I gained a little perspective today by reading two blog posts. One was by someone you may not know…my friend Kendra. The other was by someone very well known…Ali. These posts really had nothing to do with each other. But they had much meaning for me.
1. I’ve been struggling with creative fear. Fear of putting myself out there and people won’t like my stuff and therefore not like me. I’m so closely related to my work. It’s like an extension of me…heck it’s a part of me! That said I do know from taking numerous art-type classes all growing up, through college and even now in my adult life (just getting done with Oh Shoot!) you have to learn how to separate yourself from your work to a certain degree to be able to accept “constructive criticism” in order to improve. Oh so hard, so hard! When you see it as a part of yourself it’s hard to not take the criticism as not toward your work but towards YOU! ;D
I heard it put recently that fear establishes the limits of our lives. Oh how I know this to be so, so true. How often have I let fear rule my life and have let it keep me from doing this or that. How it keeps me from stepping out and putting myself out there for fear of rejection. Of people rejecting not just my work…but ME!
That said I went to Ali’s blog this morning and read her post. I love it when I ‘happen’ upon a blog post that is all about where I am right at that moment!!! In her post right now I’m all those things but mostly #3 People not appreciating what we create. So, so feeling that. This was what she has to say about that…
3. People not appreciating what we create. Here’s the plain truth: people will either love, hate, or be indifferent to what you create. You are the one who needs to love it, feel good about it, and not worry about what anyone else thinks. Most likely your family is going to either love or be indifferent towards your projects…and indifference doesn’t mean they don’t love you any less. Some of the things we create now may not be appreciated until later on – and that is ok too. This is why I encourage you to get to a place where you enjoy the process now – where you are filled up by what you are creating or by the friendships you are making through scrapbooking or by the stories you are telling and the memories you are recounting.
While this is so what I needed to hear…it is still not necessarily easy to DO! But I’ll work at it! ;D
2. The other thing that I really needed to hear today was perspective of someone else. Someone at a different stage in their life. While I feel like what I am struggling with is the be-all-and-end-all-of-life (and to me it IS pretty important) there are other people out there who have their own things that are just as important to them…just different. When I read Kendra’s blog post today I remember all those feelings of being overwhelmed with cleaning the house and once one room gets cleaned its turning around to clean the one you just did. I was thinking about when I had two young babies then toddlers and then two preschoolers and how I never had any time for anything I wanted to do. I could just feel what she is feeling right now. And I still do feel some of that. I don’t have time to do it all. ( BTW…I would love to have a personal trainer Kendra!!! And to only have to loose 10lbs! Wow! I’d be styling!!!)
All this to say…now my girls are older. Life is at a different stage now. I’m able to do more of my hobby. When I was back there in that other stage I NEVER thought I’d get out of it. EVER. It was a great reminder to read her blog post today and know that what I am struggling with now…one day will be a distant memory…just like this creative fear that I have right now. I’ll look back and go…wow…I never thought I’d get out of THAT stage of my life. And I will. ;D And if YOU are struggling with anything today. You will too! You may not think so…I never do when I’m in the middle of it…but you will!
Here is a fantastic quote I found recently…
“Always do what you are afraid to do.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
So with that thrown out there I’ll throw another one…here’s another paper pack that I’ve been working on. I’m facing my fear of rejection…he he!
Have a fantastic day!!!
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