Posts
Many creatives have been blessed with a sensitive nature. It's the part of them that responds to beauty and truth . . . the part where creativity is born. It's the amazing intuitive gift that hears the music, envisions the painting, feels the dance, and writes the stories that tug at heart strings. This gift of sensitivity is an incredible blessing, but it can sometimes puts artists in position to be precariously vulnerable.
The beauty of the intuitive nature opens your senses to perceive and create, but also opens your senses to feel passionately the pain of the world around you and all the stresses that it brings. With our current economy and international tensions, the artistic souls can easily become overly anxious.
Recently, I had an interesting conversation with a friend, who is also well-known author of over 58 books.
We discussed this problem of 'overwhelm' that many are finding themselves caught in. It can be an obsession with the world situation or the nightly news or ones financial woes, but it causes the sensitive souls to grow increasingly negative and non-productive, even to the point of being immobilized by fear and anxiety.
If that is you or anyone you know, it's important to act immediately and change this cycle. It's vital to turn OFF the news and fill your mind with positive material.
My friend, the author, told me of his friend who has had success with a new and simple technique. This person suggests that you proclaim 'out loud' your intentions to stop dwelling on the negative, choose the good and to change course - and do it regularly. He says that we can actually change the neural pathways, or 'grooves' in our brain, by speaking loudly and stating our new path.
It's working for some - I don't know the scientific evidence to back all of this up, but I'd say it's worth a try. I do know that each of us must fight for what is good, for our families, our futures. Why then does it not make sense that we also fight for hope?
"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8
Those of us with sensitive natures often struggle to keep our heads above water during stressful times.
At my house we are proclaiming whatever is true, lovely and good . . . makes sense to me!
Let this correction in thinking move into your creativity. Paint, sing, dance, write, sculpt, create and draw your proclamation!
I also encourage you to write out your proclamation below that says you will no longer bow to the negative forces that are trying to pull you down - then shout it to the housetops!
So true. Such a challenge for all of us, artists and non-artists alike. Hans R.Rookmaaker asserts that is true for the actual doing of art, as well. He wrote, "The norm for all art may therefore be found formulated in Philippians 4:8" (Western Art and the Meanderings of a Culture). Thank-you for this reminder!
ReplyDeleteSo real and true! We need to step up to the plate and declare God's gifts and talents are deposited in us (WOW) and we are his workmanship! What joy and freedom!
ReplyDelete"Acceeeentuate the positive Eliiiminate the negative, don't mess with Mr. In-between!" An old song that jumped into my head! A quick google tells me the words are by Johnny Mercer, perhaps a song from wartime? Whatever. Your words ring true as usual Deby.
ReplyDeleteAmen & Amen! Release your faith, that the fullness of THE BLESSING is coming into your life, in abundance to the full, until it overlows, in Jesus Name! Truth will change a lie, and cause those things that be not, as though they, are!God's Word has the power within, itself, to cause itself to come to pass! Build yourself! Miss Jan
ReplyDeleteHi Deb...
ReplyDeleteFor 5 years I left the art world to sell Time Share resorts here in Orlando.
I'll tell you that in that field ( or any sales, i figure) there is no room for "negging" people out by looking back, complaining, or projecting a bad result into future opportunities.
God is so clear that we are not to worry about tomorrow because it has enough problems of it's own... but to "trust in the Lord with all our hearts and not lean to our own understanding, but acknowledge Him and He will make our paths straight").
It is now always easy to follow that promise because of the overwhelming amount of information that is flying by us every day... it can paralyze even the stoutest personality.
I have found that I have to rely every minute on God's grace because even with what some people tell m e is a very strong talent of creativity and illustration the world is not what it used to be 5 years ago.
I have found that if i am not willing to stretch and be flxible with all the new innovations I have a good chance on not moving in a positive direction and especially i am going to lose many opportunities to influence others in my field. I don't like change at all!!!
I would rather sit in my studio and draw and paint using all my traditional tools but because i am getting overrun by contemporary computer tools, i find that it is a good idea for me to jump into the frey using the talents God has given me to help move my little section of world.
Thanks for posting this Deb... you are always an inspiration.
God bless,
Dee
Too true.
ReplyDeleteDepression is something that I'd never had to deal with til the past five years, during the breakup of my marriage, and the financial desperation which that created, and which continues to this day.
Each day is a struggle, to make ends meet and make the best life possible for my two boys, and though there have been very low times, I have determined that this is the year that I will stop spinning my wheels and dig into the road.
I certainly hope this wasn't prophetic, but my verification word for the above comment was "endhope".
ReplyDeleteMan. Even blogger's trying to keep me down.;)
I've often said that if the world ends, I will be the last person to know. I don't often watch or read the news because I do find it too depressing. Of course, I do remember watching the local news after I first moved to Idaho -- they were doing a segment on someone's sheep and I remember thinking that if the news has to go to these kinds of stories, I'm living in a good place. I'm glad to say that after 20 years there are still slow news days. Even in the grocery store, I read the headlines on the tabloids to get a good laugh, but that's all the "catch-up" I need with the unreal world of the celebrities. I think we'd all be better off if we'd spend more time working on bettering our own families than worrying about what everybody else is up to and what bad things are going on in the world.
ReplyDeleteI like the thought of shouting out the good things. Good post, Deby.
I'm shouting to the housetops that I love your comments and appreciate each of you!
ReplyDeleteLet's make it a goal to encourage those around us too.
And Brad - you may have been at the end of hope but hope has found you! We are cheering you on!!
Deby, once again, you have spoken the Truth, and I'm certain, it is spoken "in love!" Our "plight" as it were, is one of sometimes desperation; feels like on a daily basis, we have to discipline our minds to declare a reality others don't see and hear, because of the clamoring about us. But as the old hymn says: "fight manfully onward..." Our weapons aren't carnal, but mighty to the pulling down of strongholds - be it the tiniest chip of a brick at a time, we fight on! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMake "hope a habit" has become my daily motto. In light of what you've encouraged us to do, I must say that I've had no choice but to proclaim such boldness if I am to face each day. The thought came to me that the war between peace and anxiety began in the Garden of Eden, so it's no surprise to me that in this world we now have such " tribulation". But alas, I proclaim: we are "more than conquerors" to those who are in Christ Jesus
ReplyDelete