Teresa R. Funke's Blog: Bursts of Brilliance for a Creative Life, page 26

The Show Must Go On

I woke up with a cold today. A very runny nose and a foggy brain: two things you do not want to confront on a day when you’re scheduled to do two interviews, one for a blog, the other for a podcast. I thought about cancelling, but I knew my hosts had deadlines, and after a career spent in the arts, I’ve embraced the belief that “the show must go on.” I warned each of my hosts I wasn’t at my sharpest and told them to feel free to edit out any comments that made no sense.

 

After the podcast interview, my host said, “That was fantastic! You gave such great answers. You’re always spot on.” I told him, “Well, I’m glad your listeners couldn’t see that I was literally pressing on my temples in an effort to keep my mind focused.”

 

No matter how well we prepare or plan or anticipate, some days we’re just not going to be at our best. And that’s okay if we embrace that what we know, what we believe, what we are good at, resides so deep in us that not even sickness or doubt or fatigue can unhinge it completely. In fact, like anything else that shakes up our norm, sometimes things not going well can force us to focus in ways we might not have otherwise.

 

While both my hosts praised my performances today, and I felt things went pretty well, when it’s time to read that published blog post or listen to the podcast, I wonder what I’ll think, because to be honest, I’m not even sure what I said (darn these cold meds). But that’s where faith comes in. Faith that I believe in my book and message so much I could talk about them in my sleep. Faith that if you long to make a heartfelt connection with readers and listeners you will, no matter what. Faith that my expertise is solid and my advice is hard-won.

 

It took me a long time to arrive at a place where I could trust myself even in situations that were not ideal. It took a long time to realize we don’t need to be perfect; we just need to be real!  Am I making sense, or is this just the cold meds talking? I trust you to decide.

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What Are Your Small Life Goals?

We parents learn so much from our children. This week, I’m feeling inspired by my daughter who, when she was in college, created a list she called her “Small Life Goals.” Oh, she had her big life goals that had to do with career and family and lifestyle, etc., but her small life goals were things she’d always wanted to try for a while. She didn’t question why she wanted to try them, and she didn’t expect them to lead anywhere special, she just wanted to have those experiences, so she wrote them down.

 

One of her goals was to work in a bakery, which she did for a while in college. Another was to work at a museum, which she did for a while after college. She moved recently to a new state and while she’s looking for her career work, she decided to cross off another small life goal and she got a job in a bookstore.

 

I found that watching her achieve another life goal gave my spirit a lift. I often feel that way when my kids get something they want, something they’ve worked for or manifested. I’m sure you’ve felt that lift too when a friend or partner or family member achieves a success. Plus, a part of me has always wanted to work in a bookstore, so now I get to experience that through my daughter and the stories she’ll tell.

 

This is why it’s important for us to share our hopes and dreams and goals, even the ones that seem “small,” because sharing our dreams, speaking them out loud, writing them down, makes them feel real. I believe when we succeed, we all succeed together. And if we feel that someone out there is rooting for us to achieve our goals, however small they may be, we become more confident.

 

My daughter’s small life goals also keep her on track and present. See, she knows her big dreams are coming someday, but in the meantime, there are lessons to learn, and skills to gain, and connections to make, so why not cross a few smaller but just as meaningful goals off along the way?

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In the Now There is No Worry

I’ve been reading The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle. I’m only about halfway through the book, but so far, his main point seems to be, stay in the moment. Stress comes from projecting our fears and worries into the future or revisiting our regrets about the past. If you stay in the now, you’re free. At least that’s how I’m taking it.

Photo by Gary Butterfield on Unsplash

The first thing I noticed about the book is that the author repeats himself a lot. How many ways can you say “stay in the now”?  But then I realized he had to repeat. I had to read his message several times before it even started to sink into my thick skull. It’s such a simple concept, which is what makes it so hard.

Tolle also talks about how there are no “problems” only “situations.” We create problems with our minds by stewing about something that may or may not happen in the future or kicking ourselves for something we did in the past. He argues if you just stay in the now, you can ride through any circumstance. If something does arise that requires your attention, you take care of it. It becomes a situation that needs addressing, not a problem.

And because we are simple beings, I needed a simple example from my own life before his words could truly take hold. Here’s what happened: our daughter recently moved out of state, and we sent her a package of bedding timed to arrive when her new bed arrived. But my husband forgot to put the apartment number on the package. We both became upset. He kicked himself for missing that detail, and I kicked myself for not checking the address before he sent it. I worried that the package would get lost and never arrive, that the delivery person would just leave it in the lobby of the apartment building and someone would steal it, that the package would get returned and we’d have to pay the high postage again. But then I stopped myself. I stayed in the now and waited to see what would happen. On the day it was to be delivered, UPS called and said they needed an apartment number. We provided it. The package was delivered the next day. Situation addressed. There was no problem to solve. And even if things hadn’t resolved so easily, there were other ways to fix the situation.

Lately, with all the changes in my life and business, I find my thoughts wandering down troubling paths at times. Whenever a worry, doubt, or insecurity arises, I simply say “stop,” and I stop the thought in its tracks. Or I borrow a word from Dr. Joe Dispenza and say “change.”  Let’s say the thought is, “What if my new book doesn’t sell as well as I hope it will?” I change the thought instantly to, “Bursts of Brilliance will sell better than I ever hoped it could.” This kind of thinking helps keep me in the now because it takes away fear and insecurity.

That’s not to say we don’t have to sometimes think about the future in order to plan, or revisit the past in order to learn, but living in the now as much as possible sure does help keep stress at bay.

I’m still reading the book and I know I’m oversimplifying his message, but this thinking is working for me, so I’ll take it. I also hope Tolle will keep repeating himself. It may take several reminders and lots of encouragement for me to unwind a lifetime of being led by my mind and my worries and learn to be truly present.

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What’s a Gift Between Friends?

A friend of mine gifted me a pair of earrings the other day. But there’s so much more to the story than that. See, S started out as an acquaintance, someone I’d chat with now and then at a gathering we both attend, but not someone I had ever spent time with outside of that group.

One day, S commented on the earrings I was wearing. She recognized the local artist who created them, and we chatted about the artist with shared enthusiasm. I mentioned that I liked the earrings so much, I wished I’d bought them in more colors. Then we moved on to another topic.

A couple of weeks later, we were at the gathering again, and S came up to me and said, “Here, I got these for you.” She handed me a tiny box, and inside was another set of those earrings I love in a different color. I was shocked and delighted, not just that she had noted what I’d said, but that she’d immediately gone out and bought me, a mere acquaintance, something special.

I thanked her and hugged her and, in that moment, S became a friend.

It’s amazing isn’t it, how an act of kindness can change our lives in so many ways? It’s fascinating how much the shared love of a song, a book, a movie, or a pair of earrings can bring us together. And it’s impressive how long the pleasure from a simple gesture can last. Every time I wear those earrings, I think of S, and I remember the artist we both appreciate. I hope that artist is working today on new jewelry that will spark conversation between two strangers or acquaintances, and maybe those strangers or acquaintances will become friends.

Keep creating, keep talking, keep giving, keep loving. It makes a difference!

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Exciting Changes to the Bursts of Brilliance Blog

This week, I’m letting followers of this blog know that the blog, “Bursts of Brilliance for a Creative Life” is moving from my Teresa Funke & Company website to my new Bursts of Brilliance website as of this week! Subscribers to this blog will continue to receive an e-mail linking them to new content as it is posted. There will be no change there, except that the link will now take you to this new website instead.

On this new site, you will find the blog continuing to run weekly, as it has for five and a half years, with new posts every week that will, hopefully, prompt new bursts of brilliance for you!

Thank you all so much for your interest in this blog and for your support of my new book, Bursts of Brilliance for a Creative Life, which is an edited compilation of the best posts from the first five years of this blog. It’s getting rave reviews, for which I’m so grateful!  Check it out here.

And come back next week for a new blog post. In the meantime, feel free to click around in the new website. The Teresa Funke & Company site is also remaining active, with information about my seven World War II books, my writing and publishing products and resources, my World  War II resources, my school visits, and more.

Have a great day!

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Don’t Abandon the Work

This week I heard a quote which ended with this line, “You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” The quote is mostly attributed to the Pirkei Avot, a section of the Mishnah that is mainly a compilation of ethical sayings by rabbis mentioned in the Talmud.

 

One interpretation I read said the quote is referring to making an effort even if the task feels too big. It used the example that just because you can’t read all the books in the world, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t read. Another article referred to the Jewish tradition of believing that real change requires generations, and if we put something in motion, it might be up to others to finish it. Another interpretation focused on the thinking that even though the world is a messy place and it doesn’t feel like one person can make much of a difference, we must still do what we can. From what I know of Jewish oral tradition, there might be other interpretations as well.

 

Regardless, that line was just what I needed to hear this week. Sometimes when you’re in a building stage, but not entirely sure what you’re building, it can feel daunting. I’ve got so many ideas about the directions my new work could take and the good it could do, but I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to do them all—not on my own anyway. It’s tempting to think, “it’s too big. I should go back. I should coast along as I have been. That would be much easier.” But taking it easy never got a big job done. Only hard work and faith can do that.

 

As a coach, I used to tell my clients, “You are in charge of your goals. They are not in charge of you.” But so often I forget to take my own advice. I set goals and feel like a failure if I don’t achieve them. What would happen if I sometimes believed it was okay not to finish the work, that just in starting it I’ve done some good? What if I believed the work I do might inspire someone else to take my ideas further? Or that maybe someone who sees my work will say or do something to inspire me to take my ideas further.

 

As a historian, I’ve learned that all of human history can sometimes turn on one person’s action, decision, invention, or idea, for better or for worse. We are all tied together. It’s okay to take a break, but it’s not okay to give up all together.

 

Try something, do something, contribute something in the hopes that we can all move forward together. Let’s do whatever we can in efforts large or small to improve this messy world we love so much. Let’s not abandon the work, no matter how difficult it may sometimes seem.

 

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Don’t Abandon the Work

This week I heard a quote which ended with this line, “You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” The quote is mostly attributed to the Pirkei Avot, a section of the Mishnah that is mainly a compilation of ethical sayings by rabbis mentioned in the Talmud. One interpretation I read said the quote is referring to making an effort even if the task feels too...

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What Comes First, Money or Passion?

I’m still ruminating over something my loving husband said the other day: “You’re the most underpaid workaholic I’ve ever seen.”  He was teasing me, of course, but my mother always said, “Behind every joke is a bit of truth.”

See, I just launched my new book Bursts of Brilliance for a Creative Life, which is an edited compilation of the best posts from the first five years of this blog. The new Bursts of Brilliance website will launch soon, and other new offerings soon after. So, things are a little crazy right now. I admit I’ve been working too much and that in this period of rapid growth, more money is going out than is coming in, and that’s always unnerving, to be sure. But that’s just how it is when you’re an entrepreneur. It will even out soon. It always does.

In the meantime, I’m working really, really hard and trusting that all this hard work will pay off. But I’m also feeling really, really excited and inspired, and that’s maybe a better payoff at this moment than a fat paycheck. Because money is necessary, of course, but it can’t motivate you the way passion can. To create something big and shiny and new, you need passion. And then you need money.

I know some of you don’t agree. Some of you might even argue that for you, money is the motivator. But what you’re really saying is that money is your passion. And the pursuit of money is your creative outlet. That’s fine too, just understand that you are driven to make more and more money because something about that quest gives you energy. And that energy will lead you to do big things.

But not everyone is motivated by money. Everyone needs money, I know. And the more money you have, the more good you can do. But what comes first is understanding what drives you.

Creative people are the most likely to believe that old adage, “Follow your passion and the money will follow.” They’re also the first to feel misled and cheated by that expression when the bills pile up. But the true believers do what it takes to stay the course. They look for temporary jobs to cover those bills, they take out loans, they try new strategies, they cut back on expenses, they double their work hours, etc.

Others decide sincerely that their art no longer gives them passion. They move on to something else that does raise their energy, and more power to them. Or maybe they move on to another job that provides a steady paycheck, which allows them to pursue their art on the side or as a hobby. Or maybe they are lucky enough to have an outside source of income that enables them to cover the bills while they pursue their art. One way or the other, they figure it out.

It’s the people who give up their art and passion for a soul-killing job that I worry about. You’ve just deprived us all of whatever creative contributions you might have made.

I felt bad when my husband pointed out how hard I’m working lately for little current monetary gain, but then I remembered something my CPA told me the other day. I met with him and said, “Don’t look at my expenses right now.” To which he responded, “Why not? You’re investing in your company. That’s what smart business people do.”

Will this investment pay off? Will all this extra work have been worth it? There’s only one way to find out . . .

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What Comes First, Money or Passion?

I’m still ruminating over something my loving husband said the other day: “You’re the most underpaid workaholic I’ve ever seen.” He was teasing me, of course, but my mother always said, “Behind every joke is a bit of truth.” See, I just launched my new book Bursts of Brilliance for a Creative Life, which is an edited compilation of the best posts from the first five years of this blog.

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Can You Ever Outgrow Art?

I went with some friends to an outdoor singalong showing of the movie Grease. I turned twelve the summer that movie came out, and my best friend was obsessed with the show, so it holds a special place in my heart. I do recall as I got older, I started to question the suggestion that nice-girl Sandy could only get the man of her dreams by becoming a sexy bombshell. Something about that never set right with me.

 

But the other night, I think many members of the crowd sensed for the first time how many other lines from the songs we know by heart are not quite appropriate today, especially in light of the Me Too movement. In the song, “Summer Nights”– which has always been my go-to karaoke duet — there is a line in which Danny’s friends ask if Sandy “put up a fight” to his advances. As if that were a good thing. I kid you not, you could hear an audible groan go through the crowd as we heard that line in a way we never had before. How did we miss that?

 

And it’s not just old songs and movies I’m seeing in a new light. There’s a painting I’ve had since the early days our marriage that is giving me trouble now. It’s by Thomas Kinkade and features a gorgeous Southern plantation-style house. I’ve been enamored by that type of architecture my whole life. But now when I look at the painting, I don’t see beauty and romance, I see a house that slaves built. I’m looking for a new piece of art to replace that painting that I once loved.

 

As a historian, I’ve never been one to whitewash history or to advocate for changing or destroying art that feels offensive today. And as an artist, I’ve never been in favor of censorship. And then there’s the nostalgic part of me that wants to go on loving what I loved as a child and hold on to the joy it used to bring me.

 

Sometimes it feels like everything is turning upside down, like nothing I understood in my youth makes sense anymore. Sometimes I question my own integrity and how I ever could have thought something was right, when it now clearly seems wrong. And sometimes I’m not even sure what to say or think or feel anymore. Some of you may think I’m overreacting, and some of you may think I’m not reacting strongly enough.

 

But times change, our tastes change, and our knowledge of history, culture, and humanity evolve. Our sense of right and wrong evolves too. Sometimes we just outgrow some of the art we loved, and maybe that’s okay.

 

But I hope it’s also okay to hold on to the memories of what that art first sparked in me. I’d like to go on remembering how the movie Grease made my best friend throw her arms around me in delight or how it felt to buy “real” art for my house when I was still a young newlywed.

 

If art is about discovery, maybe at first it’s about discovering something that gives us pleasure, and later it’s about discovering how much we’ve grown.

 

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