"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced." - Vincent Van Gogh

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Doors Opening and Closing...

Life is full of open and closed doors. Seems like just as one is opening in one area of your life, another is slamming shut on your heels. It's the ebb and flow of life. The trick is to always be open to the new opportunities ahead of you without spending too much time looking back!

As an artist and a passionate "wanting to get all there is out of life" kind of person, I'm always looking for those new doors. I try to have many pots on the burner at a time to give me options and a safety net. Nothing in the arts is ever a "sure thing"; it's all risk and experimentation.

It takes time to get good at something. Magic doesn't happen overnight and certainly not without training and hard work. Too often people give up right before their dreams materialize. It's important to continue on a road and follow it through to the end. Every time that we leave the path that we are on, we have to start over and lose valuable time. We run the risk of being a "jack of all trades, master of none". If you are going to abort for a new venture, at least see if some of your new skills are transferrable so that you can build on your knowledge and skill set.

Today, think about those artistic projects or career goals that you may be tempted to ditch and move on to a "sure thing".  Maybe you wanted to learn to paint or play an instrument and you are discouraged because you don't think you are making very good progress. Remember that it takes nine months for the gestation period of a baby. Your vision is your baby and it takes time to grow that vision before you birth it for the world. Even once you've given birth, your art form may still be in it's infant stage. Be patient with yourself and allow it to come to maturity in the proper time. After all, we don't expect toddlers to act like adults! Be patient with yourself and your work. Take classes. Look for inspiration! One day you will marvel at how far you've come!

This is a great big world - and there are open doors everywhere! Get your eyes off your missed opportunities and your failures! Enter the new doors boldly and see where they take you! It's good for the soul!

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