Artist Guest Post #4 : Lexis Finds Her Mission
Editor’s Note: A few weeks ago, HBB artist Lexis Graap Krieg embarked on an in-depth online course that promises to help her find and follow her path for creative success. She is generously sharing a weekly log of what she is learning along the way. The class took a “creative breather,” but now she is back in full swing!
In HSHB, we are encouraged to send in our “Ah-ha” moments so the teachers could share them with the class. I’ve others’ moments with great admiration for their clarity, but also with some envy: I have been waiting for my “Ah-Ha” moment for weeks now. Would I have my moment of truth? Would I have the break through that others were experiencing?
One night I was lying awake in bed, sifting through the usual barrage of thoughts that spiral through my head. I was able to string together a series of words that sounded nice to me. But after careful investigation, I realized this statement spoke about my WHAT, not my WHY. I was still at square one.
I carved out a chunk of time for myself 2 days before the “DOING” stage of class started. I knew that I needed to refine the specifics of my business soul mission before moving forward. I had put this off, secretly hoping it would come to me.
I made a date to discover my mission and took myself out to coffee. I reread the collection of words and phrases I had written down and browsed through Lesson One, specifically answering questions about why I was passionate about my art and how it was helping those I was trying to reach.
After writing my answers, I looked them over and underlined a phrase that stood out and then moved on to rereading the rest of Lesson One. Further on, I read a passage that made me reread the answers I had just written.
The phrase I had underlined, JUMPED out at me now: “Live the life we have all imagined for ourselves” I realized this was the framework for my mission statement. I pulled up the thesaurus to find the right words and frantically scribbled my thoughts.
And then I realized, I had had my Ah-ha moment! My soul mission statement stared up at me: Lexisworks encourages us to live the authentic life we have imagined for ourselves.
Finally, a statement that would encompass the work I do as an artist, the professional experience I have as a graphic designer, and the desire I had to teach.
I should have known this would be my mission statement; the most popular print I sell features this Henry David Thoreau’s quote: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.”
This post was contributed by Lexis Krieg of Lexisworks. Lexis is a collage artist and regular seller at Hello Bluebird, as well as owner of her own blog and shop. You can read more of her story here.
If you had to come up with a mission statement for your own life journey, what would it be? Has it changed over the years? How does this statement help to guide you through the choices you make, big and small?
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Good Thing 73/366 : Listened to my 6 year old read Little Bear to me on my lap. It was so cool to hear the funny voices he gives the characters!
Good For : Mother and son. These days are so fleeting, and it is incredible to be able to take a few minutes to appreciate all the ways he is growing and changing so fast. I remember when it was ME reading Little Bear to HIM, not very long ago!
Yes, we’re still doing our Year of Good Things list, even though my posting has been–shall we say–erratic lately. It’s such a nice personal exercise to make a mental list of all the little things we give and receive that make each day a gift. Why don’t you share some of your own Good Things with us in the comments below?
