And the great muse alas, isn't what you thought it was. It's not that glamorous. It's the paint underneath your fingernails, the varnish on your shoes, the dirty desk you work at every day. It's the same old apron that just keeps getting more covered with your paint love stains. That's what it is. It's not that glamorous.
If you think it's glamorous, stick to illusions and TV. It's not art. It's just not. It's dirty, it's hard, it's challenging... but it's yours, and that's priceless.
I think the muse is just having the opportunity to be yourself. It can come in any way, shape or form. You can see a magazine photo, a picture from some trip, or simply, the water bottle on your table. All of which can be equally inspiring, equally viable for your piece of fine art. I think it's all about the work. The daily grind, the getting up and getting to it no matter how you feel. Because it's not glamorous, it never will be.
Trust me. It's not. Who do you think you are to have some great muse? You have to work. Then if you get lucky, it all comes together without you really having to think. That's the best we can hope for. That's the goal, the reward and ultimately what you'll have.
I would give up everything I have simply for these moments. They are the most rewarding and the most genuine. I'm bringing sincerity to the art world. I'm bringing simplicity to this great big life. I'm bringing myself forward. That's all I have to do.
The rest is irrelevant.
What inspires me? Everything. The life I live, the people I meet, my journey, through movie theaters, parks, grocery stores, anywhere, everything, it's all valid. It's all useful. It's my world. I created it.
There's no great muse. Quit looking. Wake up to who you are, what you have, where you are in this moment right here and right now. Then get busy, get dirty, make a mess! That's where the life is, in the struggle, in the figuring out, and if you get lucky, it comes together. That's where ultimately, the magic is, in the work, every day.
There's no great muse. It's simple. All around you, the art is all around you.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Breathe
Take a deep breathe, inhale and exhale. Take it to the center, ground it out.
Now, get busy. :)
Every artist needs an audience
If you are an artist, you need an audience. You are hungry for that connection, just as you are hungry for the solace to create. You might think that you want to be hidden, kept away from the rush, kept away from the spotlight.
You need the spotlight, like you need the cave, ancient and buried in your heart.
You need the thrill, like you need the exile, a road that belongs only to you.
You need the panic, the fear, the "what if they don't like me and spit me out into a futile fog of destitution and agony."
What if they do just that? That thing I'm scared to death of.
Get over it.
You need them. No matter what they say. You absolutely need an audience. Only then will you be a real artist, forced to grow big and resilient and brave. That will fuel your work more than anything else will.
Who cares what they say. Who cares who they are. Who cares why. Put it out there. Put it out there like you mean it, like it's hot, like it's the only thing that matters, the only choice you've got, the only thing that keeps you alive.
Get it to them. Give it to them. Burn the fire and release it to the world.
Every artist needs an audience. You need a following, you need a spotlight, just as much as you need the source, your own energy, your own imagination, your own precious space. It's what you're here for and nothing else matters.
It's very important to have everything in balance for great work, all the elements connected and aligned. Yourself, centered with your higher calling, your skills sharp and ready for attention, your tools the best you can find, know how to use them, get to know intimately the ones you are most attracted to, your knowledge, expansive, experienced and bright, study everything you can and concentrate on what strikes your interest, and very importantly as well, your audience, hungry, ready and charged for what you've got.
Give it to them and mean it. The connection is vital. Get to know your audience, just as much as you know yourself.
It will keep you growing and pushing and paving a personal path through the unknown and that's all any artist every really wants.
You need the spotlight, like you need the cave, ancient and buried in your heart.
You need the thrill, like you need the exile, a road that belongs only to you.
You need the panic, the fear, the "what if they don't like me and spit me out into a futile fog of destitution and agony."
What if they do just that? That thing I'm scared to death of.
Get over it.
You need them. No matter what they say. You absolutely need an audience. Only then will you be a real artist, forced to grow big and resilient and brave. That will fuel your work more than anything else will.
Who cares what they say. Who cares who they are. Who cares why. Put it out there. Put it out there like you mean it, like it's hot, like it's the only thing that matters, the only choice you've got, the only thing that keeps you alive.
Get it to them. Give it to them. Burn the fire and release it to the world.
Every artist needs an audience. You need a following, you need a spotlight, just as much as you need the source, your own energy, your own imagination, your own precious space. It's what you're here for and nothing else matters.
It's very important to have everything in balance for great work, all the elements connected and aligned. Yourself, centered with your higher calling, your skills sharp and ready for attention, your tools the best you can find, know how to use them, get to know intimately the ones you are most attracted to, your knowledge, expansive, experienced and bright, study everything you can and concentrate on what strikes your interest, and very importantly as well, your audience, hungry, ready and charged for what you've got.
Give it to them and mean it. The connection is vital. Get to know your audience, just as much as you know yourself.
It will keep you growing and pushing and paving a personal path through the unknown and that's all any artist every really wants.
Create your own map
Creating your own map to your life is surely not the easy route to take. In fact, it is the most difficult. But also, I suspect, the most rewarding, the most exhilirating and surely the most satisfying path that there is for any individual, under any circumstance, at any time. It takes fearlessness. I believe everyone has this potential. Everyone however, is not willing to be fearless and create their own map to life.
I think there is something that happens to the spirit when you let go of knowing what's going to happen next. When you renegade your future and make it up as you go. You are forced, through necessity, to grow big. You are forced to get over yourself, to get over the past, to get over any and all drama, limitation and doubt. You are forced to succeed. Otherwise it can be incredibly tempting to sink into doubt, a fear of not "fitting in" (which is bullshit), or any other excuse the mind conceives, and there are plenty, and I suspect they are illusions. Without strength and resilience one could be all too tempted to give up, to look to someone else, something else or some other institution for answers, and this to me is death.
Create your own map. Don't give up, don't give in, it's your life and I guarantee you can make it into what you truly want and need, what is in your soul, your spirit, your higher self. It takes imagination and willpower. It's a strength of the spirit that is uncommon. It takes dedication like nothing else.
I feel this liberation could be the most precious experience. I believe that when you are forced to let go, use your own internal compass and radar, create your own rules as you live, pave your path through any and all circumstance, something happens to the spirit, you simply figure out how to attract what you want most. In no other circumstance can you do this. The ones who know what this is like are the heroes of our world, they are the ones to look up to, to admire, to congratulate. Study what they do, and then drop it like you drop everything else and find your own way. I believe it's possible. I believe it's possible to create your own map to your own life with an aware, awake and abundant heart.
Go fearlessly. The world needs more heroes. You have that potential, no matter who you are are or where you are some great power calls to you and it is very well within you.
Create your own map. Don't let anyone tell you what to do. You are that awesome.
I think there is something that happens to the spirit when you let go of knowing what's going to happen next. When you renegade your future and make it up as you go. You are forced, through necessity, to grow big. You are forced to get over yourself, to get over the past, to get over any and all drama, limitation and doubt. You are forced to succeed. Otherwise it can be incredibly tempting to sink into doubt, a fear of not "fitting in" (which is bullshit), or any other excuse the mind conceives, and there are plenty, and I suspect they are illusions. Without strength and resilience one could be all too tempted to give up, to look to someone else, something else or some other institution for answers, and this to me is death.
Create your own map. Don't give up, don't give in, it's your life and I guarantee you can make it into what you truly want and need, what is in your soul, your spirit, your higher self. It takes imagination and willpower. It's a strength of the spirit that is uncommon. It takes dedication like nothing else.
I feel this liberation could be the most precious experience. I believe that when you are forced to let go, use your own internal compass and radar, create your own rules as you live, pave your path through any and all circumstance, something happens to the spirit, you simply figure out how to attract what you want most. In no other circumstance can you do this. The ones who know what this is like are the heroes of our world, they are the ones to look up to, to admire, to congratulate. Study what they do, and then drop it like you drop everything else and find your own way. I believe it's possible. I believe it's possible to create your own map to your own life with an aware, awake and abundant heart.
Go fearlessly. The world needs more heroes. You have that potential, no matter who you are are or where you are some great power calls to you and it is very well within you.
Create your own map. Don't let anyone tell you what to do. You are that awesome.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Imperfection makes things charming
Allowing things to be what they are, enjoying the experience, unfolding in a natural order lends itself to charm. Fretting, worrying or trying too hard will sabotage genuine grace. Laziness, apathy or avoidance will not ever give it a chance.
Be what you are and allow your very unique charm to emerge. You will surprise yourself with how lovely you are. Nothing's perfect, in fact it's what's not perfect that makes things irresistibly charming. Letting things be what they are and enjoying the experience is the natural order of life. Childlike creativity in a very adult world is always the place to be.
You are beautiful and perfect just the way you are. Allow your charm to breathe. :)
Be what you are and allow your very unique charm to emerge. You will surprise yourself with how lovely you are. Nothing's perfect, in fact it's what's not perfect that makes things irresistibly charming. Letting things be what they are and enjoying the experience is the natural order of life. Childlike creativity in a very adult world is always the place to be.
You are beautiful and perfect just the way you are. Allow your charm to breathe. :)
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Be friendly with the unknown
Most people do everything in their power to effectively avoid the unknown. "I have no idea what I'm doing with my life", they'll say. "What's going to happen to me", they'll think. "Where will I be in 3 months, much less 5 years,", they'll ponder. I know what it's like. I've done it. I've held my breath and wasted precious moments planning, worrying and delaying. I've been a victim to what I'll call the "fear of the unknown".
I realize though, that the unknown is existentially beautiful. It is a landscape like nothing else. It is exciting. It is intriguing. It is in fact, my best friend.
Be friendly with the unknown. Otherwise, you will miss out on exactly what the beautiful unknown is revealing to you. You will miss out on your life.
Be friendly with the unknown. It's the best thing you've got. That's the honest truth. It knows your story, your motivation, your dreams better than anything else. It's got what you want.
The friendlier you are, the more it will give, the more it will favor you, the more it will reveal.
Trust me, running from the unknown is not a pleasant experience. It is painful. It is dreadful. It will keep you locked up in a cage and will destroy any chance you have of enjoying the day, enjoying freedom, enjoying experience, and that we have in abundance.
All we were meant to do in this human form, in this life, in this time, on this precious day, is grow.
We are only meant to grow. If the unknown did not exist, we would not grow. We would vanquish. We would implode. We would not be who we are.
We are meant to discover ourselves. Note: Discover.
Discover implies that you don't know already, that you are seeking, you are searching, in fact, you are living.
Being friendly with the unknown, means that you are living. You are embracing what you have with curiosity. You are asking questions with wonder. You are exploring with faith. You are trusting. You are uncovering truth, as simple as can be. Brushing your teeth, you learn. Making your, bed you learn. Walking to work, you learn. Laughing with a friend, you learn. Crying, you learn. Everything, you're learning. If you knew everything you stop living, you die. If you knew everything you would not be human. If you knew everything, you would cease to grow, and growing is all we've come here to do, in whatever shape suites your needs, whatever lessons shape your intent, whatever gifts manifest in your life.
If the unknown did not exist we would die. We need the unknown to be alive. We need the unknown to create. With curiosity, create. With wonder, create. With love, create.
If you fear the unknown, you fear the essence of being alive. You fear the essence of being yourself, and you loose a little more life, moment by moment. With each fear thought, you lessen and lessen your potential to be alive.
The unknown is your friend. With it, comes your greatest gifts, the gift of life, the gift of choice, the gift of awareness, the gift of yourself and connection to others.
Trust the unknown, and more importantly trust yourself. You're ok. You're here for a reason. That's exactly what you need to know. Feel the moment. Be joyful for what it is. Whatever it is is yours.
I realize though, that the unknown is existentially beautiful. It is a landscape like nothing else. It is exciting. It is intriguing. It is in fact, my best friend.
Be friendly with the unknown. Otherwise, you will miss out on exactly what the beautiful unknown is revealing to you. You will miss out on your life.
Be friendly with the unknown. It's the best thing you've got. That's the honest truth. It knows your story, your motivation, your dreams better than anything else. It's got what you want.
The friendlier you are, the more it will give, the more it will favor you, the more it will reveal.
Trust me, running from the unknown is not a pleasant experience. It is painful. It is dreadful. It will keep you locked up in a cage and will destroy any chance you have of enjoying the day, enjoying freedom, enjoying experience, and that we have in abundance.
All we were meant to do in this human form, in this life, in this time, on this precious day, is grow.
We are only meant to grow. If the unknown did not exist, we would not grow. We would vanquish. We would implode. We would not be who we are.
We are meant to discover ourselves. Note: Discover.
Discover implies that you don't know already, that you are seeking, you are searching, in fact, you are living.
Being friendly with the unknown, means that you are living. You are embracing what you have with curiosity. You are asking questions with wonder. You are exploring with faith. You are trusting. You are uncovering truth, as simple as can be. Brushing your teeth, you learn. Making your, bed you learn. Walking to work, you learn. Laughing with a friend, you learn. Crying, you learn. Everything, you're learning. If you knew everything you stop living, you die. If you knew everything you would not be human. If you knew everything, you would cease to grow, and growing is all we've come here to do, in whatever shape suites your needs, whatever lessons shape your intent, whatever gifts manifest in your life.
If the unknown did not exist we would die. We need the unknown to be alive. We need the unknown to create. With curiosity, create. With wonder, create. With love, create.
If you fear the unknown, you fear the essence of being alive. You fear the essence of being yourself, and you loose a little more life, moment by moment. With each fear thought, you lessen and lessen your potential to be alive.
The unknown is your friend. With it, comes your greatest gifts, the gift of life, the gift of choice, the gift of awareness, the gift of yourself and connection to others.
Trust the unknown, and more importantly trust yourself. You're ok. You're here for a reason. That's exactly what you need to know. Feel the moment. Be joyful for what it is. Whatever it is is yours.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Fear is your ally
I've realized that anything worth doing comes with a quite a bit of fear. If you don't feel fear, it's not worth doing. Simple.
So, what do you do with fear? And how do you get to work on the things actually worth doing? How do you create something worthwhile? How do you make your dreams come true? How do you become the person you were meant to be?
The fear becomes your ally. Get to know it. Become close to it. Do not ignore it and especially do not run from it. If you run from it, you run from the best experiences of your life, you run from yourself, you run from your truth and there is no glory in this path.
I want glory, and I presume if you're reading this, you do as well.
So what do you do with fear? You immerse yourself in it. You do exactly the thing that your fear tells you to stay away from. You get really into it. You don't know what you're doing, chances are you fall flat on your face, chances are, you get incredibly dirty, chances are, you make a complete fool of yourself and the world is laughing.
Are they?
No one's laughing. They're too afraid.
Fear. Dig into it. Dig right into it, with all you can, with all you've got, with every ounce of your blood and sweat and tears. Let your heart beat the fear, let your mind tear it apart, let your hands make it into something completely new.
And behold. You did what you came here to do.
Fear. Love it. Treat it like a lover, a best friend, your life force. Make it known, shout it out, put it on a throne, stare it down, and then step up, face to face and watch it diffuse. Now the throne is yours.
Fear. Get used to it. It's not going away. Not without a fight, not without a test, not without a serious challenge. It's there to make you strong. It's there to make you into something worth caring for, worth looking at, worth praising. It's the only thing you've got. The only thing that will keep you going and make you whole.
Without it, you are nothing. And nothing you will be. Nothing but empty, afraid, and dying to become something real.
That real thing is you. That real thing is standing right there beside every fear you've ever had. The only way to become the real thing, is to walk through the fear. That's the way it is. Nothing will change. No amount of wishing or praying or analyzing will take that fear away. Not a thing.
Your only option, is to make it your ally. Let it excite you. Let it make you step up. Let it shape you into something uncommon, something strong, something real.
Fear. It's your ally. Perhaps it's your only ally. Trust it. It's there for a reason and it's not going anywhere. Your choice, your power, is how you use it, what you do with it, how you handle it, and ultimately, what you become and what you have. It's about how you work with it, how you make it into something.
Create a new system. All in dealing with your fears. Become a new dream. All in walking through your fears. Make a new reality. All in shaping your fears.
Work with your fears or they will definitely work with you and that could be something no one wants to look at. No need to suffer. There's a way out. And it's through your fears. Go now. Don't waste time.
Fear is your ally. Get used to it. Believe it. Make something happen. Become something you love. And do it now, before your time has passed. Are you scared of time passing? Good, that's your ally, now get busy.
I'll see you on the other side. I'll look forward to what you've become.
9/15/11
So, what do you do with fear? And how do you get to work on the things actually worth doing? How do you create something worthwhile? How do you make your dreams come true? How do you become the person you were meant to be?
The fear becomes your ally. Get to know it. Become close to it. Do not ignore it and especially do not run from it. If you run from it, you run from the best experiences of your life, you run from yourself, you run from your truth and there is no glory in this path.
I want glory, and I presume if you're reading this, you do as well.
So what do you do with fear? You immerse yourself in it. You do exactly the thing that your fear tells you to stay away from. You get really into it. You don't know what you're doing, chances are you fall flat on your face, chances are, you get incredibly dirty, chances are, you make a complete fool of yourself and the world is laughing.
Are they?
No one's laughing. They're too afraid.
Fear. Dig into it. Dig right into it, with all you can, with all you've got, with every ounce of your blood and sweat and tears. Let your heart beat the fear, let your mind tear it apart, let your hands make it into something completely new.
And behold. You did what you came here to do.
Fear. Love it. Treat it like a lover, a best friend, your life force. Make it known, shout it out, put it on a throne, stare it down, and then step up, face to face and watch it diffuse. Now the throne is yours.
Fear. Get used to it. It's not going away. Not without a fight, not without a test, not without a serious challenge. It's there to make you strong. It's there to make you into something worth caring for, worth looking at, worth praising. It's the only thing you've got. The only thing that will keep you going and make you whole.
Without it, you are nothing. And nothing you will be. Nothing but empty, afraid, and dying to become something real.
That real thing is you. That real thing is standing right there beside every fear you've ever had. The only way to become the real thing, is to walk through the fear. That's the way it is. Nothing will change. No amount of wishing or praying or analyzing will take that fear away. Not a thing.
Your only option, is to make it your ally. Let it excite you. Let it make you step up. Let it shape you into something uncommon, something strong, something real.
Fear. It's your ally. Perhaps it's your only ally. Trust it. It's there for a reason and it's not going anywhere. Your choice, your power, is how you use it, what you do with it, how you handle it, and ultimately, what you become and what you have. It's about how you work with it, how you make it into something.
Create a new system. All in dealing with your fears. Become a new dream. All in walking through your fears. Make a new reality. All in shaping your fears.
Work with your fears or they will definitely work with you and that could be something no one wants to look at. No need to suffer. There's a way out. And it's through your fears. Go now. Don't waste time.
Fear is your ally. Get used to it. Believe it. Make something happen. Become something you love. And do it now, before your time has passed. Are you scared of time passing? Good, that's your ally, now get busy.
I'll see you on the other side. I'll look forward to what you've become.
9/15/11
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