Julia Cameron talks about blocked artists. There is a lot of things that strike a nerve in me about this chapter because I recently had some horrifying, isolating, uncompassionate things said to me recently by a family member. She kept insisting that these were things that I needed to hear. And, it immobilized me for days. It's the kind of stuff that can push you back down when you think you are already down or even making progress. It especially hurt because I try my best to be supportive and positive despite the dysfunctionality that all relationships possess. I started to realize first-hand how important it is to really honor, love, and respect yourself. The longer you listen to criticisms that are invalid, illogical, and plain ugly, the more you start to believe them.
Goodness! It is time to stop listening to such sad and petty people. Still love them and show compassion, but realize how much of an emotional drain they can be to a blocked artist. Cameron talks about the paralyzing power that can damage a creative person. When she wrote these words, I could almost see these words in the piles and piles of crap people have told me. And, man, it can really hurt if you choose to step into those dark places.
Experts talk about how it takes 20 seconds to fully recieve a positive comment and how a person can be given praise and the one thing he will remember is the negative comment. Again, it is time to move past the ugliness, pettiness, and bitterness. You must know what is helpful and supportive commentary and what is basically b.s. And people love to talk a good talk standing on a pile of negativity and usually these people never accomplish much and are short on results. Those people are basically sick, sad losers. And the sooner, we can learn this truth the easier it will be to protect your soul, dreams, and joys.
According to Cameron -- Deep down, adults can end up damaged, even made to feel guilty about their own strengths and gifts. "Without being acknowledegd, they are often used as batteries by their families and friends, who feel free to both use their creative energies and disparage them. When these blocked artists strive to break free of their dysfunctional systems, they are often urged to be sensible when such advice is not appropriate for them. Made to feel guilty for their talents, they often hide their own light under a bushel for for fear of hurting others. Instead, they hurt themselves." When I read these words, I am relieved. Finally, for the first time, someone in words has been able to clearly articulate the struggle I have been going through my entire life.
So, cheers to finally knowing what this guilt and shame was all about. And, I can move on from this place and re-discover the child that God created me to be. That is where true happiness is going to rest. Being who God wanted you to be. The best way to recover from ugly criticism is to do something creative again. It is the only genuine cure for criticism.
Being in touch with who you were before the craziness and complications of life took a hold of your soul is another place to search. As I continue looking at who I was as a kid, I hope that somewhere I can discover who I am and need to be to align my will to the intructions of God, nature, and universe. Yeah, it will be a struggle, but that is how life tends to be. Ugly duckling stages and growth stages... you have to see life as a whole instead of always running from the struggles. Whatever life creates in your world find peace and happiness in that moment for God is changing your heart and wanting you to grow.
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