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| Painting done in FW Acrylic demo class |
Sometimes I take myself and the things I do too seriously. I want it to be perfect. I want everyone to love it. I want everyone to love me.....well that is not always going to happen. Not because I am not lovable or because what I do is not any good, but because that is just life. This is hard to accept because the message we receive throughout our lives is to be your best, be on top and if you are everyone will love it. Boy have I learned that this way of thinking is just not realistic.
It took me a long time to learn this, through much heart break and disappointment. When I first started writing my blog in 2006 no one read it. I would email friends and let them know about it and not a peep, so I gave up. I did not write for 3 years until I believe 2009, still minimal responses. Truly it was not until May of this year that I started blogging on a somewhat regular basis. I was challenging myself to draw something everyday and post it. It did not matter if I got a comment or not (of course it helps to get some), I just had to do the work, post the item, and have fun doing it.
Now don't get me wrong, I want people to look at my blog and comment, even a brief Hi. I still get excited when I check and find a comment. But, the one thing I try to do, if I am looking at a picture on Facebook, is make a comment; or If I read a blog I try to leave a comment to say Hi. Do I always, no but I promise myself to do better.
Wow, light bulb moment.....it is like walking into someone's house and not saying hello. Hey this is interesting. I am really going to live this now. This means that I have to live my own truth and be more responsive when I visit blogs and enter your space; when I look at your artwork on Facebook or Tumblr or Twitter; or when I get an email; I have to respond, say Hello and wish you well.
I like this blog-a-long. It is making me think, making me do some soul searching and remembering to be humble. So dear reader, as you visit me today I greet you with a Warm Hello and Welcome come on in, Sit a Spell and have a good time.
Your Friend, Pilgrim
8 comments:
Waving Hi! I'm gonna grab a cup of coffee and hope my way through a few blogs and leave a little love. Your blog was the one I started with.
What a great post!
Thanks for the gentle reminder to let people know that we are stopping by. I too get distracted and busy and forget to leave a little note and I will try harder to ensure that I leave a little love before I go.
Hi! :)
I like the "coming to your home and saying hi" analogy - I often think this when reading Facebook arguments - if we could all think of it as though we're in someone's living room, maybe we could remember to be more polite...
Thank you for posting :)
1000fields of roses....you are so right. Never thought about the facebook arguments, but it is true. Just like we would not argue in public, we should really think of social media in the same way.
Anna, Hi back at ya. Enjoy your blog reading.
I used to be completely addicted to reading and commenting on blogs, which I think might explain how quickly I established a blog following. While I have less time now, I do still try to connect with people one on one with comments. Not always easy, but I know that commenting is the currency in the blog world. :)
That's a really good comparison about walking into a house and not saying hello! Sometimes I find it hard to leave a comment because it seems so silly just to say "Hi! I read your post!" and not really have anything to say -about- the post. :X But I know if I got that on my own blog I'd be pleased, so, yeah. :D
Cara, it took me a while to understand that saying Hi is enough. I hope to get to a place where even that does not matter,
Effie, I understand what you mean completely, but sometimes that Hi might be the only nice thing a person sees on any given day.
Wow, that analogy about walking into someones home and NOT saying hello was BRILLIANT!! May I quote you on that one??!?!
If I visit a new blog, I almost ALWAYS leave a comment of encouragement because I know how hard it can be to:
1) start a blog
2) share your work publicly, ESPECIALLY if you are new to making art
3) write a blog if one is not a natural writer
4) continue blogging regularly...
None of the above are easy!!
I too love to see comments on my blog, and try to have prompts to encourage comments, but I also view my blog as an 'open journal', of sorts, a place for me to record my creative work with its progression and evolution, as well as sharing it with the world at large in the hopes it will inspire others into creative pursuits. Having these ideas about my blog helps when there are no comments on my blog posts, but I also know that if you keep sharing your work, others will see it and begin to share their thoughts of it with YOU, so keep blogging my friend!! =-)
Monica, you may certainly quote the analogy. I love your response, thanks so much for your insight and your wonderful encouragement.
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