Another great essay that I really could relate to and I love the honey bee comparison!
Even within my art, my art style bops around so much people probably think it’s being made by 10 different people. I usually blame it on my indecisiveness, but it may be more my curiosity than I give it credit for.
Having also switched creative career goals (for now anyway) at a point in my life when most people around me are well settled and skilled in their fields I often feel the pressure of having lost some “race” before I even started. “I’m so behind the other artists around me”…but why do we start this race in our heads in the first place? Its not like these other people know they’re in this “race”.
Like you say, its so much better set or own standards of success rather than chasing what we think society says it is.
Thank you Tara. 🙏🏻 You're right, it's even applicable to art as well. This pressure to just do one thing and do it really well. Which leads to a lot of decision- and performance anxiety.
Ugh, this constant feeling of being in a race, having to compete... I'm wondering if it's a side effect of being online, and seeing what everyone else is doing, always being reminded of how far behind we are. I've noticed that the more I go offline and disconnect from the world, the more at peace I am with my progress and my way of doing things. The more "successful" I feel. But's it's like I need stillness in order to remind myself of that.
I agree completely and that’s a really good point about this “race” feeling like a side effect of being online, or at least amplified by it. It makes me think of a thought you brought up in you “How to Put Up with Being a Bad Artist” video that really stuck with me. You pointed out how different being an artist would have been back in the “olden days” when you only had your own small world to compare yourself too. Now today we we’re comparing ourselves and our success to the whole world, and like you said , we’re not built for that.
Hela tanken att man ska skynda sig att hitta sin form och sedan vara sådan hela livet är ju så onaturlig. Man växer, blommar, bär frukt, fäller sina blad, vilar och grunnar på en ny vision, som naturen gör. Sedan kommer våren och levererar något nytt, tar en ny form, blommar igen. Vi är inte linjära eller statiska, vi samlar årsringar och med tiden blir dem som ett själsligt fingeravtryck. Alla unika. :)
Hi Louise, thank you for bringing this idea of being a scanner to me. From when I started my music studies I have been a piano teacher, with sometimes earning some money as a pianist on the side (although being a pianist is actually what i have studied for). I have always had other interests, and I was always doubting about changing careers. But I never dared to, too afraid of making the wrong decision and of failing (being a perfecionist and always thinking in big terms - "this must be for life", "i have to get very good at this" - also didn't help). Now I am giving myself some space to work on other things (I am 35 now and I catch myself thinking it's too late to get good enough at something else...). I feel sad I didn't try out these things earlier, I feel I have to start from scratch with so many things and that stresses me out...But what you write helps me and I can relate very well. I can rethink how I want to live my life, admitting to my different interests and talents and probably wanting to find a way to create different types of income. It's a relief to finally say I don't have to identify with one specific profession!
Being a honey bee in a world that just wants you to be a tree, rooted to one spot can be, well, exasperating, isn't it?
I have so many interests and obsessions that the exhortation to "niche down" gives me the hives. Career wise, I've been the same, finding it tough to just "be one thing". I managed, however, to stick to the same line - writing, but exploring all kinds of writing instead. B2B, B2C, fiction, tech writing ... keeps me sane. Though I did do an abrupt detour into nursing in my 30s lol.
There are sooo many ways to be a writer, it really is perfect for a multi-passionate creative that way. Happy to hear you get to practice that in a multitude of ways! 😊
Another great essay that I really could relate to and I love the honey bee comparison!
Even within my art, my art style bops around so much people probably think it’s being made by 10 different people. I usually blame it on my indecisiveness, but it may be more my curiosity than I give it credit for.
Having also switched creative career goals (for now anyway) at a point in my life when most people around me are well settled and skilled in their fields I often feel the pressure of having lost some “race” before I even started. “I’m so behind the other artists around me”…but why do we start this race in our heads in the first place? Its not like these other people know they’re in this “race”.
Like you say, its so much better set or own standards of success rather than chasing what we think society says it is.
Thank you Tara. 🙏🏻 You're right, it's even applicable to art as well. This pressure to just do one thing and do it really well. Which leads to a lot of decision- and performance anxiety.
Ugh, this constant feeling of being in a race, having to compete... I'm wondering if it's a side effect of being online, and seeing what everyone else is doing, always being reminded of how far behind we are. I've noticed that the more I go offline and disconnect from the world, the more at peace I am with my progress and my way of doing things. The more "successful" I feel. But's it's like I need stillness in order to remind myself of that.
I agree completely and that’s a really good point about this “race” feeling like a side effect of being online, or at least amplified by it. It makes me think of a thought you brought up in you “How to Put Up with Being a Bad Artist” video that really stuck with me. You pointed out how different being an artist would have been back in the “olden days” when you only had your own small world to compare yourself too. Now today we we’re comparing ourselves and our success to the whole world, and like you said , we’re not built for that.
Hela tanken att man ska skynda sig att hitta sin form och sedan vara sådan hela livet är ju så onaturlig. Man växer, blommar, bär frukt, fäller sina blad, vilar och grunnar på en ny vision, som naturen gör. Sedan kommer våren och levererar något nytt, tar en ny form, blommar igen. Vi är inte linjära eller statiska, vi samlar årsringar och med tiden blir dem som ett själsligt fingeravtryck. Alla unika. :)
Så sant, så sant. Visa moster. 🖤
Hi Louise, thank you for bringing this idea of being a scanner to me. From when I started my music studies I have been a piano teacher, with sometimes earning some money as a pianist on the side (although being a pianist is actually what i have studied for). I have always had other interests, and I was always doubting about changing careers. But I never dared to, too afraid of making the wrong decision and of failing (being a perfecionist and always thinking in big terms - "this must be for life", "i have to get very good at this" - also didn't help). Now I am giving myself some space to work on other things (I am 35 now and I catch myself thinking it's too late to get good enough at something else...). I feel sad I didn't try out these things earlier, I feel I have to start from scratch with so many things and that stresses me out...But what you write helps me and I can relate very well. I can rethink how I want to live my life, admitting to my different interests and talents and probably wanting to find a way to create different types of income. It's a relief to finally say I don't have to identify with one specific profession!
So happy to hear that. 🙏🏻 I don't think it's ever too late to get "good enough" at something new. Depending on the profession of course. 😊
Again, I relate to this hard.
Being a honey bee in a world that just wants you to be a tree, rooted to one spot can be, well, exasperating, isn't it?
I have so many interests and obsessions that the exhortation to "niche down" gives me the hives. Career wise, I've been the same, finding it tough to just "be one thing". I managed, however, to stick to the same line - writing, but exploring all kinds of writing instead. B2B, B2C, fiction, tech writing ... keeps me sane. Though I did do an abrupt detour into nursing in my 30s lol.
There are sooo many ways to be a writer, it really is perfect for a multi-passionate creative that way. Happy to hear you get to practice that in a multitude of ways! 😊