SEEK INSPIRATION NOT COMPARISON

[wombat146]

We are currently having a discussion in the May Week 3 Art Journal Challenge about comparing ourselves to others in regards to art. Perhaps it's serendipity but just after I replied there I received this newsletter from an artist I subscribe to, Tracy Verdugo, which so acurately explains the difference between inspiration and comparison. So very very true and written so beautifully! I might just print this out and stick it above my craft table here where I can read it every day!!

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NEWSLETTER FROM Tracy Verdugo Art
SEEK INSPIRATION NOT COMPARISON

NEWSLETTER FROM Tracy Verdugo Art SEEK INSPIRATION NOT COMPARISON Dear Ona,

Your heart beats around 100,000 times a day, right on time. Your body makes 200 billion red blood cells each day without you lifting a finger. “Air sweeps in and out of the 370 million or so alveoli present in the lungs, with a combined interior area of about 80 m2, about 25 times. Each time air rushes in, it passes over the olfactory epithelium, located on the roof of the 2 nasal passages and innervated with about 10 million olfactory sensory receptors. Meanwhile, a substantial portion of the 100 million-strong neurons of the brain have orchestrated everything, coordinating all movements and thoughts by communicating with one another and with other parts of the body, using a significant portion of the 100 trillion synapses found in the entire brain.” (Source) So many miracles happening inside us and for us in every single moment and all of this happening while we hurtle through infinite space on a 1000 trillion metric tonne rock at 1775 km per minute around a fiery sun with everything in our solar system perfectly aligned for life to even exist at all. There is so much to be inspired by in this life and yet we still choose sometimes to go down the road of comparison rather than inspiration. Years ago I had a dear friend who noticed my stack of home and garden magazines (an addiction of mine back in the day). I was telling her how inspired I was by these beautiful homes and how it helped me imagine that one day we might be able to afford to have a beautiful home decorated and designed exactly how we wanted it. I’ll never forget her reply as she told me in a quiet, sad voice that she couldn't bear to buy these magazines as they only reinforced in her that she could never dream of owning such a home. I remember being so puzzled at the time. We were similar age, similar wages, family situations, both struggling week to week to pay the bills and buy groceries and yet we saw the SAME thing through completely different lenses. I was looking through the lens of inspiration and she was looking through the lens of self doubt and comparison. I see so many people comparing themselves to others both online and in real life, and it can not only be crippling and anxiety inducing but can also become a self fulfilling prophecy. Be mindful. Watch your self-talk. Find people that inspire you and practise feeling joy for their success. Focus on what is possible and you will bring more of that into your life. Stay playful, curious and open and watch how your creative world expands. “Inspiration tells you anything is possible. Comparison tells you everything is impossible. Inspiration fills you up. Comparison empties you. Inspiration drives you forward. Comparison pulls you backwards. Inspiration tells you there is still time to accomplish something amazing. Comparison tells you it’s too late.” ~ John Acuff Lots of love out to you all, Tracy <3

 

[Cherylndesigns]

WOW! This is so powerful, Ona! Self-talk is so important and some of it isn't very helpful or positive. I just had this conversation recently with a friend. I love the references to comparison, too. We ALL tend to fall victim to that. We all have our own style (for me) if I try to compare my style to somebody else's (yours for instance) I would be very unhappy. I see your art and often think to myself "Why don't I think to do that"? or "Why can't I do that"? Anyway, I think we all tend to compare our art to others, but we can't let that rule us. Not to say we can't learn from each other; that's why your tutorials are so wonderful even if I'm still stuck in PSE and have trouble re-interpreting your directions. Yes, I have PSCC, but I prefer PSE. Old habits are hard to break.

Thanks for starting this thread, because I wanted to piggyback on something you told Tracy @AK_Tracy about all of being at different stages of life and having different life experiences. That's so powerful and so true. What we each create, especially in Art Journaling style, is based upon those experiences and where we are right now or where we've been. This is such a wonderful way for us to get out feelings out and onto a page and it can be very healing, or whatever each of us is dealing with personally. Sometimes, it's just for the sheer joy of creating, too. AJ is so wide open - that's what I love about it.

 

[wombat146]

Oh I fall into the "I wish I could do that" frame of mind often BUT then I look at WHY the piece of art actually made me think that, was it colours, the design of the page, the photo?? I then take that as my inspiration and go my own way! lol! Like, I don't work well with templates, I mean I love the look of them but then when I start to work with it I decide I want this over here, and that up there and this bit down here and in the end it doesn't look like anything like the original template!! So this tells me that I need the freedom to be me, no doubt if I was given the ability to create a page like some of my artsy idols I would end up adding what I like into it and then it wouldn't be like theirs anyway!!!

And I totally agree with you on the "based upon those experiences and where we are right now or where we've been.", that is what we all need to keep reminding ourselves, over and over again, like a mantra I guess! I can look at a piece and not be 'moved' by it, and that is okay, I am not 'judging' it, it's just that I can't 'connect' to it in any way, maybe because I have not experienced what the artist is conveying in their art pieces, what they may have felt or experienced in their own lives. I can still react to it of course, like I may like the colours for instance, but the overall piece just doesn't 'speak' to me. But I would never dream of saying it is terrible or 'not art' or anything else negative like that, ya know, the old saying about people that live in glass houses etc etc.

 

[joyfulheartdesigns]

Dude...she knows some science over there... This was wonderful...I don't really compare myself to others, but I do admire some designers...and I really wish I enjoyed making elements more Everyone is able to be unique and do their own thing, and other people need to be mindful not to judge or criticize...I have had to learn this over the years, myself. What is beautiful and meaningful to one person, might not be to the next person. If you don't have anything nice to say, move along.

 

[mimes1]

Good morning! The timing of your discovering this email Ona is surely serendipity. Reading the science and then relating that to creativity is inspirational in itself. Negative self talk is something I have struggled with over years and became my own worst enemy. As I’ve aged that beast has been controlled and scrapbooking has a lot to do with that. It’s easy to look at a page and say “How did this person even think of that” and then decide to study it and figure out what they did to achieve that look, or, be paralyzed by it. Having the article is helpful to be able to quantify the difference between comparison and inspiration when at that crossroad! The love and support and encouragement here is exceptional.

 

[MariJ]

Thanks for this and your thoughts, Ona. I too struggle with comparisons and thinking I'm not doing (various) things as well as others when objectively I know I mostly do quite fine and amaze myself sometimes. Same with creating, I tend to look at others and wish "I could". Maybe I could and maybe I can't, but that shouldn't matter if I'm doing it my own way and not thinking of "betters" or making comparisons.

 

[taxed4ever]

What a thought provoking article Ona!! I too have at one time or another struggled with "Bad" Self Talk. Like you, I enjoy just doing my own thing when I create a layout and look to other wonderful scrappers for inspiration! I too do not like using templates and want to move everything over here and up there LOL. No sense in using a template right?! We truly do need to take inspiration from others and not compare our art to anyone else, we each have a unique gift when it comes to creating and we should all take pride in that fact!

 

[AK_Tracy]

I needed this! So much I needed this.

“Inspiration tells you anything is possible. Comparison tells you everything is impossible. Inspiration fills you up. Comparison empties you. Inspiration drives you forward. Comparison pulls you backwards. Inspiration tells you there is still time to accomplish something amazing. Comparison tells you it’s too late.” ~ John Acuff

This I need to print and make it large and in my face. This is so perfect. I've been making digital scrapbooks pages and printing them for years. but there was no community at my first ever place. I had no idea what was possible. So fat dumb happy me has some very basic books on my shelf. But they make me happy. I need to remember that I am to be inspired. No-one is saying negative things about my pages but me. Why? Because I have the wrong lenses in my glasses. Thank you Ona. This was so good and God knew I needed it so you got the email to share. Thank you!

 

[wombat146]

I needed this! So much I needed this.


This I need to print and make it large and in my face. This is so perfect. I've been making digital scrapbooks pages and printing them for years. but there was no community at my first ever place. I had no idea what was possible. So fat dumb happy me has some very basic books on my shelf. But they make me happy. I need to remember that I am to be inspired. No-one is saying negative things about my pages but me. Why? Because I have the wrong lenses in my glasses. Thank you Ona. This was so good and God knew I needed it so you got the email to share. Thank you!

You are most welcome my Miss Kitty friend!!!

 

[tanteva]

Wow! Thanks for sharing. So much truth in that article. Just wanted to add 2 things I've learned from my meditation app.

1. You would NEVER speak to a friend the way you speak to yourself - and if you did, you wouldn't have that friend anymore.

2. Stop looking at your triggers - look for your glimmers, i.e. the opposite of triggers: the stuff that light your spark, that bring you joy, that make you happy. Changing your perspective changes everything.

 

[mimes1]

Some of my favorite layouts are the ones that started with no clue as to what the end result would look like. Sometimes it’s through happy accidents, rule breaking, or literally throwing anything on the page that feels good is all it takes.