On Selling Yourself: To Be Or Not To Be
January 31st, 2012 § Leave a Comment
I’m always wondering just how much of myself to be all the time. I’m a pretty transparent and candid person and there are times where that is a good thing, and times where it’s not such a good thing. So when does it apply and when does it not? So many bios and profiles that I have read have run the gamut from the very intellectualized, to the very informal, to the very humorous. So when it comes to marketing, what should your approach be? I think that no matter which route you take, it has to be an honest representation of yourself. My subject matter is rather serious, but emotive. I feel that my words should match up with my photos. I’ve read too many statements, bios and manifestos, blogs what have you, that are so heavy with verbage that I can’t relate to what they are saying. Why can’t everyone just be themselves?
I’ve been in the market to collaborate with a writer. The two writers I had in mind, are “big names.” I sought the advice of a mentor of mine, who said “Don’t be daunted by the fact that these writers are well established. You are a human being, they are a human being, and through your work you share a common interest.” Why can’t it be this simple? I think it should be. In a perfect world I’d have relationships-working and otherwise, with people and organizations of not only like interest, but of like mind, heart and integrity. This is what I want to put out to the world, and what I hope to attract in return. I just think that people are afraid to be honest. Most importantly when you are honest with yourself, you automatically behave with integrity. You allow yourself to be open. There is nothing to hide, and that allows people to trust and respect you, and you will receive openness and honesty in return. This is why I found this article on submissions by Subvert Magazine , so refreshing. It’s not only clear and concise, it’s honest and real. And real is where it’s at.
Satya: Stand In Your Truth
January 24th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
Stand In Your Truth
I’m back. Ok I have dropped the ball with my posts. What happened, is that I switched registars for all my domain names, and my blog fell off radar. “A records, MX records, zone mapping, C records etc etc.” I can point the domain but after that, I get lost. I need a GPS to navigate all the technical jargon that you are responsible for knowing in order to get out of bed these days. It’s all I can do to keep up with Trader Joe’s who for some reason (even unknown to the employees) likes to shift the foods in the aisles around every now and then just to keep our brains fresh. The reason all this happened in the first place, is because I decided to leave my registar (godaddy.com) due to the fact that it’s CEO Bob Parsons, shot an elephant and blogged about it. Despite his attempts to explain himself, taking video footage and photos of yourself proudly standing over it, to me, suggests another agenda. (Just sayin’) I should have jumped ship when it happened a few months ago but life took over and I just now got to switching registars. It took me 3 + days to get it all sorted out and get my emails and website up and running. Therefore, the lapse in posts. Certainly my $8.99 isn’t going to make a dent in godaddy’s bottom line, and I feel badly in the sense that the company’s technical staff is just stellar and I have only received excellent customer support from them. However, one has to live in their truth and I could not contribute to something that I consciously knew was objectionable to me. When you don’t live in your truth, something happens. You lose part of yourself and that’s a compromising way to live.
I don’t separate my yoga life from my creative life. They are one and the same and they feed and inspire one another. “One who shows a high degree of right communication will not fail in his actions.” (T.K.V. Desikachar’s translation of Yoga Sutra 11.36) I’m not talking about being self righteous. Satya, the sanskrit meaning “That which has no distortion” Clarity of expression. I’m talking about one’s own personal evolution. If your intention in your art and your life is with sound theory and practice, then the benefits will automatically manifest in your life. A recent example comes to mind when embarking on my most recent project. I had 2 project ideas in mind. I wasn’t deeply connected to them, one in particular I tried to make work as I was about to enroll in a project class with production timelines and I needed to come up with an idea soon. I kept trying to find an angle on this one particular idea, but it just wasn’t coming together and I was trying to make it into something that would resonate with me. As it turned out, I was denied access. So I tried project #2. I had a deeper connection to this project, yet at the same time, something seemed off about it that I couldn’t put my finger on. I have to have a certain feeling about a project that I take on at that particular point in time. I need to be connected to it at the most organic level. I kept telling myself I was excited about it but deep down inside the timing wasn’t right. I wasn’t truly invested. Turns out that someone had the same idea, and is currently doing the project right now. I was once again denied access. What to do?
Through my research I came across a link that peaked my interest. I investigated further and stumbled upon an idea that sits so well with me, aligns with the direction I’m going in with my projects right now – a perfect fit. What’s more is that I have complete access. The people I’m working with are warm, inviting, interesting and doing really wonderful work. Same views and philosophies. Accident? I personally don’t believe in accidents. I believe that circumstances, opportunities and lessons are all around us every single day and we are either open to them and tune in, or we’re unconscious to their cues. It’s an act of listening. There is a balance that comes with trying to make things happen which I absolutely believe in, but at the same time, not using force. It’s conscious sustained effort without force. Force is always met with resistance. When you stand in your truth, it just comes together.
Different Drummer
January 10th, 2012 § 2 Comments
My daughter is 6, and continually makes creations 24/7. From the time she wakes up before school, to when she comes back, before dinner, whenever, and wherever. I should buy stock in 3M for all the scotch tape she uses. She uses scraps of whatever is lying around, cutting, clipping, stringing and taping with a purpose that also seems altogether random at the same time. It’s the most wonderful thing to witness. No over thinking, no analyzing, no considering. She is a conduit for this endless source of creativity. It’s limitless and most of all, it’s fearless. And there is no sense of right or wrong until…she goes to school and is exposed to her peer group of 1st graders. It’s then that she realizes that her way of “seeing” is unconventional. And this effects her way of “being”. She has come to me with questions about this and I tell her to embrace her own vision and that if someone else makes fun of it or teases her about it, it’s simply because they can’t see it for themselves. I have had no influence over her creations. I wish that I could take credit. Any amount of credit. She has not seen my work, nor rarely sees me at work. It’s her own view of the world and I wish I had it. To witness the abandon that comes with not having yet developed a fear of being self-conscious is truly liberating. There is no baggage. Not even a carry-on, no destination. The sad thing is, that many other first graders are already afflicted with being self-conscious and I often times see them frozen and afraid to express freely what’s in their hearts for fear of being ridiculed while at the same time mock anyone who doesn’t fit the mold. This is first grade. I’m deeply saddened it begins at such a tender age. I impress upon my daughter that if someone doesn’t understand her way of seeing the world, it’s only because they can’t see it for themselves. Where would the Vivienne Westwood’s, Alexander McQueen’s or the Philip Treacy’s of this world be if they had listened to the peanut gallery? It takes commitment and bravery to be yourself. And in the end, that is the only person you have to live with.
paper mask and tu tu
unicorn headdress
skirt: cut-up felt puzzle wrap. sash: wrapping paper, fax paper and magic marker
materials. busy at work
Branding
January 6th, 2012 § Leave a Comment
These days there is so much talk about branding. I came across an excellent book on the topic called “World Famous” by David Tyreman. Despite the Clorox looking website, I highly recommend this book. It’s an authentic and soulful approach to identifying what makes you unique from everyone else, and many of us aren’t even sure what that is. It goes beyond your work. Tyreman asks you to dig deep and find out the “why” behind what you do. Something I discussed in my last post here. Your true authentic brand is a reflection of your purpose. What you personally stand for. It’s what you project to the world. The reason this book resonated with me so much is because David himself writes of his own hard knock experiences that we can all identify with. His story is of his struggle to make it in the antique business when unbeknownst to him, he comes to the realization that he himself, is his own brand. This book is not about fancy and expensive promotional materials and how to get your wares out on the market. It goes way beyond that.
Tyreman challenges you to come up with 3 words in which you feel define not your work, but your purpose. And this becomes your personal authentic brand. This may seem simple, but it’s not so easy. He walks you through several exercises to help you determine what those driving forces are. I read the book awhile ago, did all the exercises and came up with my 3 words. As in my usual form, I worked too hard at trying to find the right words, “thesaurusing” myself to death. I had settled upon 3, but there was something I couldn’t quite put my finger on that didn’t feel exactly right. I didn’t have an “aha” moment and I feel that with something as profound as choosing 3 words that best define you, the results should be somewhat dramatic. So I left it alone. I let it go. I even forgot about it. Again, it’s like waiting for that one person to call, or text or email and you are manic about checking. But it never comes. So you tell yourself you’re not expecting it but there it is, taking up space in the periphery of your brain. It’s still there and you haven’t truly surrendered. It’s during the one time that you let your guard down, that it appears. And that’s how I replaced one word that wasn’t quite right, with another that just came to me when I wasn’t looking. And to me it’s the most defining of the three.
David jokes in his book that his clients are willing to pay him an extra few thousand dollars if he’d just let them have one more word. But he doesn’t comply. It’s not about accumulating adjectives. It’s about defining yourself in such a way that it becomes a systemic approach to your process. You embody those words and psychologically whether you know it or not, it becomes unconscious and circumstances that don’t align with those 3 brand words, shouldn’t take up space in your hard drive.
My 3 words are “AUTHENTIC, DISTINCT, SIMPLISTIC” These words don’t just describe my photography, they describe me. The are interchangeable with whoever I am at the moment. They apply to my yoga practice, and my personal style. It’s my life’s philosophy. It’s a powerful exercise. It helps keep you on track when things become undefined. It’s a reference, a reminder of who you are, just in case you forget.
branded
will you stand out from the herd?
Inside Out – The Power Of Why
January 4th, 2012 § 3 Comments
This year I had no plans to make a holiday card. Then I started receiving them. People sending seasons greetings. Smiling happy faces, good wishes, so I felt inspired to send one. It was the 11th hour and I had no option other than to make and print one myself, if I were to do it at all. But I just didn’t want to throw something together. It had to be a true reflection of me. It had to convey the sentiments I wanted to give to others as we embarked on a new year. I’ve found out that you can have all the plans you want, but once you’re in that creative realm of actually producing it, stuff just comes up, other stuff doesn’t pan out and you just have to be open to any inspiration that comes to you during the process. For me it’s a combination of always over thinking things, trying to hard, and then letting go. It’s always in the letting go that the good stuff presents itself. It’s like being at a restaurant and thinking that the waiter that is walking towards you, dishes in hand, is headed to your table with your food, only to be disappointed when he turns sharply and goes to the next table. It’s only when you get tired of “expecting” that your food shows up.
The card that I ended up making was very simple. The response that I got was overwhelming. I had one friend tell me that she carries it around with her, she loves it so much. I was tremendously flattered and touched by the sentiment. I was curious as to why the card was so well received. It only occurred to me what it might be when I came across this TED talk given by Simon Sinek, about “The Why” When I set out to make my card, it was pure intention, and intention only, to show what means the most to me and to share it with others. It wasn’t driven by design, or composition. They were factors, but they were not the focus. Sometimes it’s a challenge to stay pure and not be distracted by other agendas or be results oriented when creating our art. But it seems that when it comes from the inside out, your gut, your heart, “the why” you can’t go wrong.
Front of holiday card 2011
Back of holiday card 2011
Whole Foods
January 1st, 2012 § Leave a Comment
baby cauliflower
It’s the end of another year. Looking back, I have no regrets about 2011. It’s been a very productive year. I tackled 2011 with gusto. Now that we are in 2012, I’m taking the opposite approach. I’m going to do less. Significantly less. And today I applied that strategy to the first day of the year and it felt just right.
A few weeks ago I was at a dinner party. I got into a very interesting conversation with an architect about journaling. I am actively participating in the book The Artist’s Way, and doing the journaling exercises religiously. It has been a profound and transformative experience. The architect mentioned to me that he had journaled in the past and loved it. Then he moved from writing his entries long hand to typing his entries in his computer. For some reason unknown to him he stopped writing altogether. He said it wasn’t the same, and he did not know why. The first thing that came to my mind was that he had interrupted the organic process. When you are expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings by writing long hand on paper, the process is transferred through you, onto the paper. But when you are typing on the computer, which I feel is more of an external experience, something is lost in the translation. Something valuable. I had been feeling disconnected in the final weeks of 2011. Overwhelmed all the time and in a way that told me that even if I had all the time in the world to “catch up”, and accomplish all my tasks, that I would still be feeling…overwhelmed. I had begun to reassess things and I came to the realization that I felt disconnected.
What I craved were whole foods, yet I was on a diet of over-processed junk with no nutritional content. Writing in my journal long hand was romantic. It was local, organic and chock full of vitamins. I had this craving to re-commit to my yoga practice which I have neglected and “Haven’t had time for.” I re-visited my yoga mat and it was exactly what had been missing. I felt whole and nourished. When I take the time out to “eat right” the investment you make in that deposit to yourself pays back 10 fold. It’s a long term gain. And the irony is, that I am more productive by slowing down. The nutrients have time to become absorbed, and as a result I have more clarity and sense of purpose.
This article was sent to me on New Year’s eve by a good friend of mine, and it came just in time. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/opinion/sunday/the-joy-of-quiet.html?_r=1&emc=eta1
By creating more technological ways to reach out and touch someone, we are more out of touch than ever. By being able to reach everyone, we’ve lost touch with ourselves in the process. I have retreated inward rather than outward. Old school hand written agenda. Hand made holiday cards. Hard cover books. I’d rather look forward to eating at a good restaurant once a month and enjoy it and have a memorable experience than eat out cheap every night.
