Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Gremlins


I just got done listening to an interview that Jamie Riedler, author of 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women did of Andrea Scher, creative blogger, life coach, and jewelry designer and it was exactly what i needed to hear today. I highly recommend you listen to it even if you are not a so-called artist or creative person. The advice she offers can be applied to everyone's life. 

The point that resonates the most with me is when she discusses the"gremlins" that sneak into your mind throughout the day that constantly tell you lies such as: "you aren't really an artist" "you are not a trained photographer" "you don't really think you can write a book because you never went to school for that" "no one will appreciate your work"  " No one will want to read your blog" and so on. 

The gremlins live in all of us. I realized that no one is exempt from this. No one goes around all day every day thinking "Wow I am a super awesome human who can do anything!!" We all have doubts and fears about what path we are on and how others will view us for the decisions we make/or don't make. She explains that we need to turn off these voices or send them away so that we can be brave a dive into the project that needs to get done. 

Another part of the interview that really spoke to me is when she gives advice to artists about "showing up." She says that there is no "grand" or "perfect" time to create something. It is simply a matter of showing up and doing it. Even if you only write for 10 minutes a day or sit down with your sketchbook while you are having coffee, at least you are working toward your goal. She mentions that it is difficult to feel like you are making progress when you see someone else's finished work. For example I am always seeing these beautiful illustrations and paintings on etsy and I'm like wow how did they do that? And I picture the artist sitting down in their beautiful studio with all their amazing supplies and they skillfully paint this lovely canvas all in one grand overly inspired moment. When in reality, they probably did 20 sketches, threw out five paintings, and worked on it little by little until their hard work paid off. 
I am going to take this advice and know that it is in the moments of "showing up" that we can accomplish and work towards our goals. Any thoughts on this are appreciated :) 

2 comments:

  1. i loved the interview. i listened to it before bed last night and it brought calming, peaceful feeling that was perfect for falling asleep. andrea, is so lovely.

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  2. I look forward to listening to it later...thanks for that and CNGRATS on making Front Page!

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