Decisions, Decisions...

When you are an artist, you are your own boss, which means you need to make many of your own decisions.

I was also my own boss as a treeplanter (for 12 years!).  This is where I learned the value of making quick decisions – mainly which spot to plant a tree, but also how to most efficiently plan your day so you are not spending energy needlessly.  The ability to make good decisions affected your production tremendously.

I think it is our commitment to a decision that holds value more than the decision itself.  Sticking to a choice (even if you’re not sure it’s the best one) is better than making no decision out of fear of making the wrong one.   Sometimes  I think it is our willingness to learn about ourselves, be flexible and make sacrifices that determines if our solution will go great or miserably.

Sometimes we end up on the wrong path.   It could be that we have been misguided, have followed some unhelpful automatic patterns of thought or were just unlucky.   However bad it is, I think we need to shake the dust off, find our way back and then try a different route.

I feel like painting has given me insight into the decision making process.  I have decided all sorts of things that have either worked out or not.  For example, I have struggled for days and months on a canvas, only to make the decision to throw it on the burnpile.  When I have made fruitful decisions I feel like they have been the outcome of a somewhat clear state of mind.

Luckily tomorrow is another day.  Our less fortunate decisions will guide us into making better ones next time!  Feel assured that the more decisions we make, the better we get at making them.

Thanks for reading.

Make your life your best creation, Tracy