In high school we had a Musicianship class every year.
One year, I don't remember which,
we had to compose a song in the style
of the musical period we were studying.
I remember loving mine,
I thought it was the greatest thing ever.
I think it was the first thing I had ever composed.
And everyone said it sounded like
Well, I didn't think so...
That's when I learned that
it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.
And I'll probably have to keep relearning that lesson
until the day I die.
But don't we all?
I also learned that I was really good
at taking other people's ideas
and making them into my own.
And that's okay.
Because it's me.
Start Quote
One of the reasons many of us have trouble
getting our Work out into the world
is that unconsciously we're
competing instead of creating,
which always short-circuits the flow of inspiration...
Why do we make ourselves sick competing against strangers?
I believe it's just another sophisticated,
seditious form of self-sabotage.
If we don't measure up, why even try?
The fault line of comparison runs so deep
in the lives of many of us
it's heartbreaking.
I know women who quake at the thought of school bake sales
because their brownies don't sell as fast as those of another mother,
and the psychic phobia over Halloween costumes
is the last frontier in feminine psychology.
Five years ago when I published my first book,
which updated Victorian family traditions,
there were few popular books on the Victorian era available.
But the late nineteenth century was just about to be rediscovered,
and within two years there were so many books in the stores the market was completely saturated...
This doesn't mean if you are writing
[a book about the Victorian era]
that you should stop.
The cycle of creation is cyclical.
There's a reason the past is a prologue.
Sometimes you're ahead of your time.
Mozart was known to qualify his genius
by declaring he was composing for future generations.
There are literally millions of aspiring and working artists...
Don't panic.
It is impossible for you to be an original.
But you can be authentic...
Once you accept an artistic assignment from the Great Creator,
it's yours.
Nobody can take it away from you,
unless, of course,
you relinquish it.
Nobody can duplicate your work
because there's no one in the world like you.
They can imitate, but they can't duplicate.
Your work is born of your
sensibilities, temperament, experience, emotion, passion,
perseverance, attention to detail, idiosyncrasies, and eccentricities.
When you're authentic, so is your art.
End Quote
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Gratitude Journal
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1) The Zoo. We have a great zoo, only 20 minutes away! If you don't have a membership, you should. Watching the animals, and watching the kids watch the animals, is so cool.
2) Ideas. I think you guys know that I've been working on Danny Boy, it's been so helpful in my grieving process. I keep having this idea every time I listen to it that I want to make a music video. I have this mini movie running through my head every time I listen to it, and I hope I can turn it into real life. But even if it never comes true, I'm at least glad I had the idea. The video is beautiful, I hope one day you'll get to see it.
3) Robbie and his dad worked on my piano keys! By the end of the week my piano should be put back together! I'm so excited!!!
4) Robbie's parents do a lot of thrifting, and so we often get to reap the benefits of their treasure finds. Tonight was a backpack for Jacob. Thank you Grandma and Papa!
5) I hate the dentist. I really don't want to go tomorrow. But I'm very grateful that I only have one cavity...last time I had 4 and had to make two trips. I can handle one trip and one cavity.
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