View the page devoted to A Silent Story
By now you know that I am working on a very personal book project that I am calling my Silent Story. I have been working on this project for close to 2 years now.
I decided a month ago to no longer share the creation of this book with EVERYONE, but to go deeper with those in my Private Facebook Group - you can request to join if you'd like.
However, today's story I feel is important for anyone who has a creative intention. Is this you? Do you have a creative idea that is *waiting* for you to pick it back up?
Read on... because I have an idea for you.
After my Silent Story had been on the warming burner for a few months, as I worked on other projects and generally let Resistance* keep me from the project, I was lying in bed on a Saturday morning, and I had a self-perpetuated vision:
Me, 65ish years old, sitting in the living room on the floor with my 10-year-old granddaughter. I have something to show her and I pull out a large envelope. I unwrap it and pull out my Silent Story paintings. Unfinished.
She looks through them, “these are neat!!”
“I made these for a book idea I had over 20 years ago”, I say, “but I never finished the project. That’s one of my big regrets, I guess…”
She says “You still can make the book!”
I respond “Now the feelings are too far in the past, not fresh enough. It wouldn’t make sense because my passion behind the project is gone.”
Lost potential. Lost connection.
What a shame it would be to have this whole thing die in an envelope under a table. After that visualization, I switched to a new one, a future moment created intentionally in my mind:
… being 45 years old and holding my book – and smiling. Thinking about how the process went and how proud I was of myself for moving forward even when I felt like there was NO WAY I could pull this off. Trusting the process, trusting that this book was meant to be a part of the world, and thankful for the learning and growth that came with the ideas/sketching/planning/painting/sharing/preparing...
Me, feeling so GRATEFUL for the people who nudged me along and believed in me. THANK YOU!!
After that second vision it was so clear to me – I simply asked: what do I need to do to move forward? I wrote down the answer and I’m doing it.
(for you the answers will be different, but my answers were along the lines of: finish the storyboard while making sure the happy-sad-hopeful ratio was correct, sketch out the main pieces, gather the paper for each painting, start putting together samples to share with publishers, create samples to share with my people, itemize and register paintings for copyright, make a list of publishers, go to the bookstore for research, paint, paint, paint...)
What can YOU prevent from dying
in an envelope under a table, or in the closet?
Try visualizing the results of your lack of action, then visualize the moment of completion as though you had kept working on your idea/project/creation.
Please. Do this. Visualize and realize. Then make a list.
Then, GO and make your magic!
No one else can do what you do.
Thank you for reading. Have a wonderful week's end.
Stay safe, stay sane, stay healthy.
Love & Sincerely, Katie
*Resistance ~ Steven Pressfield has been an impactful presence in my life. His book The War Of Art changed the way I see my art and my urges to create art. He describes Resistance as an unseen enemy that is the shadow to our craft, our inspiration. It can keep us from creating, it can darken our days and ruin our lives. But it can also be overcome. Trust me.