Week 22 and I am evolving and growing and LEARNING!! I hope as you take this journey with me you will be kind to yourself and KNOW that there is no timeline...no right or wrong. We are all trying to be and do better!! Be NICE to YOU!!!
This week we are talking about the awful, scary word...REJECTION. Ugh. Just hearing this word makes me cringe a little. For me...fear of rejection is probably the one thing that keeps me from doing more with my dreams of publication, teaching and selling my work. I take rejection sooooo personally. As in...if someone doesn't like my work it equals them not liking me. I know..I know...silly...but true. And I wonder how many of us feel the exact same way??
We keep going back, stronger, not weaker, because we will not allow rejection to beat us down. It will only strengthen our resolve. To be successful there is no other way. (Earl G. Graves)
Whenever I am at an art festival with my work...every time someone stops and looks at my work...it takes my breath away. I almost don't want to be there. My heart races and I say to myself...What in the heck am I doing here??
This week I want you to make a list of all the rejections you have felt in your life. Notice I said felt not had. How many times have we just felt that way when in reality that is not what was intended at all??
Anyway...back to your list...Who rejected you? Were you attacked with harsh words? Was the rejection mean or was it constructive...where you could learn from it? Have you healed from these rejections or are they still open wounds? Do these past rejections affect your life today and all that you hope to achieve?
When it comes to your creative work...what are you MOST insecure about? As a person what are you most insecure about? Do they overlap? What might you do to overcome these insecurities??
"You've got to take the initiave and play your game...Confidence makes the difference." -Chris Everett, Tennis Star
A month or so ago my face book friend Sheri put a call out for artists to teach at her Beach Retreat in South Carolina. I LOVE to teach...it's my passion and really, really wanted to go. However...I was scared to death and decided not to contact her. A week or so went by and it kept nagging at me...let her know you are interested. Finally I sent her a message and class ideas and she accepted!! Sooooo....guess what girls?? I am TEACHING at my first art retreat in South Carolina this October 2014!! I am BEYOND excited and can't believe this is happening!! I took a risk of being rejected and am so grateful that I just did it!! Despite the risk...YAY me!
Rejection is part of the job description for anyone in the arts... one must have a sense of purpose... of where you want to go with your art, and no one decides that but you. Seek relevance instead of approval. (Jackie Knott)
Let me know how YOU handle rejection!! Leave me a comment and let me know. Be sure and stop by our FB page Mind.Body.Soul too. Oh and if you haven't started on your Being Me journey yet or just need all 22 weeks in one place you can find that here. And the Art Retreat I am teaching at Art Beach Retreat is here.
Have a great week!!!
Hi my friend, I want to say CONGRATS to you on your teaching engagement! I'm so happy for you! Way to be an example and an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteI think for me the fear of rejection keeps me from trying....kinda like the fear of failure. I was rejected in so many different ways in my first marriage and I do know that some of that lingers in the depths and once and awhile will resurface. When I am at my worst or in my darker moments, I tend to isolate and not want to subject anyone else to my really bad attitude and snippy, offish personality. Good thing that doesn't happen very often!! ;)
Congratulations on your teaching gig....that's so exciting! I think it is such a beneficial exercise to look rejection right in the face, as you are suggesting here: when did it happen, what did it feel like, what did I learn from it. I think I should definitely spend some time with this!
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