Take Heart

The Bound Heart (detail of artist book) 2013

My granddaughter came home the other day with a picture book version of The Wizard of Oz. Of course I knew the story but it was lovely to see this simplified version with each character and their needs clearly defined.

“Do you think Oz could give me courage” said the Cowardly Lion

“Or give me a heart “said the Tin Woodman

I think of these questions when I consider what we all need in life. We need courage to tackle the big (and small) issues which face us daily and the heart to keep going despite the obstacles we encounter.

It is very easy to get dis-couraged. I realised what this word meant in the context of the Wizard of Oz story. Taking away the courage to keep going, to keep putting yourself out there, to stretch and extend yourself, regardless of what limits you place on yourself, the self judgement and fear of ridicule from others.

This week I had a series of rejected exhibition opportunities ~ after five minutes feeling sorry for myself, I realised I have been down this path before. Rejection does not mean personal rejection. It might mean the work didn’t fit the criteria of the gallery or the work wasn’t quite up to scratch.

This is the lesson in courage - what can I learn from this (again). Rushed work does not always mean you are putting your best foot forward. Experimental work might require a gallery that caters to this sort of edginess.

In planning for success, you have to have the courage to also plan for failure. But plan to learn from those rejections and take heart that you can keep going, not let your courage become discouragement.

There are plans and there is planning, which can help put discouragement firmly (back) in its place. And that is what I share in my FREE 7 step guide to Plan Your Creative Success. This guide gives you my tips learnt (sometimes) the hard way, but that have also given me creative success. I offer them to you, so you can keep up your courage and take heart. We have all faced rejection, it’s how we can plan to do better next time around that counts.

Detail from a collage I made in 2011