ok, i have to admit…. i’ve been distracted lately. as much as i know in my heart the futility of
comparing myself with others and their successes and accomplishments and even
teach in my classes about how to avoid this….it still happens. and much as i try to talk myself out of it
and try to avert my attention sometimes my thoughts go in obsessive spirals
that i seem powerless to control.
a few things that help:
just knowing what i explained above. i’m not alone in this – it’s a common artist
pitfall. it’s temporary. i can move on. it’s happened before. it will likely happen again.
getting out and reaching out to others. my problems seem like a joke in light of what
many others are dealing with. in this
case, working with my inside out girls and seeing their enthusiasm has really
helped.
getting out in nature and letting my thoughts clear. i went hiking yesterday to torrey pines. when i sat down at the beach and picked up my
pen, these are the words that immediately came to me: “follow your own
path”. so simple and something i already
know so well, but the reminder was what i needed. no one else’s path is right for me. what they are doing and accomplishing does
not concern me (other than to congratulate them and wish them well.)
so for me, specifically, (my path) this means:
·
be with nature, deeply, and learn from its
messages
·
find inspiration in my own life and the things
and people around me and use that in creating
·
work with women, locally, specifically those who
are not experiencing the joys of creativity, even if that means a class of 2
people because that is who needs to be there.
·
realize that all the time and effort and
enthusiasm i have put into projects that have “fallen flat” is not
wasted. it is energy that will be of
value sometime in some way.
the last one is the hardest for me to do. sometimes i wholeheartedly believe that…. but
other times…. well, let’s just say it’s a big challenge. thanks for listening…
Dearest Patti: "follow your own path"...so true but easier said than done:) You are absolutely correct in that we all experience these pitfalls,spirals and gremlins hiding in the deepest recesses of our psyches. I think you talking openly about it will banish them...those gremlins hate the truth/light:) xxx
ReplyDeletePatty, I think we all compare ourselves to others from time to time - even though our path really is our own, and our own only. There is no comparison possible because their path is so different from ours. I know about these pitfalls, they happen to me again and again, and then I try to get myself going by saying exactly the same things that you did here.
ReplyDelete- Beautiful images, as always.
First of all, have fallen in love with your last photograph. Secondly, yes, there are many pitfalls in loosing our confidence is believing we are any good at all. The new way of thinking I have been trying hard to practice for the last couple of years is "There is no are which is better than what we do, there is only art that is different than our own." Art is such a personal thing - none of us could possibly create the same if we tried. So I've gone that route and it has helped me tremendously (most of the time). Don't get me wrong, I still slip back and think my work is nothing and the rest of the world is so tremendously talented why do I even bother. Then I go back to my philosophy ... mostly it helps me a lot. I believe as artists we all slip into this huge black hole from time to time. Great post, Patty. Take care. hugs, Donna
ReplyDelete