See Yourself Clearly

Who is your inner artist?

We’re closing in on three months into this seeing clearly journey. For the past month, we’ve been seeing how our minds work. Our mind helps us to understand, solve problems, and create stories. It can also distort what we see when preconceptions, biases, assumptions, and other judgments come into play. You’ve practiced getting curious and looking more closely at the world around you. This week, I’d like you to turn that lens back on yourself. How clearly do you see yourself?

This may be uncomfortable for you. But, this is not about bragging or being narcissistic. I believe that the inward journey feeds the outward one. In the coming weeks, we’ll be talking more about relationships and reciprocity. Each of us has something to give back to the world and it’s important to know what that is. I call it your inner artist.

Your Inner Artist

On Instagram last week, Kristin (@presenttobeauty) provoked a discussion when she asked other photographers, with regards to their photo work, if they referred to themselves as a photographer or an artist? Or both? Or neither? This is a subject often discussed among photographers. It seems to take a long time before someone feels comfortable calling themselves a photographer, and especially an artist. As a photographer myself, I can relate. I responded by saying that we are all artists in one way or another. Let me give some context to this statement.

Seth Godin is a thought leader, business creator, book author and blogger. In his On Being interview with Krista Tippett, he said that we are all called to be artists – to create from our deepest selves in a way that matters to others. His definition of artist is one who notices things; sees what is and asks why. An artist sees possibilities and makes them happen.

“Art is not following a manual, reading a dummy’s book, looking for a map. It’s working with a compass, having an understanding of true north, and being willing to solve a problem in an interesting way.” ~ Seth Godin

This inner artist is called by many names - inner teacher, inner mentor, that still, small voice, higher self, true self, true nature, even God. Your inner artist goes deeper than the knowing of intuition and reason. It is your core self, the part of you that is unchangeable. It lies underneath your cultural conditioning, your desire to be liked and to fit in; beneath your fears, judgments, opinions, and beliefs; your likes and dislikes and interests. It has something important to say and can be heard and felt through stirrings, curiosities, and impulses. Your inner artist is what is uniquely inherent to you and manifests in what you do in the world. It’s that ‘je ne sais quoi” that you bring to a room. It is your onlyness that Nilofer Merchant speaks of in her TEDx talk. 

“Onlyness is that thing that only that one individual can bring to a situation. It includes the journey and passions of each human. Each of us is standing in a spot that no one else occupies. That unique point of view is born of our accumulated experience, perspective, and vision.” ~ Nilofer Merchant, TEDx Houston

Your inner artist often speaks up at the most unexpected of times. In 2009, I was listening to a podcast interview with Seth Godin. He was talking about an online writing platform he’d co-founded, called Squidoo. Something stirred inside, telling me to pay attention, that this was important. After checking out the site, I tested it out, and published my first article that day. For the next four years, this site transformed my life. It gave me the opportunity to practice writing about my many eclectic interests on a regular basis. I discovered a vibrant online community who taught me about blogging and the online world. This experience provided the foundation for the website and business and writing I do today.

Your inner artist reflects the conversation you’re having with the world. It knows what you most desire and need. It lights you up and makes you feel alive and always seeks the highest good. It can be eccentric or quirky, sometimes loud and clear, but often a whisper. It’s bold and brave, brilliant, creative, and inspiring. It plants seeds and nurtures them; makes you want to act even if it’s scary. Once you start honouring your inner artist, you’ll feel like you’re living in a meaningful way. 

What is your art form? 

Your art form is the way your inner artist manifests in the world. It could be through a job or a hobby or a cause or a piece of art. Mostly, it’s a manifestation of what you care about most. Maybe you have a passion for animals or good food or you bring humour or comfort into every situation. Personally, I have a passion for seeing, which manifests through photography, writing, and curation. I think I bring a sense of curiosity and inspiration into a room.

The poet David Whyte was asked in a recent talk about how we choose our art form and what if that doesn’t take the form of a visual or musical or written form of artistic expression? I loved his direct and simple response. 

“Take yourself seriously, whether you have an outward form or not. You’re taking up a serious amount of space and resources as a human being and creation is speaking to you as much as it spoke to Picasso or Neruda or Dickinson. You have your own conversation and gift and you never know how it will come about. Some have an outer form that is easily recognizable. Your gift might be something you said to a stranger in despair which allowed them to go on. What if you took your ability to give what you have in your own humble life as a gift. But first, you have to give yourself the gift of silence in order to recognize it. Second you need to allow the uncomfortable place of not knowing. And third, give yourself the gift of being shy with it and then slowly and inarticulately learn how to say it.”

What is your gift? You’ll know by paying attention to the conversation you’re having internally and with the world in your time and place.

Practice

To see yourself clearly is to know your inner artist. This week, I hope you’ll reflect on what you have to give and how you show up in the world. Who is your inner artist? As David Whyte said, give yourself the gift of silence. And stillness. And ask yourself a few questions. 

Who are you? What gift(s) do you bring to the world? What conversation are you having with the world? What are you curious about? Where is your attention going? 

Think back over your life (jobs, hobbies, passions). What did you love to do most as a kid and how does that show up now? Can you identify a few choices or turning points where you paid attention to your inner artist. How did you know to listen to this voice? What did it feel like?

How do you tamp down your oddities and eccentricities to “fit in?” What gifts are in those oddities?

Notice what makes your heart leap, what makes you come alive. Acknowledge and honour this voice by not judging or dismissing it. Hear what it has to say.

I love that David Whyte said to take yourself seriously. You have a gift to offer in this time and place. How do you express this gift? What’s your art form? How does your inner artist manifest in the world? 

Think about some of the people closest to you. What do they uniquely bring to a room or to your relationship? If you’re feeling brave, tell them and then ask them what they would say about you. 

Share something that matters to you, with a friend or family member or more widely online. Gradually get a little louder by speaking up at work about something you care about. Share your art.

Many people have had time to reflect during this pandemic and are letting go of some old ways of being and wanting to incorporate new ways when things open up again. Has this been the case for you? How do you want to be and do differently, maybe more in alignment with your inner artist?

If you’re going through a stressful time – whether due to your job, raising children, grieving a loss, or just general anxiety – with little personal time, I understand that this may seem impossible to do right now. Do the best you can to find small moments just to stop and take a deep breath. Give yourself credit for doing what you’re doing. 

I hope you’ll share with us something about your inner artist, your onlyness.

Resources

I’ve written several posts on the inner artist. Here are a few of them.

Unfold your Inner Artist, Mystic, Prophet

Listen to your Inner Teacher

On Being an Artist

You and your Onlyness