Back cover of my Artful Journey Funky Chunky Coffee Table BookIt reads 'in her heart there was hope'
I told the universe I needed a sign and I was given these:
This post by my friend Lorrie about listening to your instincts. A life changing post. Go and have a read.
This post over at Make and Meaning about the costs of a corporate life. This post is a talisman for me.
A heartfelt reaching out from Chrissy asking if I was OK, which gave me the opportunity to clarify what was going on in my head.
This post by my friend Lorrie about listening to your instincts. A life changing post. Go and have a read.
This post over at Make and Meaning about the costs of a corporate life. This post is a talisman for me.
A heartfelt reaching out from Chrissy asking if I was OK, which gave me the opportunity to clarify what was going on in my head.
My heart and soul are nested hereThe thing about unraveling, as painful and confusing as it is, it that once it's complete you often find yourself staring at a simple, beautiful truth.
The truth that is calling to me is that I want to live a simpler life. I want to wear jeans and converse to work, not dress pants and shirts. I want art and writing to be at the core of my everyday life, not meetings and strategic planning. I want my actions and choices to reflect my commitment to living a creative life. I want to be more proactive in taking steps towards that life.
I'm not sure what happens next, but I'm ready to find out.
I'm not sure if you can hear my quiet cheer from my office...starting to put the things in place that I need to do to leave my job, step by step...it's scary but eciting, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteThank you TG. Thank you.
ReplyDeletexxoo
Lorrie
Hi Cathy....I'm waving to you from the opposite corner of the "Crossroad".
ReplyDeleteIt's a daunting and uncertain place to be.
But I kinda like taking new directions....where no one can tell you which way to go, except yourself!
That's a very interesting post over at Make and Meaning... I would never have had the guts to leave my corporate job. It's a very brave thing to do.
ReplyDeleteThere is seriously NOTHING more life-affirming than real clarity - the kind that brings together thought and feeling. Good luck! I'm looking forward to cheering you on your new journey. xo
ReplyDeleteYes, clarity. It's a stunning thing. I crave it also.
ReplyDeleteTotally, 100%, hear what you are saying about simple truth.
ok, must go read those links... and email you soon too.
oh, that book cover painting is lovely btw ;)
x
YES!
ReplyDeleteHugs and Love! xox
these links are SO AMAZING!! thank you for posting them =-)
ReplyDeletei'm glad you are making the choice to honor your dreams, your truth and, above all, your SELF!
i'm working on those steps toward a Creative Life - it will be slow going, as i recently discussed with my life coach, but i know it will be well worth it - it's just so HARD to wait for it to arrive!! ;)
sounds like you already know the answers to your questions merely because you are asking them....
ReplyDeleteLove the painting of the girl, and the saying that goes with her. I'm still in awe with your skill. I've been inspired by reading your blog and think I need to pick up some paint and try it for myself some time. I have no clue how it would come out, but I really want to try.
ReplyDeletei love you C.
ReplyDeletehope you know that!
Man Cathy, you have taken the words right out of my mouth! We know we have passion and priority for certain things in our life, but is our time spent reflective of that...usually not. I am looking for answers myself right now too and will be reading along your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI got link-chasing and forgot to comment, so just making it back now... I really liked the post over at Make and Meaning.
ReplyDeleteIs there any possibility of doing things in small steps rather than giant leaps? Is there any potential for a 4 or 3 day working week in your corporate job (or one like it), giving you an income but allowing more space for the simpler life you want to lead, and breathing space as an artist? Of course I'm totally naive about your workplace culture and possibilities, but that's where I'd be starting.
Hmmm... I've been thinking about the "Make and Meaning" article a fair bit and it's taken me a while to work out what's been niggling at me. I think I've arrived at the conclusion that the basic premise is really sound, but the comparisons are a little too dangerously black and white for my liking.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you shared it, as it really brought home to me how unrealistic my own yearnings are at times. Articles like this really hone in on (and sometimes exacerbate) my unhappiness. Partly, the "grass is always greener" syndrome and partly, I suspect, my denial that I would approach working for myself in much the same way as I do my day job.
Your EXCELLENT "Mix Tape" article really reinforced to me that my cadence in writing, art and life is mostly the result of inspired bursts. I panic about the down times but you won't see me for the dust during my manic times!
I have the feeling that the pressure of generating the only income that would pay the mortgage and put food on my table through my writing and art-making would take all the fun out of it. There's some relief in "working for the man". I seem to recall that Kelly Rae Roberts, while grateful for her artful life, occasionally pines for her old day job (where she could "switch off" when she got home) when the pressure and high standards she sets for herself get a bit overwhelming.
Maybe it's a question of a happy medium, at least until the nature of our creatives lives becomes apparent and we can fully step in to them? I still reckon Summer Pierre is onto something (I know I keep proselytising about her book, so I will shut up now!).
Looking forward to chatting more about this when we meet up for coffee. It's such a difficult one to grapple with, and I'm not sure I've been very articulate or linear about it here.
I hope you keep unraveling until you get to the clarity in the centre......and I wish you the strength to run with it!
ReplyDeleteI love your blog, you always make me think.
ReplyDeleteHope you find what you're looking for xx
Thanks for sharing such great finds. And I hope you find what you are looking for. So many questions, so many choices - so good that you are looking around to seek them out before you pitch forward in a new direction
ReplyDeleteThat unravelling part really can be hard, and feel quite awful when you're in the midst of it. It's great to hear that you're on the way out with some wonderful insight as to where you want to go next. I'm sure wonderful things are just around the corner for you. Big hugs from me!
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