Jayne here…
Recently I went to see a good friend perform at a local music venue. I enjoyed the music, and I was noticing my personal reactions to the performance. First, I must confess that I am in awe of what my friend does. She writes wonderful songs and sings them brilliantly. My secret creative desire (well, not so secret these days) is to write music and perform - has been for years. I’ve learned to sing pretty well (or so folks tell me), I know a little guitar and piano, but up until now have not followed through with that next step into writing my own material.
This is not the first time I have seen my friend perform. Last night she was superb. Her lyrics seemed right on the money and her voice, clear and beautiful. She easily accompanied herself on guitar. I found myself drifting off into a sort of reverie of "what if?" My admired friend is the closest model I have for my creative life. I found myself imagining myself in her shoes; thinking about what it would feel like standing on the stage beaming at friends, relatives and adoring fans. I imagined what it would feel like to sing with such confidence and joy, reveling in the words and songs I’ve written. I imagined enjoying the community who are singing along with particular favorite songs of mine. I felt joy and excitement at the prospect.
I could have felt envious of my friend or even critical of myself. Gratefully, I used the experience to visualize what I want for myself. There is a reason that I have the desires I do. I believe we are not given desires without a way to fulfill them. I know I will never be just like my friend. (Nor would I want to be. I will be myself.) I am grateful to her for giving me a model to grow towards. Without a model it would be difficult to envision my success. I now have a powerful, emotional picture of what I want in my creative life.
Illuminate Your Vision is the fifth strategy for getting a creative life. This means getting an emotionally charged picture in your minds eye of what you really want. The mind cannot distinguish between a life experience and a memory.
Action Step:
Find a picture or an experience that illustrates your creative desire. Imagine how you would feel when you are in that situation. Do this daily.
Question: Who is your role model?
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