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“We are not trying to become a better version of ourselves. Instead, we begin to uncover the person whom we have forgotten we already are.”
I read a book last month that sparked a huge “aha” moment for me. I realized that there is nothing I need to change or do or stop doing in order to do what I’m here on earth to do. Living fully and authentically each day is already leading me toward my purpose. We are each born with the answers inside of us and they have been there, hidden, all along.
The book is Million Little Ways, A: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live
“Uncovering your art does not mean you will find only rainbows and sunshine to pour out on everyone around you. Uncovering your art is about uncovering what is really there within you, coming face-to-face with your profound capacity for beauty as well as sin, your deepest dreams and your longing for God.”
I have learned how valuable it is to quiet any outside voices in order to better hear my own wise inner voice. It’s been a wobbly road for me so far. It’s so tough to stay tapped into my own center without allowing others to crowd it. I seem to have this NEED to explain, to share new ideas, to gather excitement (and yes, approval) from others. And yet, so many of these ideas first need space and time to keep growing. If I share them too soon, they get trampled on.
I would like to make that whole paragraph above bold and italics and larger than all the rest!
“You have to uncover the art before you can release it. The problem for most of us is, we have let the negative emotions decide for us that the art isn’t worth uncovering. We have allowed the terror of exposure and the risk of failure to outweigh the truth of our remade identity.”
For me, one dream that is realizing itself right now is literally about art — making and selling mixed-media canvases in my shop. (The one above was a request to make anything with that quote from Peter Pan.) I can’t even explain how petrified I used to feel that anything I’d put out into the world would be rejected. It was only after coming to the realization that even if that were to happen, I would still want to make art anyway, that I started feeling free to create with my heart and soul. I am creating for myself. I am creating with pure feeling and intuition and love. And I am trusting that whatever comes forth is meant to be there.
Now that I have shifted my mindset from fear to love and now that I’ve decided that failure was completely acceptable, I’m selling artwork! How about that?
“Uncovering desire is the practice of learning how to look farther beneath the surface than we may be used to doing. It may require time, space, and solitude to allow our souls to become quiet enough to settle into what is most true. Learning to look beneath the surface is an important step in uncovering the art we were born to make.”
I’m having a blast following my intuition and my heart and seeing what I can manifest. Each day is better than the one before. We are each evolving every day as we grow and learn and try new things. Tapping into quiet, stillness, and intuition is how I’m determining what’s right for me and what’s not a good fit.
And so I’ve got lots of little secrets with myself right now. I have a feeling wonderful changes are on the horizon. What do I need to do to get myself to a place of readiness? I will continue to tap into my intuition and see what comes up. You’ll be one of the first to know, but not just yet. 🙂
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OK I’ll share ONE thing. I wish to get more involved in guiding groups of women toward finding their own internal wise voices. Before I begin that (and it may be a few years yet), I’ve been joining other groups of women in learning how to celebrate ourselves, encourage and inspire each other, and tap into our innate gifts.
I’m honored and delighted to join with an amazing community of inspiring women in this free, uplifting e-course just for moms. I invite you to learn more and sign up to join us today. I’ll let you know which day my interview with Becky will be posted, but you do not want to miss any of this content!
Naomi, I love this post! It is soooo all about what I embrace and communicate to others every day. The first step is always self acceptance and self love. From there, hello limitless potential! So excited for you to push past fear to find the real you. So true that you have to quiet the outside chatter to stay the course. Those without the vision or imagination of your hearts desire cannot even begin to understand your needs; even their best intentions could derail your dream. Heck yes tune it out! I make mistakes too but they are mine, and mine alone, and they always come with an opportunity to learn and grow. Your work is beautiful. A true testament to your new mindset.
Thank you so much for the validation, PR! Of course it always comes when I don’t need it anymore, yet it still feels good. 🙂
Please, please know I absolutely adore this piece of art and have pinned it to look at and adore more later.
I love how you discovered that once you shifted from fear to love you began to sell art. how fabulous and not surprising your art is wonderful.
Karen Main recently posted…A poem to my children as I celebrate being Mum
Oh, thank you, Karen!
I’m so glad I stopped by…your post really resonates with me. I think I’m moving into that place of learning to trust my intuition my inner voice. Learning not to share too soon…learning to hold the dream close until it is strong enough to withstand the naysayers of my world…
I am definitely adding that book to my ‘must’ read list! Thanks for sharing!
Debbie Goode recently posted…A blog topic…..and an idea rediscovered!
Exactly so, Debbie. It’s more worth it in the end, I’m finding. Keeping a dream close to your heart just feels special.
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Naomi! I was so excited to see this post because I just received this same book in the mail last week! I haven’t cracked it open yet, but I know I’ll love it and will say to the book what I say about your post: Yes! Yes! YES! Thank you for sharing your work with the world! Blessings … Heather
Heather Koshiol recently posted…Learn: Digging Deeper into Fear
How cool! For me, I had to overlook all the Jesus references, but I loved it just the same. 🙂
I love your art. Thanks for the “Pin It” option!
Stephanie recently posted…Don’t run. Stay. Pain.
Thanks for visiting, Stephanie!
I love your art work Naomi…and you stay on top of classes and reading…I envy your energy.
Cheryl recently posted…Cuppa…French Style
I marvel at my energy too. I think I don’t have the energy for it and then there’s something about it that gets me excited and I have to investigate. 🙂
Happy that you’ve had such a powerful insight. I can feel your joy by looking at the pieces in your shop.
Aw, thank you for saying that, Kate. I’m glad you can feel the energy there.
Love the quote at the beginning of your post! Thanks for sharing your wisdom. I, too believe that the answers are already inside of us:)
Nancy Jambor recently posted…Consciously Retreating
Yes, if only I would remember that when I’m in a panic for answers. Calm and slow is the best intuitive way to find the truth.
Beautiful insight into your art and where you would like to go. It is so true, once we get past the need to get approval for everything we create and create what we want is when we truly soar as creators and artists. The book looks really good. I will add that to my wish list.
So true, Sarah. I took a long while to come to this point, but it feels right.