FROM JAMIE J: What’s next after First Person Arts?
That ‘tis the question…
Arts and culture organizations, no matter how great their impact, are struggling against complex internal and external factors that threaten their very survival. Some simply can’t weather the storm.
So, what happens when a door closes?
How do you get back up and move forward, better for the experience?
#1 – Make a choice.
I felt powerless as FPA struggled to survive. Things seemed out of my control. They were.
In times like these, you can curl up in the fetal position and hide from the world. That works until you have to eat or go to the bathroom. So “hard no” to the fetal position thing.
Or
You can see this as a moment, full of potential for rebirth, new beginnings, and re-imaginings. You can speak a new future for yourself into existence.
“This is a brand new beginning. A chance to get closer to the fullness of my destiny.”
Say it over and over. Soon, Hope will come.
She will bring the light.
#2- Placing blame. Another “hard no.”
I was consumed by the search for someone to blame. But every finger I pointed at someone else, I had to point at myself. It was debilitating. Then I realized…
Placing blame is like driving a van with a group of people and the engine gives out. You can stand on the roadside blaming each other. “Who didn’t fill up the tank? Who forgot to have the oil changed?” But none of that will solve the problem in the engine.
The focus has to be on a solution that will get you back on the road.
#3 – Defining yourself
We spend so much time defining ourselves by the roles we play (mom, auntie, boss, lover, etc.). But when you lose a part of that definition, it begs the question, “Who am I beneath all of the subtitles? And what is my real job? “
The answer took real soul searching…
I am a child of God. My only job is to use my gifts, talents, and abilities to make the world a better place. I find joy in truly seeing others, believing in them, and helping them to see themselves as essential to the world. My future must be born from that.
What does the next chapter of life look like?
(Now, I’m getting excited!)
#4 – Setting your heart and imagination free.
So, I’m a painter in front of a canvas now imagining my future – fuller, greater, and more meaningful than I ever imagined. Let’s make it passionate, vibrant, and fulfilling. (Now, we’re cooking with steam!)
Wow! So, I know what I love to do – Tell stories. Amplify the stories of others. Share stories for the greater good.
So, I started my own business:
and a logo I love, thanks to Amy Scheideger.
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Love to you all. Let’s stay in touch. K?
Jamie J