by Vasylina
Thinking like an artist thinks -- can serve us brilliantly in life.
A visual artist stands back to get perspective on the painting so she sees clearly what she is doing. The mode I'm talking not only includes the visual artist but also the director-choreographer-designer-conductor-improviser who create their own reality according to what they want, not according to the circumstances in which they find themselves a victim. It includes the writer who knows that when their character is in trouble, they can introduce a plot-twist or their character can have a sudden discovery of their powers.
The artist pays attention, is open-minded, thinks beyond limitations, is resourceful, and audacious. He has courage and rearranges, modifies, and tweaks his reality to make it what he envisioned or savors the zone of discovery, curiosity, and flow.
The Artist is present to the gifts of life
and perseveres with resilience and tenacity.
I was on a walk on New Years day, one of the last days in my old neighborhood. I lived down in the bottom of a canyon in the Mission Hills area of San Diego and climbed to the top on a little nature path to the Spruce Street bridge, (the only suspension bridge in San Diego); a beautiful bridge over a unique canyon.
And as I was standing there taking in the beauty I got a sinking feeling that I was about to leave something that I really didn’t experience as much as I could have. I thought, "It’s beautiful here and it’s only a quarter mile from where I’ve lived for two years, and it’s not far from Balboa Park – a park that people come from miles around to visit. I could have walked over there countless times and enjoyed the sites!”
I heard Joni Mitchell singing “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you got til it’s gone...” I tried singing it out loud too, but it was off-key and scared a bird.
I tried to fix my regret by going into planning mode. “I know,” I thought, “I’ll drive back here regularly and take walks in this area like I should have. I’m only ten miles away, plus I know a good parking place- -- right in front of where I’m about leave...” Pfffft.
Then, like an artist who steps back to get perspective on a painting, I stepped back to see what was happening (metaphorically, because I didn’t want to fall off the bridge) and realized, I was in victim mode. Here I am standing on top on this stunning bridge, above nasturtiums, palms, and countless vegetation of which I know not the name, and I’m regretting my past and conspiring my future. I am NOT being an artist. Artists are right smack in the present moment imbibing beauty, experience, and inspiration. I am in Ego Crazy Town!
Then I decided two things in Artist’s Mode:
Number one: I would accept the human condition with a little love. We humans do the regret and scheming thing. It's normal; a little self-compassion is in order.
Number Two: As a writer, I asked myself how I wanted this character (me) to operate next in this story (my life). I endowed this character with the ability to defy the limitations of ego, habit and what an awful lot of people consider “the best you can do” and invented a different realm of appreciation.
I decided that this woman in my story would have the capacity to enjoy this New Year’s Day walk with the power of two years worth of appreciation. It may sound goofy to you but my senses were more awake than they’ve ever been and that walk was one of the best walks I can remember. I took my time and was present for every color, every breeze, every smell and especially, every sensation of wonder. I also felt a sense of triumph over my tendency to be a victim, which resulted in self-respect … something that all artists need in order to succeed.
My life was a masterpiece that day, and is, every time I decide to think the way an artist thinks.
(c) 2016 Jill Badonsky All Rights Reserved
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