The I.E.P.

"It's not clicking!" 😤 (Cue pulling hair out)

I think it's fair to say we have all been there before, trying to learn a skill and no progress anywhere in sight. The frustration builds and builds until each attempt is worse than the one before...stop. ✋

🛑 Stop right there.

This situation is not something unbeknownst to me, but want to know what helped me the most in overcoming this?

What if I was learning the skill the wrong way? I often use the phrase "deliberate practice," but what does that actually mean?

Research shows that the best way to learn is through repetition, but not just any repetition. It needs to be intentional, emotional, and practical. Huh...IEP...an individual education program. You see, we learn best customizing the learning to our particular scenario, and we can do this by incorporating aspects of play into our practice.

Rather than saying, "I am going to draw 10 sets of eyes," it would be better to set a timer for 10 minutes and draw 1 set of eyes. Then, reduce the time by 1 minute, start again, and repeat until you're out of time. Why?

1) It gets in the repetition and is pushing you each time to reach a little further into your ability.

2) It engages your brain and sets a timeline to help you focus. (It's combatting that inner desire to procrastinate or fixate!)

To top it off, if you can get your studio setting how it would normally be and get feedback on your progress the same day, wow! Are you going to see some progress or what!?!

It's all about setting the scene, getting in those repetitions, engaging your brain, and having fun along the way.

#CreativeHeart