Thursday, May 28, 2009

When The Phone Rings...


I've spent a good number of years waiting for the phone to ring in order to do the work I love. When the phone rings with a writing assignment, I'm jazzed and all is well. When the phone doesn't ring, I feel powerless around the writing work. Much of the work I love has fallen in my lap -- it's come easily. I like that. No risk involved -- no sticking my neck out. Less responsibility -- hey, they came to me! I do other work to keep money coming in, but when it comes to the creative work I truly love, I'm waiting for the next job to fall from the sky -- waiting for that ship to pull into my harbor. I love those 'Aha' moments, when the full story is hot off some heavenly press and flung on your front stoop. This just in... I've been waiting for someone else to give me permission to do the things I love.

Marianne Williamson has this great audio lecture on 'Work and Career' where she says (using acting as an example), "If you want to act -- act! Do it with a community group. Volunteer! Do it wherever you can." The same applies to writing or building or tabulating or cooking or whatever you love to do. We get so particular about the form the work takes and the conditions under which we do it.

The only thing standing between me and the work that I love is a belief --an erroneous thought that I can't do it unless someone else tells me I can. I'm writing this blog, it feels wonderful, and I didn't have to get the 'go-ahead' from anybody but myself. I get it.

When it comes down to it, it's about valuing our gifts and sharing them wherever we can -- without fear. It's about owning our talent and knocking on every door in order to use that talent. We need to make money -- there's no doubt about that. But if we frame the job hunting process as 'sharing our talents' rather than just 'finding a job', I wonder how that might change the outcome in our mission to do the work we love.

The beautiful thing is we're all wired with different strengths. We all have our gifts to share to help make this world go 'round. Marianne Williamson also says in her lecture on 'Career', "If you've got something to say -- there's someone who needs to hear you say it."

Here's to picking up the phone.

Good work until the next...

Carolyn

Photo Credit: DSC01258_g.JPG by chelle

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Monday, May 25, 2009

Baby Steps, Baby Steps




It's been almost two months since I started this blog, and I'm just now publishing my second post.   I have to admit, I did Post #1 on a dare. Even though I've wanted to cover this topic for more than a few years, it took a dare to propel me into the blogosphere.  I'm a sucker for a dangling carrot and there was a prize involved. I got the first blog post up a half-hour before my writer's group meeting, collected my prize (a wonderful 'Release Your Writing' mug) then ran for the hills.  The fear, of course, is all about that dreaded 'C' word - commitment.   I realized that blogging would be a sizable commitment, so the dreaded 'P' word reared its ugly head -- that nasty saboteur, procrastination.

The technical part of actually starting a blog was easy, but once those words were up there -- published for anyone to see...yikes!  Weeks later, I worked up the courage to look back at my first post -- kind of amazed that I did it.  In true 'feel the fear and do it anyway' fashion, I'm pushing onward with Post #2 and feeling a 'sea change' on the horizon. 

I've had this quote by Goethe stuck to my computer for years, and it's finally starting to sink in:

"Until one is committed, there is always hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.  Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans...the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.  All sorts of things occur to help that would never otherwise have occurred.  A whole stream of events issue from the decision, raising to ones favor all manner of unforeseen accidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would come his way.  Whatever you can dream, you can begin it.  Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it."

Here's to being BOLD, passionate and  committed in our work!

Good work until the next...

Carolyn