I really wish I'd seen Dr. Strange by now. Because then I could have legitimately named this post "Dr. Strange, Love, and How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Whimsy".
Oh well. Missed opportunities. SO! Let's talk.
I love what I do for a living.
I also do a lot for a living! Happily, I love it all. I love the writing, the storytelling, the painting, the jewelry craft, the quilling, the drawing...I could go on and on. I love that every day is a new adventure with a new set of goals and projects. I love being Whimsical.
It took me a long time to learn how to do that.
Remember how, in my last blog entry, I talked about society's insidious messages, those nasty lessons that sneak under your radar and then burn their way into your brain despite the active message being projected by your loved ones?
It's kind of like that.
My friends and family always encouraged me to follow my heart and follow my dreams. If I wanted to write? Write. Act? Act. Draw? Draw!
But society, that sneaky worm, sang another song: "You can't make a living doing that. You can't follow whatever random whim you want. If you want to ever be respected and successful, you have to be an expert in one thing, and only one thing, ever."
So when I wanted to make a living writing but also thought I could paint minis, I hesitated. That was two things. And I also wanted to sculpt dragons -- what would I do? Three things! THREE! I couldn't make a living when I was Not an Expert in My Chosen Field! And then, inevitably, I rediscovered another art form that either I hadn't touched in a long time, or I found a new art that I had never tried before, and with the excitement for the new project, a new, guilty despair would set in.
I loved too many things! I wouldn't be able to do them all! I had to choose my ONE THING!
I'm so glad I asked myself the question: Did I really?
I started out with my one thing. Writing. But then, when I started in on my dragons and then also rediscovered my jewelry supplies (and found an instant interest in them), and then ALSO rediscovered painting minis, I made another company. A catch-all. Something as free, fluttery, and fastastic as I was:
Witchwater Whimsy.
Because why the hell shouldn't I pursue it all? It actually took me a long time to not only understand that I didn't NEED to be The Expert in one field, but to understand that I didn't WANT to. Yeah, there are drawbacks; I'll never be as "easily" talented as someone who practices their One True Love every day. I'll never be the Dragons and Beasties of sculpting, the Alexi Z of painting, the Matt Colville of D&D vlogging, or any of that.
But I'll still bring my own magic to the table. Maybe I'll inadvertently touch on thoughts that others have shared previously (SIMPSONS DID IT, and we all do it too, whether or not it is intended), but I'll also manage to do things that none of them have done before, regardless of popularity. I'll still help my communities as best as I can, even without a Name for myself or one super-crazy-amazingly-honed-over-a-lifetime skill. And my work still has value -- both for me and for the people who walk my journeys with me.
And...I guess, really, that that's the message I want to share with everyone tonight. You don't have to be the Best at things, as long as you are loving what you do. The value of your passions and the lessons you've learned is WORTH something. I don't necessarily mean in a monetary capacity -- though that absolutely can be the case! -- because spiritual value has its place too. Happiness is important, and you're not choosing incorrectly for choosing the things that bring you joy.
I think that's gonna be it for tonight. Been a busy day, with much to do in the morning. Thanks for taking this journey with me and joining me on this WitchyWamble.
We'll talk again soon!
Oh well. Missed opportunities. SO! Let's talk.
I love what I do for a living.
I also do a lot for a living! Happily, I love it all. I love the writing, the storytelling, the painting, the jewelry craft, the quilling, the drawing...I could go on and on. I love that every day is a new adventure with a new set of goals and projects. I love being Whimsical.
It took me a long time to learn how to do that.
Remember how, in my last blog entry, I talked about society's insidious messages, those nasty lessons that sneak under your radar and then burn their way into your brain despite the active message being projected by your loved ones?
It's kind of like that.
My friends and family always encouraged me to follow my heart and follow my dreams. If I wanted to write? Write. Act? Act. Draw? Draw!
But society, that sneaky worm, sang another song: "You can't make a living doing that. You can't follow whatever random whim you want. If you want to ever be respected and successful, you have to be an expert in one thing, and only one thing, ever."
So when I wanted to make a living writing but also thought I could paint minis, I hesitated. That was two things. And I also wanted to sculpt dragons -- what would I do? Three things! THREE! I couldn't make a living when I was Not an Expert in My Chosen Field! And then, inevitably, I rediscovered another art form that either I hadn't touched in a long time, or I found a new art that I had never tried before, and with the excitement for the new project, a new, guilty despair would set in.
I loved too many things! I wouldn't be able to do them all! I had to choose my ONE THING!
I'm so glad I asked myself the question: Did I really?
I started out with my one thing. Writing. But then, when I started in on my dragons and then also rediscovered my jewelry supplies (and found an instant interest in them), and then ALSO rediscovered painting minis, I made another company. A catch-all. Something as free, fluttery, and fastastic as I was:
Witchwater Whimsy.
Because why the hell shouldn't I pursue it all? It actually took me a long time to not only understand that I didn't NEED to be The Expert in one field, but to understand that I didn't WANT to. Yeah, there are drawbacks; I'll never be as "easily" talented as someone who practices their One True Love every day. I'll never be the Dragons and Beasties of sculpting, the Alexi Z of painting, the Matt Colville of D&D vlogging, or any of that.
But I'll still bring my own magic to the table. Maybe I'll inadvertently touch on thoughts that others have shared previously (SIMPSONS DID IT, and we all do it too, whether or not it is intended), but I'll also manage to do things that none of them have done before, regardless of popularity. I'll still help my communities as best as I can, even without a Name for myself or one super-crazy-amazingly-honed-over-a-lifetime skill. And my work still has value -- both for me and for the people who walk my journeys with me.
And...I guess, really, that that's the message I want to share with everyone tonight. You don't have to be the Best at things, as long as you are loving what you do. The value of your passions and the lessons you've learned is WORTH something. I don't necessarily mean in a monetary capacity -- though that absolutely can be the case! -- because spiritual value has its place too. Happiness is important, and you're not choosing incorrectly for choosing the things that bring you joy.
I think that's gonna be it for tonight. Been a busy day, with much to do in the morning. Thanks for taking this journey with me and joining me on this WitchyWamble.
We'll talk again soon!