Dear Anxiety,
Just wanted to thank you for being a part of my life. I enjoy the time I spend afraid of all the people who will look at my every upcoming blog post of art. What joy I have worrying about failing, worrying about deadlines, worrying about succeeding and responsibility, worrying about being a pretty penniless illustrator, worrying about what my dear supportive audience will think, worrying about opinions expectations and disappointments of college professors, gallery owners, editors art-teams and publishers, bedtime story readers, my friends and family, cats and dogs, me. Worrying I should have become a nurse. Oh anxiety, my dear friend. Nobody can quite overwhelm the way you do. The loss of focus, the lack of concentration and energy, the time we spend in bed together staring at the ceiling, thinking thinking thinking of all the work I haven't done. Oh what would I do without you. Your smooth way of immobilizing creative passion and desire. The way you disintegrate artistic fuel. What talent and skill you have at magnifying each tiny expectation by a thousand. The way you coax me into hours on facebook and youtube. Your potent influence never fails. Aren't I lucky.
Just wanted you to know.
Yours truly,
Ginny
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Dear Anxiety,
I'm sorry. I've thought it over carefully, and decided this relationship needs to end. I've got WORK to do! So. Take a hike!! With a porcupine!! Bye!
Not yours,
Ginny
P.S. I know that due to your chronic and pathetic attachment to me, you'll be back to visit. Know this: no more Miss Nice Girl.
Dear Fellow Artists,
Here's a helpful article written by Ami Mattison:
Sometimes we have to pull the plug on certain relationships in order to help us fully grow to our potential greatness.
ReplyDeleteThis Anxiety sounded like a big jerk anyways, good riddance :)
Thanks Stewart--you've been a huge help, so thank you thank you for helping me!!!
DeleteOne day at a time, Ginny! Don't let yourself focus on the past or the future. Just focus on today. You'll be just fine! I know you will!!! <3
ReplyDeleteToday. Great tip. Thank you Cyndi. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteI never liked Anxiety anyway. You are better off without it. I like you so very much. :)
ReplyDelete:) You are always a blessing to me as well. Yeah, who needs anxiety. Right?
DeleteMy friend Anxiety follows me everywhere (he is hard to ignore)...
ReplyDeletehttp://artbytimjepson.blogspot.com/2011/10/anxiety-series-water-colour.html
Great poem! You have to show that Anxiety jerk who's boss!
TJ
TJ I posted on your blog already but I want to thank you again here also, those were very inspirational! I really want to do that sometime.
DeleteWow, this is like reading a page from my own journal. Nice to know I'm not the only artist who feels this way. I hope you overcome it!
ReplyDeleteYeah. I've been I'm one of many many artists of all nature with all these same fears and reactions to them! Turns out we're normal, and this is all part of the human experience. Thanks, good luck to you too! Thanks for commenting!
DeleteGosh, this is so...me. But really we need to say good bye to Anxiety ASAP and not gonna miss it forever. God Bless this entry XD
ReplyDeleteHaha. Fransisca! Glad I have yet another fellow anxious art friend. I highly recommend the link to the post written by another anxious artist above. It is VERY helpful. Thanks for commenting! We can do this.
DeleteTime to make a clean break. I'm glad you're getting rid of that pesky danglin'. Let us know if he's still stalking you and we'll have a serious discussion with him. You know how convincing Tyler can be.
ReplyDeletePretty much. He's keeping his distance, for the most part, from my art at least now. Some other aspects of my life, not as much. I suppose it's like Stewart Mortimer has been telling me lately: one step at a time. Tyler, sick him!
DeleteGreat post! "Your smooth way of immobilizing creative passion and desire. The way you disintegrate artistic fuel." - really rings true with me!
ReplyDeleteCreativity has always come with feelings of anxiety to me, but I think that makes it all the more sweeter when I manage to overcome the worries and make and draw! The more you start to cherish that positive feeling of accomplishment / the positive feedback afterwards, and less emphasise the part where you were constricted / anxious (which we all go through) the less anxious you'll start to feel the next time and the time after that, I reckon.
All the best :)
Louise, I reckon you must be right. I'm just starting to get back to it and I'm already feeling better! It's really just about DOING it, because until we do, we won't remember the good feelings to finally replace the anxiety. I'm glad you like the post, and that you can also relate! I'm glad I'm hearing from people who relate!
DeleteAll the best to you as well! THanks for commenting!
Those of us with genetic anxiety get great things too-creativity, sensitivity, intelligence, and better looks than average. We are so smart and creative we will think ourselves into the ground. If any of you would like to understand genetic anxiety better, you can go to www.breakfreefromanxiety.com/opt-in-page/ You'll get a free 7 session anxiety course plus you'll hear all my secrets! Wishing all of you control over your anxiety symptoms because living with them can be hell. Love, Polly
ReplyDeleteThanks Polly! I've been busy with moving and school starting but I would like to check that out soon.
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