Inspirational Messages: Do You Have The Grit Gene?

Over the last few days I've been working on lots of projects that kinda have been more computer orientated.  Okay ya...not really projects unless you call me a project..haha!  Taxes.  The good news is that last year, I was doing that in March and this is of course, January. I'm making progress on my 'work in progress' self.  

While doing 'book work' or any type of repetitive computer work (or even sometimes in the art studio), I like to listen to "Ted Talks" and amazingly, I feel like I'm 'upping' my IQ by a millimeter and expanding my critical thinking by tenfold.  wink wink.  

I thought I'd share some of my recent Ted Talks  binge listening sessions  with you over the next couple of days and share my thoughts on how they may relate to you, me, and living/working in a creative settting.

Do you think Grit plays a role in YOUR success in art, professional life, or personal best self?

I love how Angela Lee Duckworth says, ' that we need to be able to fail, to learn and to persevere over the long haul'.  I see all to often people (and it's not just in art) that become paralyzed by the thought of trying something outside of their comfort zone because they are afraid of failing.  

So what if your painting is not a masterpiece the first time you pick up the brush?  Are you in it for the long term? Is this what you want to do and are you ready to roll up your sleeves for the long haul to learn everything you can learn about your medium?

There are many talented people who do awesome at whatever they touch.  And there are others who have that 'grit' gene who have the ABILITY to be just as awesome as that talented person but they are afraid to do anything because they are not currently on the same level as person xyz.  Should that matter? Is growth and success a finite result?  Or is your learning capability a long term marathon, one that effectively increases in success and development over time and is  the result of  simply, not giving up after the first try.

Use your Grit Gene today and believe you can do anything you set your mind to.  It's not going to be easy, and you aren't going to be perfect...nor are you going to be successful each and every attempt at whatever you do...but you will (and I guarantee it) be a million times more successful by keep moving forward. Be passionate and fearless with what you do and know that achievements are won rather than given out of thin air (well most of the time..this is life after all and not everything is fair) ;)

Until we meet again,

Jodi

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Just Do It! Free ART Friday :)

TGIF!  Or at least in some countries it's Friday!

I hope your week was magical and productive. I spent the week doing a lot of learning. We are never too old to learn, right? I've been taking a couple of creative business courses this month which I put a lot of effort into this week,  along with just simply sitting my butt down to figure out things I haven't done yet but have had on my 'to do list' for awhile.

For example, I sat down and created a skeleton of a website I hope to grow into something a lot more flourishing than it is right now. But it's there at least, right? It's farther along than it would be if I was just 'thinking about doing it it' . I actually did it.

Here it is if you want to see it. I mean I should hang my head by even posting it because it's not 'complete'  by any means, but by putting it out there, and I know you will be looking...it'll coax me into keep improving it.  :) I have to use reverse psychology on myself from time to time.

I also learned how to thread my sewing machine this week. HA! I know that's not a biggie but it's something I haven't done in almost a year so I totally forgot how to use it. I couldn't even remember how to sew  in reverse. How sad is that?

But look what I made...well it's not perfect but it's pretty cool. Again..it's a lot cooler in person than just an idea in my head that I never got out. It's here in the world because I forced myself to at least try.

I'm working on several projects for 21 Secrets which opens April 1st.  I have to say, it's been a little bit of a struggle for me because I've moved more away from journaling in a book to  just playing with printing with anything I can get my hands on, sketching in a note pad, doodling on something else, scratching out ideas on loose papers. Journal pages and painted papers are  EVERYWHERE!!  That's actually part of the theme for my class, "Diary of a Highly Effective But Inconsistent Journaler"  you may journal here and there, but it's not consistent, heck it may not even be in a book..but what can we do to make it more a part of our artistic routine?  What are some ideas to reel it all into  one or two places so we CAN use our journals for a reference for future art or just to play with ideas. And just WHAT do we journal on? Do we have to journal on the same type of paper all the time?  

All good questions...and I don't know all the answers but I will share with you several things I've learned along the way and assure you we are in this together and that we can make BEAUTIFUL journal pages..even if they are different from the rest  of the world.  That's the amazing part of journaling. It's totally owwwdilly all about YOU. 

 My other aha 'educational' activity was today when I created my  

Free  ART Lesson

 video for the week.  (haha...like the name?  I had fun playing with some of my facebook friends today trying to come up with a name for my tutorials that I'll be doing weekly) Kinda going off topic here but my idea was to work with some of my partner company's products (as well as other assorted projects)  and share tips or lessons with  my friends and followers on a weekly basis, Friday namely... and come up with a name for this project. 

Free ART Friday or Farting on Friday came up as one of the top choices.  Okay so maybe that's not the best choice, but a funky playful name is trying to be born as we speak but I'm not there yet:)

 

 

 Any whoosers,  in doing this video, I just wanted to do a voice over narration. I had no idea how to do that. I mean, I've done MANY MANY videos before.  I've never narrated a video. No clue.  I literally spent 3 hours trying to figure out how to do it, where the button was, how to get there..then how to edit it once I figured out how to do it.

The videos is just over 3 minutes.  3 hours (not including actual creation time) to do this little ez peezy project. Maybe not the best use of my time...but there again....I LEARNED something and  in doing so...that something I surely can use down the road in other projects. Right? Hopefully! Yes, I know I can use that little nugget of info in future things;)

So are you getting the drift of my article today? You never stop learning.  Even when you haven't done something in eons, you can pick it back up and do something even bigger and better than before.  Doing SOMETHING is a heck of a lot better than doing nothing at all.  When you don't know how to do something..sit your butt down and figure it out...or go ask for help (after you've at least tried to make a go at it). 

Magic will happen, I can assure you.

And last but not least, don't let fear paralyze you from doing the unknown. It doesn't have to be perfect either the first go around.  It gets better and better the more you do it.

Okay so with that said, here's my perfectly IMPERFECT video on creating a 

Faux Stained Glass Journal Page using Twinkling H2O's, Pearl Pens on a gessoed substrate. What am I using for my substrate?  Umm....You'll have to join my class at 21 Secrets to find out the rest of the details.  C'mon, you know you wanna! :))

Enjoy your weekend,  make it fun..play art,  enjoy family and friends....and relax.  You deserve it!


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