Life's Negotiations

Ever notice how people skirt around calling themselves artists, even if they draw or write regularly?

What's that about?

When I do it, I imagine a thick black line drawn between the aficionado and the "true" artist or writer.

Imagine that. Getting paid for doing what you love.

I'm inspired by people who love what they do. Case in point: Global Business School Network. I had the pleasure of meeting with them last week to discuss communication strategies to attract members and corporate leaders.

This group has a tremendous amount of energy and drive to strengthen business education in emerging markets. It is palpable how much each person believes that what they are doing is making a difference. Talk about job satisfaction.

Over the weekend, the New York Times had a story about Jill Bolte Taylor, a neuroscientist whose stroke changed her perception of the world and her place in it.

Her theory is that most English-speakers are controlled by the left lobe, where language is processed and the source of our logic, judgement and context, over the right lobe, in charge of creativity and empathy. Her stroke rendered her left lobe temporarily incapacitated, so she could experience euphoria - the atoms in her body being connected to the air and living beings around her and the freedom of her spirit moving beyond her body.

While this sounds like a spiritual out-of-body experience, because Dr. Taylor is a neuroscientist her story adds a level of credibility especially useful for non-believers. She can explain what happened metaphorically, physically and scientifically.

I'm reading, "The Private Lives of the Impressionists" by Sue Roe about my favorite period in art history. Connecting these paintings to historical events and the friendships among the artists brings more to the interpretation of their beloved work.

Between the soap opera of love affairs and illegitimate children, I'm struck most by how little they were thought of by fellow artists and patrons at that time. It's surprising, when you consider how prevalent Monet's reprints are today (let alone Van Gogh's who came a few years later and similarly struggled for acceptance).

For these artists - Monet, Pissarro, Cezanne, Renoir, Manet, Degas - to stay true to their inspiration and keep creating despite the ridicule and poverty they endured, took possibly a combination of ego, insanity, determination, vision, and camaraderie.

I was touched by a letter I received today from a friend who's in Kenya helping refugees gain asylum. Her latest note said:

I do hope that you are all living each day…really living… loving… laughing… crying… experiencing all of the joy, frustration, heartache and fulfillment that make our lives what they are… ours to live in whichever way we so desire...

I was drafting my coaching newsletter when her email arrived - the topic is letting go of everything we think we 'should' do in our lives out of guilt or obligation.

This email was from someone unencumbered by little things like whether to attend a summer barbecue. She's living every day and making a difference every day.