“When I have the time…

When I have MORE time…

When I retire…”

One of the biggest problems creatives tell me they have is making time for their art. In last week’s video I talked about how scarcity thinking may impact the way we invest in our art and touched upon time also being influenced by scarcity thinking. 

Today I want to speak really honestly about how we show up and use our time: are we making the most of the time we have?

My name is Carrie and I created Artist Strong to help artists like you move from feeling stuck in their studio, wondering what’s next to confidently expressing themselves through unique art. To date, thousands have joined the community to learn and grow together.

If you feel like gaps in your learning hold you back from making your best art, sign up and watch my workshop, called How to Create Art from Your Imagination, for free. It’s completely free for you to watch and the link is in the description below.

Today’s conversation is a bit serious. But I think it’s the most important one we can have.

Before my brain surgery (yes you heard that correctly), I was told:

I may go blind.

I may need hormone replacement therapy for the rest of my life.

I may die.

I was 24.

I tangibly felt how fleeting life is. And I made a promise to myself if I survived to do the things my heart called me to do.

Before that surgery, I painted self-portraits while I hid away in my sister’s basement awaiting my surgery at Mass General Hospital in Boston. I painted because if those were my last days on this planet, that’s what I wanted to do.

I was fortunate my surgery was a complete success. Not only did I continue my art, which I entered into group shows and competitions (and placed as a finalist),

I ended up moving to Dubai, where I eventually met and married the love of my life who I now share my wonderful little family with.

You’re going to die

I want to shift gears here for a minute and ask you, have you heard of Gary Vee? Gary Vaynerchuk is an entrepreneur who talks a lot about hustle, culture, showing up for what you love and following your passions. (He also drops an F-bomb almost every minute).

Something he’s said in various ways really resonates with me, and I hope it will with you. In one interview he talked about waking up everyday thinking about how it could be his very last. He uses that frame to help him make choices aligned with his true values.

A more direct version of this is some advice he gave someone who asked him for three words of inspiration. His reply?

“You’re going to die.”

For those of you who want to watch that video I’ve linked it below or embedded in my article on the blog:

He has an article here as well.

I mentioned the work I created and placed in a competition. At that point in my life I was terrified of applying to shows and being rejected. I still felt that meant I was no good and it was some kind of indication I should stop making art. (Spoiler alert: it’s not).

After almost dying, I thought, why not. And when I found a competition that suited my work, I applied.

Those two paintings I created in the days leading up to my surgery placed as finalists in that nationwide competition. I was awarded money that allowed me to buy my first laptop and the work went on a two-year gallery across the United States, which included stops at the Smithsonian and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽If this is resonating with you, type ART in the comments below.

I don’t want you to wait for brain surgery, other illnesses, or the death of loved ones to spur you to do the things you care about.

Today, I invite you to consider the following:

If today was your last day on this planet, 

Are you making the choices you would?

What would be different in your life?

The same?

And of course, how does your art fit into this?

I create programming like Self-Taught to Self-Confident because I don’t want you to lose another minute to those artistic dreams and ambitions. You have a yearning that comes from your heart to express yourself through your art.

You can make art that impresses your loved ones.

You can create art people recognize as uniquely yours.

You can express the ideas in your mind confidently through your art.

👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽 Let’s not waste one more minute. Click on my calendar link below to choose the next available time so together we can figure out what Self-Taught to Self-Confident can do for you.

In a lot of my videos I talk about reflection. We need to take time to consider what we really want for ourselves and our art so we can actually take steps forward to act on those desires.

I have a big and vulnerable question today: 

What are you waiting for? 

👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽 I’d LOVE for you to share it in the comments below, but I also realize that may feel scary because typing it in a public space makes it feel real. If that’s not right for you, I hope you can write it in a journal or take some time to think about your answer to that question.

Because YOU and this world you live in deserves your art. We make the world better when we show up for our creative interests.

After you’ve thought about it, in the comments below, tell me ONE thing you can start working on this week to confidently express yourself through unique art.

And if these were some of your last days on this planet what would change?

Because, guess what?

🧡 They are. 🧡

👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽Thanks so much for watching, please like and subscribe if you enjoyed today’s video. It helps Artist Strong help more creatives like you. And always remember…

proudly call yourself an artist.

Together we are Artist Strong.

 

Choose the next available time so together we can figure out what Self-Taught to Self-Confident can do for you: