The 100 Day Project: 25 Days in

It’s Day 25, I am a quarter of the way through my impulse decision to participate in #The100DayProject challenge. I set myself a goal the day before, with zero ideas and minimal planning. My project is called ‘100 Days of Pink Ways’. I have been documenting, writing about, and photographing subjects relating to the colour Pink. Y’all know that my use of pink is one of the specialisms of my personal work! I simply cannot keep away from the damn colour; the emotional reactions it evokes, the contentious connotations, it’s historical and contemporary contexts.
Pink is my not-so-secret weapon.
Pink is one of the ways I communicate with the world.
So it made sense that this could be something I could think about for 100 Days straight.

So how am I feeling so far? What have I found challenging? What has come easily?
If you are a participant in the 100 Day Project, or you’re about to set yourself a creative challenge, here’s what I’ve learned so far 25 days in.

1) The road sure does feel long. Relax, enjoy the scenery
I once sat in a lecture with a textile design artist. He broke down the nature of his projects to us into the metaphor of a long car journey to a destination 8 hours away. Is it about the destination, or is it about the things along the way? First, it was about the destination, but actually, was it about the road which took him there? Or was it the tyre on the side of the motorway which had to be changed, and the replacement tyre which took them to their destination?
In summary; a long project makes the goal post seem far away. It’s not about the goal post, it’s about the unexpected experiences you have en route, which will shift your project into focus. Today, I’m writing a blog post. Tomorrow I might photograph a trinket dish. Keep yourself grounded in the present.

2) I love what I do, but some days I’m going to hate producing something, and that’s okay.
Accept that some days, it will feel like a chore or a drag, and that’s because a) you are mentally stretching yourself and b) Creativity doesn’t have a body clock. You’re either feeling it or you don’t. That being said, don’t resent your project. Produce something crap if you can’t be arsed, you’re still exercising the muscle. One of the biggest obstacles in my challenge has been myself, and my mental energy.

3) Every day is an opportunity to share what you know, or learn something you didn’t.
The spirit of generosity is my driving force in this project. I feel I am sharing myself more with my followers on socials, even if I am only sharing what shade of pink I am wearing. Some days I have shared some of my Degree knowledge. Other days I have learnt what different subjects/shades I lean towards. 

4) On that note, I don’t know where this project is going, or what I’m going to learn next!
Again, staying in the present moment with this project. Maybe that’s because I left the topic so open. I left it open because I really wanted to enjoy the possibility of trying new things/experiences, thinking new ideas up to collaborate with others on. I am feeling the mental stretch of this project, but I feel I have more I want to try to achieve and share with you all. I know I will still have bad days where I feel tired and I’ll just show you some of my every day, but then I will have good days where I’ll get my pink nerdisms on, take my favourite book from my shelf, and read you all a sermon about the history of pink. Uh huh, be ready. Basically, some days I am going to be an expert, and other days I’m just going to show you my new pink lipstick. 

5) How do I feel about the next 75 Days?
The goal doesn’t feel any closer, but the community spirit around this project, I am so thankful for. Thank you to everyone who has dropped me a comment, like, or message to say they’re enjoying my project. The next 75 Days, I want to push my creative boundaries, and play with applying pink to different subjects, thinking about how different shades of pink *feel* (you know, candyfloss pink feels ‘soft’ for example), and how I can communicate how I perceive different shades of pink to you through my choice of subject. Working with others is the big thing for me. So, if you are local to Norwich, please contact me, I would love to chat with you and make some beautiful, startling pink together!

Fingers crossed for the next 75 days!
- E x