From time to time I get discouraged about my art. Like ants in a colony, I can be busy and engaged doing the work, but will anyone even notice if I stop. When I start thinking like this it's time for me to take stock of my goals, to meditate on the benefits that living a creative life bring me, to appreciate the enjoyment and calm that making art gives me.

The antidote is often to grab the nearest writing implement and start to draw. Copy something from the newspaper or focus on simplifying an animal into a recognisable shape. These ants are a good example. The small satisfaction of making it look like an ant plus the state of flow I feel when I focus in on the task is a total reward. This temptation to look outward for reward is a dangerous trap.