Photo by Carrie Brummer

Asking for help may open doors to you!

This weekend I am at an IB teacher conference.  It is always fun to be with a whole bunch of art teachers!  In the spirit of art teacher collaboration, I want to share some reflection on asking others for help.

This year I’ve truly realized the benefit that comes from asking for help.  I was raised to be very independent, thank you Mom and Dad!  But there were times I took my desire for independence to a prideful level, a level that can alienate others (what is friendship for without give and take?).  For some time this action was self-destructive; I would only have a “legit” art career if I made it “on my own.”

It has taken me way too long but now I can see the benefit and joy of support from other people.  This year I finally asked a few VIPs in my life to help me spread the word about my art.  As a result, I currently have one commission I am working on with the possibility of 3 more.  I have a huge networking opportunity at the end of this month and my online readership of my artist website has increased.

Right now I am most comfortable asking for support from my friends.  The next step will involve promoting my work to acquaintances and others referred to me.  I keep reading about the need for meaningful connections in the blogging community.  If we don’t apply the same philosophy outside of the digital world, we are allowing fear to hold our creative success hostage.

BE COURAGEOUSLY CREATIVE: Write down the names of everyone you know who could help support your creative success in some way.  Choose one person on the list to connect with and ask for help.  Who knows what doors this could open. 🙂