So... my “shoulds” list is getting really long.
I wasn’t going to post them but... I think it would help me just to put them out there, if that makes sense. If anyone cares to read all these... you get a prize.
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I should be keeping the house clean, making good dinners, and spending quality time with my family. This should satisfy me without needing to have another career.
I should defy the patriarchy and give up stay-at-home motherhood for a career.
I should prioritize my art over menial things like housework.
I should get the chores done before doing fun stuff like art.
I should have an agent already. What is my problem? Oh yeah... I should send more queries/postcards.
I should be focusing on my portfolio.
I should be focusing on dummies.
I should be focusing on my drawing class... it starts in just a couple weeks after all.
I should be focusing on querying.
I should have more completed dummies/manuscripts before querying agents.
I should have myself, my family and my work on a perfect schedule which magically includes time for everything I need/want to get done.
I should do more with my blog.
I should be using my phone/social media/technology less
I should have a regular posting schedule for Instagram/other social media to really make connections and build a following.
I should have more out-of-the-house date nights with my husband.
I should do fanart.
I should only do original stories/characters.
I should have more animals/classrooms/book covers/backgrounds/STUFF in my portfolio.
I should just do the art I love whether or not it expands my portfolio.
I should do more traditional art.
I should practice photoshop.
I should sketch every day.
I should never let my toddlers watch Netflix. I should entertain them myself and be happy and excited and fulfilled every second of it.
I should find another babysitter to watch my kids so I can do more art.
I should wait til my kids are in school before pursuing any kind of career.
I should have more kids. I should want more kids.
I should be better at all of this by now.
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So... what kind of “shoulds” are you all dealing with?