Many of us have daily duties and responsibilities. It’s not an option–we may have children to take care of, bills to pay and a job to go to. How many times have you gotten in your car and thought, I’d love to turn it the other way and go do what I want to do! But doing that over and over perhaps leaves you without a job and then without a car so plan B.

Whether you want to relax at home or paint the mural you’ve been dreaming of for months, it’s sometimes hard to find the balance between what you need to do for basic survival and what you need to do for your creative and spiritual survival. Sometimes you wake up and think, how did I get here…how many years have gone by and I haven’t gotten to where I want to go. Not to be cliché but as the saying goes, it’s not the destination but the journey, but when dealing with rush hour traffic in your daily journey or bills and other stress, it’s hard to remember that. So how do we stay on track? There are books out there like The Artist’s Way that help you focus but if you’re anything like me, it can be hard to follow that way when I’m trying so hard to follow my way.

So first thing…and probably the hardest thing is not to lose faith or hope in yourself or your dream. I just learned that Dr. Seuss’ first book was rejected 27 times before being published! That’s inspiring given what a household name he is now. I’d love to tell you that I figured out the way to balance it all but I haven’t. I keep trying though whether it’s taking a class at night or doing things that feed my soul like an art show or a good movie. I spend time with friends who are on the same path and we push and encourage each other. Sometimes I just am frustrated about things but then know that I am starving and need to feed my creativity.

How do you keep on your path? Do you find any method or book effective or inspiring? Sometimes just a walk on the beach or a good talk with a friend can get you back on the road. Honestly, a psychic reading has helped me in the past too. It’s not even that anyone is telling me I’m going to win an Oscar but just talking it out and getting really good insightful feedback can help a lot. Anyone find readings a good form of guidance?