Persevering outside the mainstream
Can you think of the last time you tried to do something outside the mainstream?
Something that seemed strange, even suspicious, to your spouse, your parents, or your neighbors?
I'm imagining big things like downsizing your home, going back to school at age 40, or traveling the world instead of buying a house with the $30,000 you had saved. Smaller life choices also count, like landscaping with native plants, fasting for 48 hours, or taking a solo vacation to the Caribbean.
Any of these choices are still weird enough that people in your circle will try to dissuade you.
When someone pushes back, even on a choice that affects no one but you, there’s a compulsion to defend your thought process. Then you try to get them to agree that your way makes sense for you. When you inevitably can't convince them, you question your perception of the world. It’s exhausting to go against the grain.
Creative practice seems to help. When you’ve practiced following your creative vision in tiny, truly insignificant ways (like taking artful photographs, or learning landscape design), it’s easier to snag a little courage for when you have a personal experiment or view you want to stand by.
Hope you’re finding tiny ways to follow your creative vision. Be well!
P.S. By the way, I hope I don't alarm you (or trigger you!) when I talk about my struggles with balance, like yesterday's email. I love thinking, reading, and writing about this topic. I find it fascinating that there are many (healthy) ways people respond to the stresses of busy lives.
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