Introducing: The Life is Good Book Club

Pickens’ argument at the heart of her book is simple: people who are compelled to create art lead better lives when they, well, create their art. I’ll let her explain further:

“My deeper understanding is that artists are people who are profoundly compelled to make their creative work, and when they are distanced from their practice, their life quality suffers. Making their work is a way to take care of themselves, communicate, process information, engage a spiritual interior, or strengthen their relationship to themselves and others. That’s a tall order though, and it’s totally fine if you relate to the short definition: Artists make art.”

When artists are creating their art, two amazing things happen—first, there is more art in the world (yay!) and second, there are more people feeling fulfilled and purposeful in their lives (double yay!). That is an undoubtedly optimistic effect.

At our most idealistic here at Life is Good, we hope to transform a moment of someone’s day with our positive art and messages. If one of our tees gives a passerby a smile, that’s a win. If our emphasis on relentless positivity encourages you to focus on the good in your life on a regular basis, that’s an even bigger win.

Even if you don’t identify as an artist per se, there’s still so much good stuff for you in Pickens’ book. Make Your Art No Matter What is broken up into bite-sized chapters—you can read them straight through or jump right to the topics that resonate with you the most.

Pickens tackles pretty much every conceivable creative hurdle: time, money, asking for help, fear, grief, education, other people, isolation, marketing, and more. These themes get their own chapters, where Pickens examines them from multiple angles.

For instance, when I’m working on a writing project after hours instead of hanging out with friends or checking things off my to-do list, it’s easy to wonder what exactly the point is in creating what I’m working on. It isn’t paying my bills, it lives solely on my laptop, it’s being completed at a glacial pace. In those moments, it’s easy to give up. Reframing my thoughts around art is tremendously helpful—per Pickens, art doesn’t need to make me money or be seen by a large audience to make it valuable. Its value lies in the fact that it gives meaning to my days. Working on my writing projects makes my life more enjoyable and that is enough.

Throughout the book, Pickens combines practical, easy-to-implement advice and an empathetic tone with knowledge from a master’s degree in counseling psychology, plus insights from Jewish tradition, 12-step programs, years of talk therapy, feminism, and hundreds of books and podcasts. The result is an approachable and enlightening read that I tore through in a single late summer afternoon.

Whatever creative pursuit you are looking to start or revisit with fresh eyes this fall, Make Your Art No Matter What is sure to be a helpful, encouraging companion. Buy your copy here.

Happy reading, we can’t wait to see what you create!