You Gotta Have......

What does it take to be creative?   There may be thousands of answers to that question. However, a friend said it all when he said, "You've got balls!"  In response, I roared with laughter. He is right...balls it is.  One must have that certain something needed to push forward, to create with total abandon.  Today I am sticking a bright neon-colored sticky note on my laptop.  "You Gotta Have Balls!"  

It takes guts to be creative.  Risks are necessary.  We have to push ourselves on many levels:  First, to follow an idea.  Next, to manifest what we see in our minds.  Then, sharing.  Once an idea has come to fruition, it cannot hide.  It must come out. It has to be nurtured and born.  Ideas have a life of their own and the artist is the vehicle.  The artist hones what he sees, then makes it real.

Be advised:  The more you want to do something--the more you want to create--the more obstacles appear.  The job of the artist is to go around those roadblocks and do it anyway!

So, today go Do It!

Remember:  "Be Good, Do Good, Share Good."  "Excellence Wins." --EB

Notes On Negatives To Positives

Oh, how I love reading journals. For the most part, the authors are young. (I consider anyone under 60 young.) These well-intentioned self-examiners writhe and struggle with the complexities and intricacies of life and self. They devour self-help books and courses. They look high and low for something to fill some undefined inner void. Guess what folks... All one has to do is STOP the self-scrutiny, self-absorbtion and drama. Simply decide to give up the emotional roller coaster and the ongoing personal soap opera filled with crises. Could all of this be an addiction? A habit? A narcissistic longing using negatives to get attention? How about developing positive achievements instead? Want to be better? Focus on becoming a better writer, artist, dancer, etc. How about accepting the good in ourselves and accepting praise for that good?

Break the negative habits of low self-esteem and life gets a heck of a lot easier.

The truth is our self imposed agonies don't amount to a hill of beans. Artist's do not have be unhappy (or poor) to be artists. Artists just have to be good artists. Becoming good at what we do takes patience, determination and energy. Replace negative habits with positives and discover how living is worthwhile, joyous and special. There is no void--no emptiness--and little struggle. We become aware of our gifts and begin to share.

Afterthoughts: To minimize one's talent under the guise of humility to me is disgusting, as is boasting of a talent one doesn't have. There is a balance. When you know your "craft," you know you know. No one needs to pat you on the back. You know how far you have come. The reward for learning on the the creative journey is to claim your title.

Reality Is. You are what you are [an artist] and you are what you are becoming.

An artist is only as good as the ideas he is able to tap into and develop.