Messages that change our lives are not always obvious. Sometimes, they are hidden within a single sentence.
Kim Phillips, an independent marketing consultant who can be found at getlucid.net, shared this story with me. I think it will resonate with each one of us:
I’ve done some kind of “art” all of my life, from the time I could hold a crayon. I have dabbled with pen-and-ink, graphite, chalk, paints, collage, paper, calligraphy, ceramics and mosaics.
But if anyone asked me if I were an artist, I always provided an emphatic “no.” To my mind, artists were people who changed the world and made a living doing it; I was a piker.
A friend of mine, Dusty Deming, who in my mind is a “real” artist – a very fine painter – asked me soon after we first met if I was an artist. I replied, “no.”
She then said something I will never forget –
“Kim, I want you to go home and write I AM AN ARTIST on a piece of paper and put it on your refrigerator. Go do it now.”
I did it, and now I have a business as a Judaica papercut artist, merging two things I love: art and Judaism. Even better, I teach others to do papercutting, and it’s gratifying to see them express themselves in their own way.
So, to my friend Dusty, the answer is “yes.” Yes, I am an artist.
[Note: The featured image and picture below are both created by artist Kim Phillips]
So, what are you saying “no” to?
What is it that you’ve always wanted to claim? Are you a leader? A musician? A motivator?
Whatever it is, do the following:
- Write down the affirmation in all caps, and in your favorite color.
- Place it somewhere you look often (I’m definitely sticking with the refrigerator).
And once you accept that affirmation, everything in your being will work towards becoming a better artist . . .leader . . .writer.
Thank you, Kim, for helping us change our perspectives with your powerful story. You are changing the world, one artistic contribution at a time. And we are grateful.