Artist Block

So I realize I havent posted anything or updated my page since last fall. To be honest, Id worked up a few blog posts but just.... never published any because I hadnt made any art in months. Life kind of just kept knocking me down for a while there. The ebb and flow of motivation and inspiration is something that every artist has to work through. Professional artists dont have the luxury of being able to put down their projects and walk away from them when they are stressed and I know that that is something I will need to work on eventually. I rely a little too heavily on my day job to pay bills and give me the freedom to only work on art projects I feel like working on.... when I feel like working on them. I know Im the type who works better with deadlines so this hasnt been a good habit to be in. Especially when life decides to throw me one curveball after another. Immediately after Libraricon last year my day job got rather turbulent. (There is no such thing as job security when working retail.) And then there was a "slight" hiccup with my health and I was in and out of doctors offices for a month or so.... and then a death in my roommate's family in the midst of me having a medical emergency. A family member that had sort of taken me under wing when I moved so far away from my own family. Needless to say, it was a long holiday season for us all. Theres actually more stuff in-between all that but its hardly important and Im not gonna bore you with my personal drama. The important thing is that, after a damn-near six month hiatus from working on ANY significant projects because I just.... didnt have the emotional energy for it, Ive picked myself up, dusted myself off and begun really working on what Im going to create for Libraricon my second year. And I feel like thats an important thing for young or struggling artists to remember is that you are not a failure if you stumble and fall. You can call it quits one day and change your mind again later. It is never too late to pursue your goals. Work through the artist block or take a break.... it really doesnt matter. As long as you keep on moving forward you havent failed. And the nice thing about getting those creative ideas flowing is that its easier to keep going once you start. Starting is often the hardest part for some. For me... the hardest part is usually pushing past the first draft and editing my ideas without giving up. Theres always a bridge to gap between what I imagine in my head and how it first comes out on paper and I can get discouraged when its not right the first time. But there is always, ALWAYS room for improvement.