the power of accepting

I have great friends. Amazing friends who are constantly reminding me of the need to accept the good that comes to me as an artist; to seek the confidence and pride in my work and to simply enjoy the moment.

I recently donated artwork to the Fall River Conservancy for their yearly fundraising gala. After pricing my piece at a range that I suspected would elicit a fair number of bids I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the piece sold for 3x what I priced it. All as others had been telling me how awesome my creative endeavor was.

So why was it that I could not simply say "thank you?" One of the biggest problems that creative people face isn't a lack of time or money, but rather a lack of confidence.  Oddly some of the most talented artists are those whose careers are inert due to a lack of belief in their work.  Jonathan Fields, author of "Uncertainty, Turning Fear & Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance," states that fear and consistency are two of the issues artists struggle with the most; Am I good enough? If I succeed will I be worthy of it? How do I succeed and what are the steps I need to take to reach my goals?

As I continue to grow as an artist, visualizing my success and defining my goals, I intend to celebrate my achievements while thanking my friends when they acknowledges my efforts and pay me sweetly kind compliments.