Shipping News

Celebrations! And unexpected influence.

Adam here!

I‘m on a ship.

In the straits of Malacca.

Possibly without internet. Probably sitting on the balcony with my wife. Maybe my kid too though it’s past her bedtime, maybe there’s fireworks keeping her up. Maybe.

I’m writing this a few days earlier just in case. (A day before I actually get on the ship)

My dashboard says that 4000 of you have opted in to get this email. That’s about as many people that will be on the ship. That’s one of the things I’ll think about as I look around the ship. I’ll imagine I’m looking at you wondering what brought you here.

This is what 4000 people look like!

More than once I spot someone who’s books I love, work I admire, I see New York Times bestselling authors and illustrators, inventors of creative movements and words that have permanently entered the creative vocabulary. And creatives with a lifetime of experience at the top level. Ya’ll know who you are.

And I wonder if you’re on the wrong ship?

Yet here you are.

And everyday I get to lead us to spend 10 minutes to let more creativity into your lives. What an honor, I’m humbled and thankful for your attention.

In 2024 I know some of you have done some amazing work in 10 minutes, others have managed to keep the streak which is just wild!

Share your story if you have one… it could be of a single 10 minutes interval, or it could be about maintaining the consistency.

I’m celebrating your 2024 and I’m excited to continue this journey with you.

Looking back to look forward.

Breakfast dates with my three-year-old.

That’s what made the biggest dent in how I make art this year. Not awards or book deals (though those happened too). Just paying attention to how a small person sees the world.

That's the thing about influence - it rarely comes from where you expect.

Some projects I was counting on fell through. Others appeared out of nowhere. I started going to the gym (a January goal I finally started in November). I watched this creative community grow in ways that still amaze me.

But the biggest shift happened in my daily practice. When I started collecting more personal moments, more honest observations, my work transformed.

That's why I'm so excited about 2025. Because I'm learning that what we let in shapes what we put out in ways we can't predict.

Tomorrow, I'll share my vision for "The Year of Creative Influence." For now, I'm just grateful for all the unexpected ways you've influenced me this year.

See you in 2025!

Adam

TEN MINUTE ARTIST PROMPT

Celebrate!

Make a list, or draw icons of all the wins, big or small.

And a few of the challenges.

Amplify the wins while acknowledging the challenges, the soil for future wins.

PS: if you want to spend an hour reflecting even further, you can do that with this free art gym workshop (replay)

You could also buy my books, visit this affiliate link to start writing online, and shop at my mom’s stationery shop :)

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