Snakes & Alligators

Have you ever had this experience?

You have an idea for a project. It's a really great idea. You are so excited. Your mind races. You imagine what the finish project would look like, how it will change your life for the better, how you will be recognized by your peers for your incredible contribution to your industry. You then see yourself at an awards ceremony where you are honored for your achievement. You realize this means that you will have to dress up all fancy and give a speech. All the sudden this daydream becomes anxiety ridden as you don't know what you would wear or what you would say. Now, you have so much anxiety over something that you've made up that you can't start the project.

When you are at the beginning of a project does looking at the future and all of the potential problems and achievements paralyze you?

If so, you are not alone. It happens to me all the time and to many of the people I work with. If fact, I was recently having a conversations with someone when this very issue came up. Out of my mouth came a statement I grew up hearing my dad say,

 You are up to your ass in alligators and you're worried about the snakes across the street. -Cal Ostler (also known as Liz's dad).  

As a kid this colorful statement always made me laugh and want to play Pitfall on the ATARI.

 

Now, I see the wisdom, in this statement, to focus on the issue at hand. The one that you can actually do something about. 

Today, I'm going to share with you 3 tips to help you stop worrying about the snakes and how to handle the alligators. 

1. The Future is your future self's business. The present is your business. We can only show up and do the work in the present. Getting all worked up about the future is a way of avoiding the the work you can and must do now. Trust that you will have the skills and resources necessary to handle any future problems because you will. Focus on what you can do right now to move your project forward. 

2. Identify the next step. What's the next step that your project needs to move forward? Ask it, it will tell you. If you are writing a play, is it creating an outline or a character breakdown? If you are building a puppet, is it gathering all the materials? Or do you need to do your research? Identify the next step helps you to focus your energies and resources that you may effectively and efficiently move forward. From there, you can create an action plan.  

3. Create an action plan. Once you've identified your next step, break it down into ridiculously small, do-able, tasks. This will help you overcome being overwhelmed. Completing tasks that move your project forward also builds your confidence. For example, if your next step is to research ATARI games your action plan may be the following tasks:

• Create an ATARI Pinterst Board
• Google ATARI and look at the findings for 1 hour
• Call older sister to talk about playing ATARI back in the day
• Ask Facebook friends if anyone has an ATARI that I can borrow

I hope these tips are helpful to you. I'd like to know what projects you are working on and how you deal with your alligators and snakes. Comment in the space below.

I Will Not Be Silent

Dear Reader,

Wednesday (9/10), would have been my 17th wedding anniversary had I not found the courage to end the abuse. For 9 years my identity was eroded, my voice was silenced, and my soul was dismantled. During those years everything that made me - me - was broken and discarded, the pieces buried in an internal graveyard (or so I thought).

I played small to survive.
I said nothing.
I became a shell of a person.

To know me now, is not to know me then.

In October of 2004, I had what I call my Tetris moment, when all the fractured pieces of information, advice and experience finally came together, clearing the board. In that moment, for the first time in a very long time, I heard my voice from that internal graveyard, and it said, "End it, now!" I knew I couldn't stay in the relationship another day or I would die. Ending the relationship was terrifying. For my safety and to break the trauma bond, I severed all relationships that were ties to him. It was a harrowing and painful time.

It was a very long journey to break the domestic violence cycle. With the support and love of my closest friends and family members, my faith, my art, and a lot of therapy, I was able to finally hear my voice over his, to trust it, and use it.

The aforementioned graveyard was actually a garden that needed nurturing. Creativity nurtured my soul, was a healing balm and the earliest manifestations of my emerging self.

Art is the primary way that I bring awareness to the fact that 3 out of 10 women are the victims of domestic violence. I wish my story wasn't common, but it is. So, I talk about it. I tweet about it. I create theater about it. I create works of art about it. And now, I blog about it.

But why now? Ray Rice is enough of a reason. However, the motivation comes from something that happened on Wednesday. My ex-husband, whom I haven't seen nor spoken to in almost ten years, made a contribution to my Life's Echoes Creativity Coaching, Indigogo campaign. As a person of integrity and who is an informed consumer (minimizing my financial contribution to labor trafficking as much as possible), I refuse to accept this contribution. I have returned the funds, however, Indiegogo is unable to remove the contribution from my campaign page. Thus it looks as though I've exceeded my goal. When in fact, I'm still $145.00 short with 3 days left to go (September 14, 2014).

My original plan was to send a simple reminder and encourage you to contribute, even if it was $5 or $10 because those contributions really do add up. Instead, I found myself in an awkward situation and felt shame wash over me. I felt myself go small again and wanting to hide. Interesting how when triggered, some coping mechanisms come right back. Thankfully, I'm a hell of a lot healthier now and was able to bounce back emotionally within minutes.

Today, I was reminded that: I was a victim, and then a survivor. Now, I'm an advocate.
This is an opportunity for me to stand in my truth and tell my story.

All those things
That you taught me to fear
I've got them in my garden now
And you're not welcome here
-Poe, excerpt from Control

So, if you can contribute to the Indigogo fund I would greatly appreciate it. My story is a huge part of why I advocate for creativity and nurture it in others. It's a necessity to living a fulfilling and happy life. It can heal individuals, communities and the world. Again, I'm $145.00 away from reaching my goal and have 3 days left. (The new goal on the campaign website is $1,045. This factors in the unacceptable contribution).

If you are a victim of domestic violence or know someone who is, know that you are not alone. There is nothing to be ashamed of and there are lots of resources available to help you. There is a way out and a lot of joy on the other side.

I will not stay silent. I will not stand still.

Much affection,
Liz