Staying in My Own Business

I was recently asked what advice I'd give to a person just starting out on their creative journey. I responded by saying that I'd give no advice at all. When asked for clarification, I said that I'd never give advice to anybody unless that person came to me specifically, seeking me out to ask for my perspective. I mean, who am I to go around advising this or that to a hypothetical someone? I have my story and my experiences but those are my experiences and my story. Others have their stories to live and learn from, right?

This desire to focus on my story and expressing my story without preaching, commanding, or judging others has been growing within me for the past couple of years. As I get better at it, I am acutely aware of Byron Katie's observation that indeed, staying in my own business is a full-time job.

I hope that with each passing day, that I become better at staying in my own business. Because I don't want to be that person ... you know the one ... the one in everyone else's business ... wasting time and creating energy that is the opposite of elevated ...

As I've shared here before, I have a therapist. I'd say that that is one relationship where I seek Therapist out and I pay Therpaist to give me opinions, advice, insights, and even commands. But even Therapist knows that effective therapy isn't about telling me what to do, but asking me thought-provoking questions that I answer for myself where I discover insights on my own. 

The beauty of art I feel is that as I stay in my own business, I can choose to express what my business looks and feels like ... packaged not as advice or anything like that but simply an offering and sharing of who I am. A portal to view and experience that offering if you want to. And for those who happen to peer in, it connects with who it connects with and it repels who it repels. That in and of itself is endlessly interesting.

Comments

[Faye Day]

Thank you for this post - it helped clarify thoughts about my stories and the way I share & offer my life. Loved The Byron Katie quote as I navigated a spot of difficult-people interaction recently.