In the interview I did with Madeleine Holly-Rosing, and asked her, if she could talk to herself when she was just starting out, what she would say to herself back then—and of course; this would apply to other creators starting out as well.
I know all of you are still waiting for the second episode of the podcast—or at the very least, I am. Read on for my exposition on her four points.
It's a powerful question: "What would you tell yourself if you could go back in time to tell yourself things when you were just starting out?" And the answers it yields reveals so much about where we are, and what others can learn from us as we go about our own journey.
(Make sure to check out Madeleine's classy steampunk supernaturalist webcomic, the Boston Metaphysical Society to see how she has applied these things to her own life!)
1. Have patience
A lot of these things take time. You have to "dig the well before your thirsty" and "plant the seeds before you reap the harvest." Much of what you do, whether it's building skills/talent, creating a marketing base or audience…
…or even just reaching out to people you admire and telling them what you're all about, will require a steady hand and a long term growth strategy.
2. SCHEDULE YOUR CREATIve times
"Make a writing schedule," she said. Here's how I would expand on that: Make it a date. A non-negotiable time with yourself where you stop monkeying around and prioritize your creativity. Other things that are important in life require this same level of exclusivity, so why not your creativity—your art? If you don't schedule it, what often happens is that other things will creep in. Tune out the outside world, turn off notifications, text messaging, and other distractions. Let your world out and your art out from the inside. Don't be afraid to make art, as who you are, and make time for that—regardless of how little or much is available.
3. surround yourself with better creators
I can't emphasize this enough. As we mentioned in our article yesterday about facing the world on your terms, fully inhabiting your own identity, we often--no, always—face enormous pressure to conform. We, as human beings, are social creatures.
This is one of our greatest strengths—our ability to work together—which has carved civilization out of the wilderness, and elevated humanity from subsistence living to becoming a spacefaring race. As such, it is our natural inclination to adapt to those around us—to meet their energy, take on their vibration, like a tuning fork striking a note placed by another. You become the average of your 5 closest friends, they say—or something like that. Make sure your closest friends are pulling you up, not down.
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4. persevere, despite the naysayers
On that note, if you do have negative-talk around you, it's important that you maintain your direction and identity. It's so important, regardless of who your friends are, that you maintain and control your own emotional energy. Stand tall. Exist, in and of yourself, without fear of the reactions of those around you.
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Be a shining—bright light for all humanity and for others to see themselves by. Bring discipline to your emotional state, your focus, and in doing that, you will control where you are going, and be an ultimate blessing to those around you.
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In Conclusion
These are, of course, just my own thoughts on Madeleine Holly-Rosing's four points. Whether she'd agree with my expanded interpretations, I won't venture to say. Nevertheless, take time to consider these ideas. Where are you standing strong? Where are you falling? Contemplate and reflect, and then compel yourself to take action and move. Stop hammering yourself down—it's wasted so much of your life and your forward progress. Let your ideas flow. Time is fleeting by quickly. Carpe diem. Seize the day. |
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Do you apply these tips in your life? Are you making the most of your time? How are you seizing your day? Leave your concerns or questions in the comments below.
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