Protect your Artist city

I just wanted to send out a little thank you note to all those who've helped me in my writing dreams. You are awesome! I've decided that no matter what it is that you want to do. Do it. If you have a passion for something, don't let self doubt, or fear of failure hold you back.

I've noticed that, more often than not, we teach kids, that the results, or the 'Golden eggs' are what we are after. Not the process or the journey. We create an environment of fear, and expectation for kids to learn in, instead of giving them an environment of acceptance, and the opportunity to feel safe, and accepted.
Without a sense of safety and acceptance, creativity cannot thrive.
Fear will hold people back from sharing their work. It will keep them from even trying.
On the other hand, if you create an environment where it's okay to make mistakes, kids and adults will thrive, experiment and try. This is where all real success stems from.

If you are a teacher, or someone in authority, please remember it is your sacred duty and your job to create an environment of acceptance, and safety. Without it, real learning will cease to exist. You will instead have created a hazard zone where kids are trying to out do one another, to look better, not do better.

A real teacher, one that does not have their ego attached to the students performance, will create an environment where it is okay to not be perfect. Speaking from personal experience, I can honestly say that I do not thrive under pressure, especially when I know someone is leaning over my shoulder waiting for, "Magic to happen." Or where I can't mess up. And it's not okay.

I believe that in order for something to be good, it also has to have the flip side to it. It also has the choice not to be good.
Just as in food, if it cannot go bad, like a Twinkie, it can't really be good.
Most food that is good for you can, and does go bad.
So in art, or real learning, creating an environment of safety, you are saying it's okay to mess up. Just try. It's okay to sing off-key. Just sing. Use your voice.
You can work on technique when the time is right. Right now you just need to hear your own voice.

That is the teachers job. Not so much to be a critic, or someone who is drenching the children in her knowledge. The teacher is the one who must listen, gently nudge, love, and point the children in the right direction.

I believe that most people die with their music inside them because they were afraid to hear themselves sing. And that's really sad. God gave you a voice. Use it.

I remember in art class, I had a hard time concentrating because so many people were looking over my shoulder giving their advice. Most often than not, I'd take my canvas home, where I'd go to my room, alone, and spend the evening painting. The next day I'd and come back with much more progress than I had made in class. Home was where I got most of my work done. I'm not saying that you shouldn't do anything in public. But what I am saying is that it seems to me, that art needs a time be in the dark. A time to be apart. If you are starting a project where it might come under scrutiny, only let your closest, most trusted, gentile friends see it.

Great treasure needs protection. Build walls around those who would rip down your beautiful city. Only let those into your city who would see the beauty of the city, and help to build it up.

Even if what you do is flawed, do it anyway. Leave a legacy of following after what you love most. As writers we tend to worry about how our writing will be read. As singers we are worried how our music will be heard. As artist we are worried how our art will be viewed.

But worrying about how it will be received blocks our creative flow. Instead of writing, singing, dancing, painting, we fuss and fret over what other people think. Our egos are attached to the outcome instead of the process. Our egos wonder if what we do will generate income. Our egos wonder if people think what we are doing is acceptable.

Let EGO go. He's a green, hairy little monster that will eat your life up. He doesn't really care about what you do, as long as it appears nice.

For the longest time I thought that if I did anything, it would have to be perfect. But that's a lie.
Being an artist working in any medium means that it will be flawed. Art is an act of creating, of hit and miss, of seeing things differently. It is an earthy practice. It connects humanity to humanity. It says, "this is how I see something."

We are flawed. Yes. But that's what makes our art beautiful.
If perfection were what we were aiming for, we would be machines with built-in formulas to get exact results. The beauty would be gone.

Art is not exact.
Neither is music, or any other art form. It is an act of faith. We say, "look, do you see? I was here once. This made me happy."

We strive to tell a truth through what we see, a truth connects us to God, and to each other, and to remind us of the magic that is all around us, if we just take the time to look.
That is art. It's not a exact science. Perfection belongs to God. Yet he uses us, even in our imperfect state, to remind others, and ourselves that if we are open, we can be tools of creation, pointing back to him.

I came across this video---Above----a few months ago that says everything I've been thinking about going after your dreams. I was feeling impressed to share this video on here the past few days. What's weird, is this guy who the video is about, just died--I think. What he says is amazing, and so true. Without inspiring people like him, my books would still be just ideas. Thank you for teaching others to believe in the power of their dreams.