You Are the Master of Yourself

How does this apply to being an artist?

I have listened to a podcast that talks about four things: faith, family, friendship, and your work. I am not sure I have them exactly as I heard them since I was trying to take notes at the same time as listening!

Oh, Dear! Yes, I did go back and listen again. But if those four things are not perfectly written, that is what I heard. That is what my brain said I heard!

And, I created the beginning of this article a few weeks ago and do not have the link to whatever podcast I was listening to. I apologize for that. I now realize I should have immediately put it in the draft of this article. You might have enjoyed going there!

Can an artist or a writer benefit from the thought I got from it?

The gist of the podcast was about being happier in later life and how to achieve the idea. They were talking from ages 50–to 70 approximately.

I am two years past that last number, and for the last five years at least, I have been trying to be the best person I possibly can be. It will affect those four things mentioned earlier.

Apply these thoughts to be an artist.

That does not mean you have to physically paint. You can be a writer, a musician, a gardener, or any number of things done creatively.

Have a purpose! Enjoy the journey to get to a spot on any given day where you immerse yourself in that creative purpose.

To illustrate that thought as it applies to my art...

I have had a few solo shows of my artwork over the last 20 years. Usually, there is a title to a show. I have a favorite saying I quote to my students, so I chose “It’s the Journey!” We have all heard some version of, “It’s the journey, not the destination.”

I do not know the originator of the saying or the correct version. I have tried looking it up. I have heard it said the opposite way: “It’s not the destination, but the journey.” So which one is correct? I like the reverse … the way I said it as a quote in the paragraph above.

After the first one, I decided all my shows would have that title! Give that a little thought, would you? What does it say to you?

I have been teaching for many years, and for a number of them, I say I am a “mentor” more so than “just” a teacher. You cannot divorce your calling from your life. What you do as “your work” affects all the other aspects of your daily life.

What is the journey?

For me, it is enjoying the process of painting. The painting above is nearing the finish. I have put a frame on it to see what it looks like and to determine if anything I can do to it would make it “better.” The photo is a little askew, so forgive me for that!

And … my journey in my writing, like right now, is the process of choosing the correct thoughts I want to get across. I am the master of what I choose.

Each of those two requires the correct words or brush and color to use.

I love what I do in painting.

I have in the last half of my journey of being an artist, learned it is not about the end product. They are no longer precious. I can change anything on that canvas or paper at any time. I love doing a brush-off or wipe-out, and building that spot again in a different way.

That is enjoyment. That is my happy place. Before I know it, three hours at least have gone by in the blink of an eye!

How about you?

Are you able to be the master of your day? Just for one day, you might “sneak” upon it!

Let’s get back to those four things: faith, family, friendship, and your work. It does not matter what your “faith” is. It is yours! It only matters that you have joy in it. Apply that same thought to the remaining three things.

Be good at each of those four things.

Do your best to get up each morning and live this thought …

Be happy. Be you!

Approach the next few minutes with the joy of doing the right thing as you feel it.