2012 Affirmations # 4 - there are no mistakes

I once had an art teacher say, "allow chaos, knowing that order will eventually emerge".

Trust our instincts.

Release perfectionism and criticism; surrender to the process.

Follow the energy and keep adding to the energy.

Fearlessness is probably at the foundation of everything amazing that has ever been born - it doesn't mean recklessness and is maybe the opposite of recklessness. We learn to take responsibility for our choices. We learn our craft and practice it. We choose to be courageous and to open our hearts to life itself.

"the painting rises from the brush strokes as the poem rises from the words - the meaning comes later" ... joan miro

Affirming that there are no mistakes allows us to take risks that perfectionism would never allow. It allows something larger to express through us. We flow with the fierce urge to create, to make, to work with what is and allow it to express what could be.

The idea of "working with what is" and "allowing" are major themes in my life right now both professionally and personally - although I don't keep the two all that separate these days and trying to would probably create a Sybil-like alter ego

(maybe one named Dog who would figure this all out for me or maybe hubs would just have one more pooch to walk and Olive a little competition to kill her plushies quickly by ripping out their squeakers)

*jim morrison quote print above from sacred and profane

David came to our house from rehab this weekend. I have been watching hubs (a man predisposed by nature to say the wrong thing for the right reasons) struggle to say the right thing. Sometimes there are no right things. As I write this he has taken David to work with him for the day ... just holding in our hearts the words "the painting arises from the brushstrokes" and allowing ...

xo =^..^=

2 comments

KJ said...

In class room settings when learning something new my approach has always been that although I do not like being wrong I do not mind being wrong. It is part of the process of learning. That skill set does not transfer quite as well to jewelry making. Thanks for making me think.

Catherine Ivins said...

Hi KJ- Every single time I have been hit with a stumbling block with my creating - either something not working, a supplier discontinuing something I need, etc - it has always - every single time - led me to something better.

Allowing mistakes doesn't mean settling for sloppy work or a poor skill set - it is a mindset that allows us to be open to new energy and to avoid the perfectionistic tendencies that many makers with great skill sets tend to develop over time

yes- part of the process of learning and we are always learning it never ends

xo