Creative Vulnerability

Yesterday, I started a new project. One barrier after another jumped up to block me. I felt vulnerable, but kept going. Perhaps I should have given it more preparation, but it seems, no matter how carefully we plan, there are usually some “flies in the ointment.”

By the time the 11:00 news came on last night, I felt the weight of failure.

My critical self talk yammered away, “Who told you you were creative…compared to what?” “Just who do you think you are anyway?”  “The lighting wasn’t good, your lips moved, your staging sucked, you popped the sounds on the letter “P.” You recorded five minutes, before realizing the mic wasn’t turned on, you tripped on the cord and pulled over the camera. Why do you even try? Just forget it. You’re old. You’re no good!”

Vulnerability leaves us defenseless, open and stripped of our armor. It's in this position that we die or show great courage. And the payoff is that we don’t die. We evolve into a deeper humanity with understanding. Somehow, not only do we survive, we rise up with courage and renewed creativity.

Vulnerability TED speaker, Brene Brown said, "Vulnerability is our most accurate measurement of courage!" Dr. Brene Brown’s talk “Listening to Shame”. is well worth your time.

This morning I looked at yesterday's video project with my husband, Ken, who told me he thought it was good. I saw some creative moments. The project is not perfect, but there are a number of wonderful spontaneous flowing moments.  Today, my artist self says, “It accomplishes more than expected. Let it be.”

It’s Only Friday but…

If you are going through a particularly tough time right now, don’t give up. Where there’s breath there’s hope, where there’s a pulse there’s a purpose. Don’t stop.

Ask yourself, “What is the worst case scenario? And what can I do to improve it?” Once you figure that out, do it. And ask yourself, “What can I live with, and what would I regret?” then do what you can to minimize regret.

Surviving the harshest times of my life, did not come from positive thinkers or motivational speeches. It came from survival techniques of simply getting out of bed, putting one foot in front of the other, getting through one moment at a time. That was it. That was how I survived.

Yes, we do cause our own pain by some of our choices. But there are other forces beyond our control, choices other people make, circumstances beyond our authority that knock us down and try to crush us. But don’t quit. Never quit! Get back up. Keep getting up. “It’s only Friday.  Sunday’s a-comin’.” – Don Buck P Creacy sermon. (Friday refers to the day Jesus died and Sunday, the day he came alive from the dead.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB2en_C4KGk&feature=related

Easter is more than bunnies and eggs, it’s the kiss of life. Remember, “Sunday’s a-comin’.” Hang onto hope.

Spring Cleaning

Schedules are messy, desires are messy, rooms and relationship are also messy. And we think that it's our purpose in life to shake it out and clean it up.

Seriously, what would happen if you did not clean it up, did not get into the middle of changing a relationship and let it go?

Sometimes a "mess" is only our opinion of it.

Besides, you may find more time and energy for other things.

(descretion required)

Clean Up

Tricky Business

Am I the only one who is getting hesitant about on-line buying from businesses that tack on additional products, or make getting to check out a nightmare by having to click “no” to page after page of other product items?

Today I ended up with an order of unwanted, mailing labels. These businesses have very tricky ways of lulling you into clicking “no thanks” and then suddenly they throw you a curve and there’s a check “Yes” if you want to skip it.

If businesses allow such sleazy tactics, they’re hurting themselves. Make me, your customer feel tricked or foolish, and you’ve lost my business.

Want More Respect?

Remember Uriah Heep from David Copperfield by Charles Dickens? Dickens gives him a marvelous hidden agenda behind a veneer of self-righteous humility. In fact, it’s exaggerated to sound humorous, as Uriah Heep says to David Copperfield:

  “I shouldn’t have deemed it at all proud if you had thought us too ‘umble for you. Because we are so very ‘umble.” 

With Uriah Heep’s distortion of humility, we want to push his humble pie right back in his face. True respect and humility cannot come from a sense of self that’s been wrung out like a wash cloth or from sniveling insecurity.

Real humility is all together one of the most powerful qualities in our lives. When we say we are sorry, or forgive someone, we say it with humility and sincerity or it means nothing. When we show real respect, there cannot be fear, or coercion. If there is, it is false. True respect comes from our humility. It comes from the well-being and strength of our core being.

It has been said that powerful people show humility and respect, because they are not threatened by showing it. They know who they are.

It seems a universal law, that when we show honor and respect to others, it boomerangs right back at us. In that same moment, we automatically honor and respect to ourselves.

So, go on…show yourself some respect.

Get More Respect