So many times in our lives we are forced into or decide to start new paths. It is one of the scariest things we do. When we decide to make a change or try a new thing it can be overwhelming and I think one of those reasons is that we tend to be self-doubting. We look for reassurance from friends and family but the most challanging part of it is our own lack of confidence and the "what if's" that tend to clog our minds. Sometimes we need the push to do it and other times the motivation just takes on a life of it's own.
As artists we need to hear from others that we are on the right path.
This happened to me recently and I thought you may like to hear how a new path has opened for me. Just like many of you I submitted pictures and pattern ideas only to hear "It is beautiful but....." with reasons like it is not what they are looking for, they do not have enough room, it doesn't fit with their scheme. I was taking all of them very personally. Friends say "submit somewhere else" or try again with something different but in the back of my mind there is always that "well they just don't like you". Let me tell you something. Until you hit that moment of realization that these people do not know you personally so it can't possibly be personal, you may be caught in the same rut. A couple months ago I hit that moment and took the leap. I submitted a design and it was accepted! OMG now what? Time to put my money where my mouth is right? I had written on tutorial already and put that in my shop with limited success.
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There is the next hurdle I had to jump. My first thought was "who am I to think I can make a magazine worthy tutorial?" Well that is the next thing you need to get out of your head. You designed the piece and they like it. You CAN do this!!!
I can not share this piece with you but I can tell you that once I overcame this group of hurdles it was such a relief that I decided to sit down and design another piece and put it in my shop.
I am sure I will still have to keep fighting the initial self defeating thoughts but I now am perfectly aware that I can follow through with this new path and find myself wondering what the next hurdles are.
Do you have hurdles to overcome to start something new?
Kristen
So appropriate that I read Marcia DeCoster's post this morning, and yours was right after it. Whether we are veterans, or fairly new to it, we all wonder if....
ReplyDeleteVery proud of you my friend!
Congrats that your design was accepted! That is so exciting, at least it was for me. :) Yes, there are always hurdles. My latest adventure (which is knife making) started like this. I thought: I can't do this, I don't have the right tools, what will others think?, what will happen when I get stuck?. Glad I didn't care and now I already finished my second knife. And got lots of compliments on both knives and on the sheaths, too. So go on! Jump those hurdles!
ReplyDeleteYour work is gorgeous. You can do it girl!
ReplyDelete