I've been quite a risk taker in my life. After college I sold everything and bought a vintage motor home. I lived in it for three years, traveling with the seasons to sell my paintings at outdoor art festivals. Every show and every new destination, literally everyday required risky choices. I lost big sometimes, and sometimes had big pay offs. Rarely was that life anything but feast or famine.
I settled down in Alabama and for seven years I still lived the risky life of an artist making a living from her work. I got used to the lack of certainty, but desired something more reliable. Then I opened an art gallery where I could work and teach art. It was a huge risk, as the percentage of these kinds of businesses that succeed is very low. Seventeen years later my business is still thriving.
I find myself a bit attached to security after so many years of risky living. I am happy to stay put and keep the status quo. But the pandemic jump-started my old energy by requiring that I delve into more technological offerings. It felt good to stretch, but took a while to get my sea legs. Now that business is stable again (for now) I'm trying to find balance between stepping out of my comfort zone and relaxing with what I have.
Thanks for sharing, Dori! What an adventure, 3 years of traveling between art festivals!
Now that things are feeling more stable again, what does stepping out of your comfort zone looks like for you? Is it something you want to do, or feel like you have to?
My stepping out looks like a project called Without a Net, a program that builds on my art teaching and expands into creativity in all areas of life. There's more stepping out to do with my online painting video courses, but they are complete enough at the moment for me to take a breather. I can't tell the different between my wants and have tos because they are both scary right now!
I've been quite a risk taker in my life. After college I sold everything and bought a vintage motor home. I lived in it for three years, traveling with the seasons to sell my paintings at outdoor art festivals. Every show and every new destination, literally everyday required risky choices. I lost big sometimes, and sometimes had big pay offs. Rarely was that life anything but feast or famine.
I settled down in Alabama and for seven years I still lived the risky life of an artist making a living from her work. I got used to the lack of certainty, but desired something more reliable. Then I opened an art gallery where I could work and teach art. It was a huge risk, as the percentage of these kinds of businesses that succeed is very low. Seventeen years later my business is still thriving.
I find myself a bit attached to security after so many years of risky living. I am happy to stay put and keep the status quo. But the pandemic jump-started my old energy by requiring that I delve into more technological offerings. It felt good to stretch, but took a while to get my sea legs. Now that business is stable again (for now) I'm trying to find balance between stepping out of my comfort zone and relaxing with what I have.
Great thing to think about, Disco! Thank you.
Thanks for sharing, Dori! What an adventure, 3 years of traveling between art festivals!
Now that things are feeling more stable again, what does stepping out of your comfort zone looks like for you? Is it something you want to do, or feel like you have to?
My stepping out looks like a project called Without a Net, a program that builds on my art teaching and expands into creativity in all areas of life. There's more stepping out to do with my online painting video courses, but they are complete enough at the moment for me to take a breather. I can't tell the different between my wants and have tos because they are both scary right now!