The big, BIG news in my world right now is that my online intuitive painting class Painting With Fire is FINALLY open for registration. I know that a lot of you have been waiting for this and I want to thank you ahead of time for your incredible patience.
One of my dear friends has a saying which is “Never do anything for the first time.”
And whenever she says it I always laugh in recognition. What she means by that statement is that doing something you have never done before is always accompanied by so many unknowns that you can’t help but feel anxious and unsure of yourself. Beginners mind is a wonderful spiritual state to aspire to, but it also brings with it an incredible sense of vulnerability and awkwardness. It’s hard to feel confident in yourself when you’re in unfamiliar territory.
And we would LOVE to be able to avoid that part of the creative process if at all possible.
Which is one of the reasons that many of us DON’T try new things. It’s just too uncomfortable to put ourselves in a situation where we might end up feeling tense or nervous or self conscious. Where we might fail or embarrass ourselves. Doing new stuff that is OUTSIDE of our comfort zones opens us up to inner judgments and the fear of judgments from others.
And I have been dealing with a lot of those uncomfortable unknowns in creating this class.
At this point in my creative career, running a live event is no big deal. I’ve facilitated hundreds of workshops, retreats and classes over the 36 years I have been in the healing arts business and I know all the ins and outs of what it takes to create an in-person gathering and do it well.
But the online world is a very different animal in terms of how things are delivered and created. WHAT I teach is still the same as my live workshops. But HOW it is presented requires new skills and new ways of thinking about the teaching process when it is done in an online format.
So I have been learning as I go. Facing the unknown at every turn. And continuing to forge ahead even in the face of many setbacks, difficult disappointments and huge amounts frustration.
I’ve been trusting in myself that I CAN figure things out and get help when I need it. I’m also practicing trusting that what I do will be good enough. And learning to be OK with the reality that I AM a beginner at this form. Which means I won’t get it perfect. But I put my whole heart and soul into its creation, and in the eyes of the creative goddess… that is always MORE than enough.
Painting With Fire is filling up fast! And I have an early bird discount special that ends on Sunday, March 1st at midnight. So if you would like to be part of this adventure in intuitive painting magic, you can sign up here.
Hi Chris-
I know what you mean about doing things for the first time. But that is when it’s most interesting and the challenges are fun. I am delighted that you are doing this online class. As you know, I’ve been wanting to work with you for a long time and without being bicoastal, this is a good way to make that happen. I am looking forward to it!
Best, Karen