Change hurts. There are no guarantees. But Something tells us to go. And that Voice is the beginning of something new. When we focus our eyes ahead into a distance we can not yet see. But keep walking. Not by what is seen. But by what will be seen.

Sometimes we simply have no clue what to do.  Indecision, or let’s call it non-decision, compared to decisiveness, seems like weakness. Failure to lead or act.  But even the most decisive person gets decision fatigue.  Perhaps there is another way, the way of contemplation, for those who have the courage to say “not yet” and live with tension…on purpose.

To what extent can creative pursuits become self-sustaining economic vehicles…enough to live on…to feed our families? This is something artists unavoidably struggle to make sense of.  We must at once get past but also embrace the romantic but unfair stereotype that all artists suffer (and must) financially. 

Be it an idea, a creative project, a hope, once you get this new “child,” it needs to make its appearance in the world.  We have the responsiblity to try. But our tendency, after a birth, is to over-think and over-protect our infant idea.  We don’t want anyone’s dirty hands on our precious baby.  But at some point that baby has to grow up! At some point, we have to allow others into our idea or project.

To get from one phase of life to another we have to pass through a transition zone (what we like to call “the valley”).  No one wants to go through a valley, it is dark, ominous, hard to navigate, and generally has little to be desired. But the more disciplined traveller knows what is found there is worth those risks.

Eventually the serious creative must go all in with eyes wide open and hearts in hand, prepared for the worse.  We must bring the best of our private creations to the light of the public eye. That means opening ourselves up to the world of criticism.  Going public ensures that.  No one is judged for doing nothing

To enter this professional side of a craft requires great attention, work, and creativity (almost as much as creating the art itself).  It is proof we care, proof of our commitment to actualize our intentions. Planning IS hard work.  Deep reflection can be agonizing.  There are lots of ways to go about things.  We must decide on one, at least to start.  Starting is the critical part. 

So what do we really know about our gifts?  Can we really prove that we have them?   Is their existence obvious by how they impress others? These are natural questions but they only scratch the surface of the real, underlying question: do I have what it takes to “win” people over?  Am I good “enough” to get the respect and ideally support I need?

We are not simply cogs in a machine. We matter.  Our work matters.  Our thoughts matter.  Our input matters.  Our dreams matter.  Our faith matters.  In a world consumed with outputs (the external machine), we desperately need reminding there is something more.

Random things happen.  None of us can consistently predict what’s around the corner. While we certainly can not control the stuff happening, we are responsible to interpret it. The creative takes this responsibility serious. To connect the crazy dots of life’s random events is a joyful priority. 

Every great writer knows the key to great writing is the profoundly simple…keep writing. Those expecting some deep trade secret are deeply disappointed to find there is no silver bullet. Creatives are simply people who keep creating.

Receptibility is one’s capacity to receive. To listen. To capture an idea. To breath in, then breath out. It becomes vital to a definition of inspiration that asserts the person (artist, artisan, writer) making great work is actually being inspired to make it.

Death is coming for us all. But what if instead of fearing the inevitable, we allowed its impending coming induce a sense of urgency in us for what matters most? This week we look into that and how we can live more like we’re dying.

In the end what is the essence of our being? What is at the very heart of our human being-ness? Or being human? In this week’s blog we discuss how to get a better hold of our invisibly yet indelibly imprinted nature.

We must finally answer the fundamental question, one that will change the orientation of our life: will we choose to follow our vision or not?

It is a real option. There may be some wisdom in saying no.

Clarity is ultimately what we are after. But we can’t get to that next point of clarity without serious determination.
Keep climbing! Realize the struggle for life is life itself. There is no better way to live, no greater use of our short time on earth…

We can change how we think.  We can learn to think differently.  And as we do, reality will line up differently.  Our most valuable asset is this freedom to think.  We are actually in charge of what we think about.

The awkward flight of trying, with all our flawed attempts and pushing on things that can not be pushed, is where we learn. That frailty and humility is where we find the seedlings of the future we dream about.

It’s not the word count but the power and meaning of the words contained that make something beautiful and moving.  Words create worlds.  Words create reality.

It’s much easier to believe our deep-seated vision is either unachievable or unsustainable. That’s a coping mechanism. And fortunately, perhaps, only a short-term one.