Raise your hand if any of the following sounds familiar:

• “I want to work on ______ just as soon as I finish ______.”
• “I have such a great idea that I want to work on.  I just have to ______.”
• “I can’t wait to get back to ______!  I wish I didn’t have to ______.”
• “I’d really like to ______ but I should probably ______.”

Keep your hands up. There is always a thing, a job, a sensible reason, a programmed path of thinking that will get in the way of your art.  In American culture, we are taught to think of art as a luxury, a choice, an occupation for crazy, far out, madmen.  In reality, the life of an artist is incredibly focused and disciplined.

Is your hand still up?  Good.  Now raise the other one if you have ever heard the following:

• “What’s your back up plan?”
• “Do you actually make a living doing that?”
• “I wish I was creative like you but I have to ______.”
• “It must be nice to have so much time to ______.”

Keep your arms up.  Raise them up high and breathe.

Secretly, you are doing yoga.  I spent some time with a good friend recently, an accomplished artist and gifted yoga instructor, and she held her arms high above her head often, saying the underarm area is where we keep our secrets.

It’s ok to be an artist.  It’s as natural as having armpits.  Stop keeping it a secret.

Art is not a choice.

You can put your arms down now.

When you find your internal programs kicking in, when you hear any of the above (either internally or externally), raise ‘em up.  Stretch ‘em high.  Art is your work.  The difference between the work of art and “regular” work is that you actually enjoy what you’re doing with your whole entire heart. This makes a lot of people uncomfortable because they’re unfamiliar with the turf.

Let them in on the secret.  Don’t forget to breathe.

No related posts.