06 My Lessons from Clay

I’ve always struggled with expressing myself my whole life. 

Any thoughts or ideas just seem to explode into fragments and proliferate like cancer, overwhelming the front of my mind. 

I watched people around me seemingly express their thoughts and opinions with such natural ease. All while i’m constantly stuck choosing between the numerous ideas and words within every moment. 

Alot of pottery has taught me to be patient (although I’m still waiting for it to fully transfer). Without patience and presence, each vessel thrown would be a constant frustrating twisting mess of clay. 

Shaping each vessel requires time, and restraint to know when to stop and slow down. Throwing clay is a process of exploration, not perfection. 

1. Set boundaries with your thoughts

- Sometimes your mind can be too preoccupied with thinking too far ahead–even before your body can catch up. Just like trimming excess clay, at times you need to stop mid-way and focus on shaping one idea at a time even with others vying for your attention.

2. Allow Imperfection

- Allow ‘messy drafts’. Whether in speaking or writing, in a way where precision doesn’t matter. You can always return and refine it later on. Constantly limiting or filtering yourself to reach that ‘perfect’ or ideal expression doesn’t always allow for progress.

3. Mindful Pauses

- Pause to observe your feelings and intentions before picking words and actions. Refrain from trying to race the avalanche of thoughts, but rather just observe