Accept Where You Are

Perhaps you have great plans as an artist, but you can't seem to get anywhere with them. Have you accepted where you are right now in your life, in your craft, in your journey? Not accepting where you are right now is like longing to climb the mountain without looking down to see your shoe laces are tied together. Won't get you where far will it?

Your life may be tangled right now. You may have clutter to get rid of, more training to do, and some time wasters to eliminate. While it's fantastic to have hope and to look forward, there will be no forward momentum if the messes of right now get cleaned up.

Currently I'm taking piano lessons as you probably know. While watching American Idol the other night, I saw the pianist that's helping the singers. He was amazing. When one of the singers wanted to change his song, the pianist improvised something cute on the spot. Immediately I felt the stirring of desire. How I so wanted to be there. Not on TV (well maybe someday), but at the level where I could just improvise something that sounded good. Sure I can make stuff up now - writing music is another one of my passions - but I'm not at the level of those jazz or classical pianists that can just whip up something impressive. I can't "jam with the band". Bands scare me a little. All those people counting on me to play. I'm not at the level where I could comfortable play with a group of people let alone jam with them.

But, if I keep looking at what I'm not, I'm not going to get anywhere. Moreover, I'm focusing on the gap between there and here; the great pianist and the intermediate pianist that I am (though early advanced my teacher told me - woo woo). By staying in that "wishing I was there mode" and not putting anything into action, by not accepting where I am right now, the gap widens and I get even more frustrated.

So, I've had to look at my practicing habits. How much do I practice? Could I practice more? What are my time wasters? Where am I right now? If I shake myself out of even a self-pity mode of "poor me, I'm that good yet" I can begin to see that the jazz or classical pianist had to start somewhere. And I'm starting somewhere, too.

Where are you right now? Are you longing to be more than you are? Have you accepted that you need to take steps to get there? Accept where you are and then start from there. It's the only way to go.

Comments

[kris]

Kayll,
What a nice entry. A great reminder. I can look to the photographers I hold in high regard and either be envious and wishful and do nothing OR I can look to their work and then go out and keep practicing, perfecting my photography skills. Even if I don't have a human as a subject, there is nothing to prevent me from spending time each day developing my craft, perfecting my art, practicing. Thanks for the reminder. Thanks for your thoughts.