3 Lessons 2019 Has Taught Me
It’s Christmastime again…I’m so happy to be celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus. In the next few days, I will be focusing on preparing my heart and mind. I’m wishing you and your loved ones the merriest of Christmases. In this post, I wanted to share three major lessons I’ve learned in 2019 that I will be carrying with me into 2020. Please share with me your biggest take aways from this past year in the comments or meet me back at my Instagram post. I’ll be traveling all day, but I hope to get to some while I’m at the airport/en route!
#1 Whatever it is that you’re after, do it. Stop wasting your time “strategizing.”
This wisdom came from one of my favorite professors, and to be quite honest, it blew my mind. God is always trying to tell me this, and so often, I disobey Him. Partially out of vanity and partially out of fear. As an artist, blogger, photographer, writer, I spend so much time researching auditions, thinking about the algorithm, or looking at “inspiration.” Getting out there and creating is when most opportunities have fallen into my lap. I’m so excited to be directing a show in the upcoming year, and getting my hands dirty in that way. When I take my art into my own hands, I learn so much and I get better. My professor said the people that “made” it, in any way, were the ones in the studio. The time I spend thinking carefully about what to email someone leaves me never emailing them. The time I spend making a list of the auditions I’d like to take leaves me with no time to prepare. The time spent scrolling through hundreds of young artist programs isn’t quite all that fruitful. When I open Instagram, I should engage, instead of mindlessly staring at that screen. I don’t want to wish I had hours back trying to win a game that only existed in my head. My own fear and desire to control and plan will get in my way if I’m not mindful.
#2 Our humanness begs for solitUde
As a full blown extrovert, my natural inclination is to be surrounded by loved ones. It’s even hard for me to go most evenings without calling a friend or a family member to chat. As an artist though, being alone is part of the deal. As much as I need social interactions and experiences, I need time to ponder, meditate on the Lord’s word, and create. Living alone has been such a wonderful and productive thing for me. I would love the blessing of a family one day, but being alone at this time in my life has truly taught me what solitude can do for my creative powers.
#3 Now does not have to be the time for everything.
When I moved to Chicago, I thought I would have time for everything. Comedy open mics, photography, blogging, opera, research projects, making friends, dating, you name it. Turns out, there are only 24 hours each day, and sleeping is non-negotiable. Especially when you’re an opera singer. I realized that I need to make singing and my graduate schooling the top priority. Everything else needed to come second, or else nothing would be fruitful. I’m not done with standup comedy, and I’m sure I’ll do some open mics in the new year, but only after my practice and homework are done. Going back to school for master’s degree requires my full commitment, and it’s with joy, I make that choice every day.
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All photos taken by Haley of https://halesyeahchi.com/