MANIFESTO of AWESOME

This sweet little quote came from a Chinese fortune cookie that I got last weekend.  It is the perfect set of words to describe my journey as an artist and as a human.  For years and years I believed the story of our culture that artists cannot make money and art is not a career path.  To me that story is a sad and frustrating one.  It led me to think that being an artist was IMPOSSIBLE.  I have ALWAYS been an artist.  It has always been my secret desire, but with this mindset, I denied my guiding intuition and chose wrong paths.  MY STORY then, became as sad and frustrating as the story of our culture which seeks to keep free spirited creative people trapped in an idea that doesn't belong to them.

However, sad stories are just one part of the equation, because the awesome thing is that I WOKE UP! with a great and tremendous start three years ago and declared that art WAS my journey.  I  then set out to make the IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE & haven't looked back since. 

MY STORY has evolved into A MANIFESTO OF AWESOME and that's what I want to share with the world.

HOW TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS EVEN WHEN YOU DON'T BELIEVE IT IS POSSIBLE

NUMBER ONE: it is NEVER TOO LATE to pursue your passion!  Creativity is our BIRTHRIGHT & we are ALL ARTISTS in OUR OWN WAY.  Find YOUR WAY and work HARD to make it happen.  It is true that sometimes we mistakenly follow the wrong path because we believe in the status quo.  THAT'S OK, as long as you eventually find your WAY BACK to the journey of your soul.  I KNOW that following your heart and walking the path of your soul SOMETIMES REQUIRES being torn into a million little pieces.  THAT IS MORE AWESOME THAN YOU REALIZE.  YES! It is going to hurt terribly (it will!), BUT! you will re-emerge into YOUR STORY much like a strong & resilient PHOENIX from the ashes of its old life, READY TO TAKE CHARGE!  I believe that once we are taking charge of our journey we are learning how to help the journey of other people.  IT IS OUR DUTY TO SHARE WHAT WE KNOW.  Everyone is fighting a battle and WE CAN help one or two of those humans SIMPLY BY BEING HONEST about where we have been.  I believe that  we get stronger each day that we live our TRUTH, BUT!! we will still make stupid mistakes, say dumb things to people that we LOVE, or sabotage our own efforts with negative mind loops that NEVER HELP US GET BETTER. DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP!  It happens! Go cry it OUT and then get some sleep.  Tomorrow IS A NEW DAY FULL OF BEAUTIFUL POSSIBILITY. So, apologize, brush off the dust, and KEEP GOING.  I BELIEVE that DONE is better than PERFECT.  I KNOW THAT YOU MUST make something OR DO SOMETHING EVERYDAY to move closer to your goals and dream.  Even if you only spend five minutes a day in between your DAY JOB and making all the meals and folding all the laundry, and wiping the noses and driving the kids to sports/music class, SPEND FIVE MINUTES doing something THAT WILL GET YOU FIVE MINUTES CLOSER TO YOUR DREAM. Seriously, DO THAT! And DO NOT quit your day job YET! It probably sucks really BAD and most days you FEEL EMPTY inside having to return your tired and battered heart back to those stuffy and pretentious walls, BUT REMEMBER, IT IS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE to have MONEY TO FUND YOUR DREAM.  Plus, you have to eat, so get REAL. And get over yourself.  You have it pretty good, despite what your negative loop wants you to believe. I BELIEVE IN YOU. I THINK YOU ARE AWESOME AND I KNOW THAT YOU GOT THIS! Now, go on and start MAKING IT HAPPEN.  I DID and I love my life.

Oh, it's a work in progress, and I want to tidy up the words a bit, but I have plans to make this MANIFESTO OF AWESOME into word art, much like this one here.  Any interest in that?  Would you buy it and hang it in your house or gift it to someone AWESOME who could use some encouragement?  We could all use a little encouragement, no matter what our pursuits are!
Have a fantastic day and go spend FIVE MINUTES doing something to bring you five minutes closer to your dream life.