When I was growing up I used to spend hours sketching and designing. I even had the opportunity to share my passion with others. I remember painting a large-scale sign for the local water company on an makeshift stand in our kitchen. And back when the Chicago Bulls were all the rage, a friend asked me to paint the Bulls logo on the back of his leather jacket. I also designed a baby shower invitation and various other projects for friends and family. These commissions filled me up with joy and satisfaction.
Why didn’t I continue working on this path and make art my career?
That brings us to reason number one: I convinced myself that a career as an artist was not a “real” job. After high school my pencils and paints disappeared under the more sensible pursuit of gainful employment. Eventually I forgot all about how art used to fill me with such a sense of purpose and accomplishment. It wasn’t until many years later, after marriage and children, that I finally picked up my tools once more.
Why did I let so much time pass before I began to pursue my passion again?
Reflecting back to our first year of marriage always makes me laugh. We did all the things that every couple is warned against doing in their first year as man and wife. We sold a house, we bought a house, we got pregnant, my husband changed jobs, and I finished my bachelor’s degree, only to quit my job to stay home with our new baby, who was born a couple months shy of our first anniversary. To top it all off, our sweet dog suffered a diagnosis of Addison’s Disease. Talk about a whirlwind of a year! We joked that if we could make it through everything that we did in our first year, the rest of our lives would be smooth sailing in comparison. So that brings me to reason number two: I was too busy! The thought of pursuing my own business in art never crossed my mind during this time; I was knee-deep in diapers and feeding schedules.
Years later…
When the Peanut and the Princess were ready to begin their educational journey, we felt led to homeschool. This started us on an unexpected, but delightful, journey that I will detail more about in upcoming posts. So, once again, time escaped me. After a while, though, friends and family encouraged me to refocus attention to my artwork. I’ve been able to lead several art classes for students and mothers alike. It always surprised me that they were so thrilled with what I was able to offer. To me it was easy and fun, but they felt real value in what they learned. I felt encouraged to begin my own business. Which brings me to reason number three: I immediately thought I’m not good enough to actually sell my work. It was fine as a hobby and for fun with friends and family, but I quickly dismissed the possibility of a business.
Did I really have what it takes to be a full-time artist?
After selling a few commissioned pieces requested by friends, I began to realize I had a gift to offer that others wanted. I set out to begin a small business in calligraphy, art and design. It was so overwhelming and I didn’t have a clue where or how to begin. So of course, I did what comes naturally to me, which is reason four: procrastination. It’s so easy to let day after day slip by without moving forward. As a homeschooling mom and wife, there are always a million other things that are calling out for your attention. It takes great focus and determination to overcome this enemy each day for me.
Fast-forward to 2018…
I finally got organized enough to start my own business. Yet, I didn’t do anything differently than I had already been doing, which meant no advertising or sharing the news with as many people as I could. Again it stemmed from not feeling my work was good enough to sell.
That leads us to the final excuse.
Even though it’s number five on my list, it’s definitely my all-time, number one worst enemy when it comes to most things in life: the poison of perfectionism. I would work on piece after piece and then gift it or throw it out, because I wasn’t happy with it. I didn’t want to share my new business, because I hadn’t gotten a portfolio completed and a great website built or even a meaningful business name, let alone products that were ready to sell.
BUT…
This year I finally determined to put my game plan into action. Today, I still struggle against these five excuses: not a real job, too busy, not being good enough, procrastination and perfectionism. I needed to have weapons in place to battle against these enemies, which I’ll cover in my next post. How about you? Where do you struggle? What enemies do you battle to get your passions to the forefront of your life?
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