Thought for the day: Focus on what you make - on what you can uniquely bring to the world, not how it compares to others. You are the bar for what is enough, and you are enough.
Last night I stopped into get a hair cut by this guy Winston, who also happens to be an artist, painter, he also turns everyday bikes into electric bikes, he loves to work with his hands, whether it's cutting hair or making designs for game boards (Winston Reed's Etsy here.)
This guy really knows himself and what makes him happy, and just decided a long time ago to do it, not because it popular, but just because when he is creating something, working with his hands, he feels alive, and it gives him a sense of purpose. His desire to improve is driven by his love of the craft, and the love of turning ideas into something tangible.
I relate very much to this instinct as a driving purpose and have found it intensely therapeutic. I have found that the mind state I am in after a great guitar playing session for example, has sometimes changed the whole way I look at an overwhelming problem, and I get insights and am more optimistic about how to approach it. Passion can be practical!
Here's to the "Winstons" and others out there who remind me about the power of passion, of being yourself, of knowing yourself and accepting yourself; and a reminder that having passions you love even just as your own internal reward, can fuel the rest of your life (or at least make the ugly things more palatable.)
Here's also to organizations like Life Center Stage for their tireless support of artists - check these guys out!
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