It took me three years to learn how to ski. When I look at this painting it doesn't matter whether it is perfect or not. It reminds me of how much fun I had learning to ski.
Do remember what it was like to learn to ride a bike or roller skate or ask a friend over to play? It was scary but once you did it you forgot to be scared and started to have fun. Taking the first step was and is always the hardest and the most intimidating part of starting something new for me. But I have learned a few tricks to make beginning something new a lot easier
If I want to make my dreams come true (and I do), I have found that giving myself permission to just try something new for only a few minutes makes starting easier. I don't have to paint or write all day. I just need to pick up the paint brush or pen and begin. I also remind myself that making mistakes is a big part of the creative process and so I have given myself permission to make mistakes. For a perfectionist that is huge. I remind myself that it is ok if things don't go right the first time. After all, Thomas Edison said, "I have not failed. I've just found ten thousand ways that won't work."
When I first started painting I thought every piece should be a masterpiece. I am not sure why I thought that. I do not have any formal training and I was supposedly painting for enjoyment. I realize now that I had not given myself permission to play with the paints and to try things just to see what happened. I had not given myself permission to be a beginner. Beginning something new can be fun. Living a full life means trying new things and being a beginner over and over again. It means making mistakes and learning from them. It means not being afraid to try something new because you might not be perfect. it means overcoming the fear, starting, and finding out that yes, I can do this and I am having fun doing it.
Try something new this week. It could be a new recipe, a new lipstick, or a new way to comb your hair. Write or paint for just five minutes, take a picture a day, or walk around your neighborhood going in the opposite direction from what you always do. See how you feel. Are you having fun? Are you letting yourself make mistakes? Give yourself permission to be imperfect. As you open yourself up to new experiences notice what amazes you, what inspires you, and what makes you happy. Have fun and enjoy the moment. Be a beginner - it's fun!
We hope that you will join us on October 1st for our first ever Unleashing Your Creativity Workshop. It will be fun to meet new people who share our love of all things creative and to "act like a beginner" together. Please contact Shawn McLeod at [email protected] to register.
When you share your dreams and talent with the world, magic happens. Let the magic begin!
Ginny
If I want to make my dreams come true (and I do), I have found that giving myself permission to just try something new for only a few minutes makes starting easier. I don't have to paint or write all day. I just need to pick up the paint brush or pen and begin. I also remind myself that making mistakes is a big part of the creative process and so I have given myself permission to make mistakes. For a perfectionist that is huge. I remind myself that it is ok if things don't go right the first time. After all, Thomas Edison said, "I have not failed. I've just found ten thousand ways that won't work."
When I first started painting I thought every piece should be a masterpiece. I am not sure why I thought that. I do not have any formal training and I was supposedly painting for enjoyment. I realize now that I had not given myself permission to play with the paints and to try things just to see what happened. I had not given myself permission to be a beginner. Beginning something new can be fun. Living a full life means trying new things and being a beginner over and over again. It means making mistakes and learning from them. It means not being afraid to try something new because you might not be perfect. it means overcoming the fear, starting, and finding out that yes, I can do this and I am having fun doing it.
Try something new this week. It could be a new recipe, a new lipstick, or a new way to comb your hair. Write or paint for just five minutes, take a picture a day, or walk around your neighborhood going in the opposite direction from what you always do. See how you feel. Are you having fun? Are you letting yourself make mistakes? Give yourself permission to be imperfect. As you open yourself up to new experiences notice what amazes you, what inspires you, and what makes you happy. Have fun and enjoy the moment. Be a beginner - it's fun!
We hope that you will join us on October 1st for our first ever Unleashing Your Creativity Workshop. It will be fun to meet new people who share our love of all things creative and to "act like a beginner" together. Please contact Shawn McLeod at [email protected] to register.
When you share your dreams and talent with the world, magic happens. Let the magic begin!
Ginny
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