Are You Waiting for Permission to be Great?

This month I’m thinking a lot about how I was so scared for many years to create original art and try to sell it. “Nobody will buy it and then I’ll feel like a loser,” I would think to myself. “I’m not in galleries and nobody will think I’m any good,” was another prevalent thought. I was operating under the assumption that unless I was represented by a gallery, then my work held no value for anyone. It meant that my work wasn’t good enough and therefore it was a waste of time to try and be a “real artist.” This “permission-based” assumption is all too rampant in the art world…heck…the WHOLE world! We wait to be told we’re good at something before we believe we really are. I know that all of this was simply assumptions living in my own mind. Fear created these thoughts as seeds, planted them, and they took root. I allowed that! Who gets to decide when we can finally live our authentic vision? Who decides whether we are worthy of becoming what we most want? Does the opinion of ONE gallery director really decide if I’m a “real artist” for all eternity? I have learned the hard way that we cannot give away that kind of power. Our fears live inside our minds and our limits are placed upon us BY ourselves. I’ve learned that artists sell through many different avenues…many of which aren’t galleries. When we let one person or one small group of people decide our worth, we are giving away our power and our sense of faith. The truth is, EVERYONE has an opinion and they are ALL different! We can only truly please ourselves and trust that our tribe will resonate with what we are doing. Nothing is for everyone! When we make peace with this, Fear becomes less powerful and we can move forward in faith knowing we are fulfilling our own unique purpose. I stopped making decisions based on what I thought MIGHT happen and made decisions based on what I MOST WANTED to happen. I chose to have faith in my talent and my purpose and you know what? It’s working out just fine. Opportunities are flying toward me. My encouragement to you is to go after the thing you have been shying away from because of fear. The only opinion that matters is your own! The universe will guide you through the rest…and you can relax knowing that all is truly well.