The artist's inventory

'The Artist's Inventory' is a journaling practice built on punk-rockerPatti Smith's work. This is a delightful reflective tool for self-examination, as the questions are provoking and emotionally resonant. The inventory consists of the following four poignant questions with my answers in italics: What am I making a life around?Making stuff What am I hungry for that is not food, praise, or escape?Getting lost in my projects Where am I waiting for permission?Waiting for the financial security to stop hustling and being so careful and efficient with my time What part of me is still barefoot, still young, still carrying the first notebook?The dreamer who wants to wander and make messes and be wild I think these questions help you strip away external concerns and connect with your authentic artistic core. A great way to end the practice is withONE micro-promise for the rest of the day. It must be specific and easy to achieve. (For example:I'm giving myself thirty minutes of unstructured, phone-free time to wander this afternoon). If you give it a try, I'd love to hear your responses to any of these prompts in the comments. Leave a comment If you enjoy this post, please share it with friends! Or feel free to click the ❤️ button so more people can discover Mel's Notebook on Substack. Thank you!!! 🙏 Share Mel's Notebook is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.