Are you planning to get back into drawing after a long break but don't know where to begin? Well, by being here, you have already taken one of the essential steps towards it; you have acknowledged your desire to pursue art and permitted yourself to start finding ways to make it fit into your life again. And since you are already well on your way, let's explore some of the next steps you can take to embrace creativity and get past possible hurdles that you might be facing.

A few years ago, I felt stuck, and I had a collection so extensive of unfulfilled resolutions that just the memory of them makes me blush to this day. They would haunt me from the pages of old journals, calendars and alarms set with the best intention to prompt me into action, but destined forever to be snoozed…

Another year has almost gone by, and what a year it has been. I think it is safe to say that this was a year of uncertainty for all of us but perhaps also of new personal discoveries too. With many us feeling stuck, it's been unavoidable for us to develop and discover new ways to work effectively in the ever-changing environment of our world. And now that we're reaching the end of this hectic year let's take this opportune moment to rethink ourselves, take some time to reflect upon what might have worked for us and what didn't.

Procrastination is something we all experience, it festers in parts of our lives, impacting us on our careers or even stopping us from simple tasks like picking up a pencil and getting started. We all find that one thing we can't bring ourselves to do until the very last minute, if ever. We've all heard the "just get started", but we still don't do it, why? It can take hold, damage relationships around us and make us feel guilty, trying to climb what feels like a giant wall of impossible. However, procrastination is a very misunderstood process, and a lot of people who struggle with it also have to put up with being called lazy or disorganized, but it turns out this is not the case at all.

Due to the nature of my work as an artist, I have been exposed to all kinds of feedback, reviews and "advice" daily for nearly a decade.

I used to take every bad comment very personally, and I know what it feels like to have your day (or week) ruined by one mean comment that can make you forget all the good feedback and support around it. With time, although I am still not perfect, I have learned to deal with the criticism in ways that helps with both my mood and my business. Today I want to share them with you so that you can become more resilient against bullies and learn to recognise when a "negative" comment can be a little blessing in disguise!

No feedback or advice is created equal, and I can't give you a single answer. So to make this article more useful for you, I decided to break down the most common types of feedback you will encounter, the concepts and examples used are art-related, but they can still apply to almost everything in life.

When I first started posting my art I was still learning, and my drawing skills were not where I wanted them to be. I remember looking at the work of other artists' whom I admired and feeling like my drawings could never stand a chance. I was afraid.

But because I am stubborn and a bit of a dreamer I endured through the self-inflicted shame and doubts and pushed myself to put my art out there for everyone to see (and judge). Now, I am living my dream; I have been sharing my art online for over fourteen years, the last seven of which I have been working as an artist professionally. And I want you to be able to take that first step towards yours as well.