You never know what will trigger a bout of fear based thinking. So many different things come into play....your experiences, life trauma(s), friendships, relationships, etc.
While they don't happen as often to me (Tom may have a different theory) they do still occur and sometimes when they do I am not even aware they are there. An unseen dark cloud hovering above putting down a steady drizzle until you become either completely consumed by them or aware enough of them that you can take stock of what is happening and go into "turn it around" mode.
This week, yesterday to be very specific, I suddenly (with a bit of an abrupt shove nudge) saw an entire two weeks worth of fear based thinking that I had been living right in the middle of. Call it lack, fear of not having enough of something, fear of not having the right somethings.....any one of those will fit but to be quite honest they all do fit quite nicely around this pit of ucky thinking I have been doing.
While I am not sure exactly what triggered it I do have at least an idea and that's the first step to getting out of it. The next step is to stop the behavior that the fear is creating within you. In my case it was this need to be sure I would have just the right ink, glass, solder, copper, rhinestone, chain, lace, etc. and in this need to do all I could to purchase those things I found (at the right price of course) to fluff my studio nest.
Now, here are the things that are so wrong with this bit of "lack" thinking...
1. If you don't let things go you don't open yourself up to other things that may be waiting to get to you.
2. If you don't share, gift, pass on you don't open yourself up to the Karma that comes along with that.
3. If you don't share, gift, pass on or create with those things you cannot do any of that any longer because you are flat out too stressed about what to do with all the stuff you have hoarded collected over time.
So, this past weekend I began a process of culling (no, not Cullen). I have donate piles, I have gifting piles, I have keeping piles and I have selling piles. It makes me happy to see these little stacks of items that will be flying out to those that need/want/have-to-have them.
Donate piles will be heading to the local Goodwill very soon while gifting piles still need to gather and grow a bit before they can be sent off. Creating or stuff to keep piles will be going into my studio in a more organized fashion and selling piles will begin to be listed this weekend in my Etsy Shoppe.
Please be sure to check out the listings as I post that they are up on Etsy because many things will be going for what I paid for them or less. These are things that I have purchased at various vendor nights, vintage finds, almost or truly new art books and more. They are also those items that I just couldn't fit into any of my giveaway piles, donate piles or keep piles. So, if you happen to see something that I purchased from you at a Vendor night don't be offended. It's not that I didn't love it or don't love it still...it's just time to pass it along to someone that can use it NOW versus, maybe, never.
Another good Karma inducer is to host a giveaway to say thank you to those that have stepped up to help the victims of Sandy. It's not time to quit giving to those communities...so many still need help to get their lives back on track, people who lost everything. Please visit my post on how to help and be rewarded.....
http://flatwoodsfolkart.typepad.com/lesley_venable/2012/11/hurricane-sandy-relief-giveaway.html
I so very much appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you for being a part of my journey.
xo,
Lesley
I am a self taught mixed media artist and instructor living in Virginia with my Husband and our family of fur babies. I love all things vintage and strive to use those discarded bits of artistic flotsam and jetsum in my creations. I also love finding those treasures that others can use to feather their souls and their nests so please check out my Etsy Shop as well. Thank you for stopping by.
