How does it feel
to launch a crowdfunding campaign? In a word: terrifying. One could easily talk
oneself out of this. Not only are you asking people for their financial
support, but you are asking them to put faith in you and your creation.
In another word: vulnerability. You are exposing yourself and
your art. You are revealing that which is sacred to you. You are letting people
in – friends, family, and strangers. You are letting them see you.
So there you are, standing naked in front of the masses, forcing
yourself to make direct eye-contact with the on-lookers, your trembling hands
clenched at your sides, saying with as much confidence as you can muster: “My
art is good enough.”
But what you are really saying is: I am good enough.
Enough.
That’s a loaded word, with a heavy meaning. Most of us, for
some percentage of our lives, wonder or worry if we are good enough. Or enough
in general. Enough for another person, for our job, for our art, for ourselves.
Let’s suppose, for the sake of argument, that we are not enough. Is that really so bad? Will we implode? Will the world
stop turning?
Maybe the real question is, then: “Enough” according to whom? Where or what or who has created
this perfect, gold-standard that defines this heavily laden word? We all seem
to hold ourselves up next to this shining example of everything-ness, yet we
don’t even know where it comes from or what it even is.
How very silly.
What I do know (we’re diving deeper now, hang in there!), is
that the subject of “enough” is the Ego’s terrain. It is the Ego that weighs
and measures and compares. It is the Ego that accuses us and makes us feel
less-than; makes us feel unworthy. Unworthy of love, belonging, and true
connection. It is also the Ego that swells with pride upon receiving accolades,
or cowers in shame when discredited. Why do we trust such a wayward, fickle
thing?
The Soul, on the other hand, finds this whole subject matter
entirely irrelevant. Our Soul (feel free to replace this word with something
that fits into your personal worldview) knows that we are already enough. In
fact, the Soul doesn’t even know that word. To question your worth and
worthiness is something the Soul never does, because it knows you are already complete. There’s no
benchmark to meet, value to obtain, or feat to accomplish that will change
that.
The goal of the Soul is to create and co-create as much as possible, and
to do so with the utmost joy. Engaging with other souls in all of their
enough-ness, with all they have to offer as
they are, is co-creation at its best. This is, in my opinion, what it means to
live joyfully.*
It is with this attitude that I pressed “Launch” on my
Kickstarter campaign, knowing that this is but one phase in this exquisite
experience of co-creation.
So, friends, let us create! Not to achieve anything (though
that may be a natural by-product), but simply for the sheer JOY of it, knowing
that no matter what: we are enough!
*Disclaimer: I write these words as fact, because it happens
to be what I believe to be true. I recognize, however, that at the end of the
day it is just one opinion among many. Opinions are like… well, you know the
saying. ;)
#forthejoyofliving #cocreationatitsbest #elizabethgilbert
#bigmagic #brenebrown #daringgreatly
