 for my Mikasa Vollyball."

"It doesn't hurt to try and ask."

Turns out a Mikasa basketball costs almost 600, while a cheaper non-branded ball is around 150. 

"Are you playing professionally?" the saleslady asked.

"Just for fun."

I went home with a non-branded ball that day. 

At 6PM, I threw a shot. A congratulatory shot. A well-deserved activity for conquering my negative self-talk. Magic happens when you give yourself a try. 

The next morning, I woke up at 5:30 AM to play basketball. Alone. 

"Why not take a walk?"

So I walked around the subdivision for an hour.

I studied for the remaining day, alternating it with rounds of physical activity. I even played basketball with the kids from my neighborhood.  

The next day, (which is today), my body ached. 

A well-deserved ache, by the way.

Doing my artist date unfolded a new path I never expected. 

I never imagined I would my interest in basketball. Maybe the interest might fade. Maybe it won't. But I'm looking for alternative ways to move my body. To make it feel vibrant. 

Basketball does that.

There's magic when you give yourself a try. 

My next artist date will be Wall-Climbing Activity after my exams. I can't wait for that!