This Too Shall Pass

When you introduce  yourself as an artist, people often remark  in a well-intentioned way how you are “livin’ the dream,” because if you do what you love (everyone assumes people in the arts are doing what they love), you’ll never work a day in your life.

That’s the dream: love, productivity, appreciation, but no work.

There’s a lot more work than anyone realizes. It’s mostly something like endurance for me.

Here is my guttural caveman impression of what life is like as an artist and probably in any creative field:

Livin’ the Dream!
Livin’ the dream.
Livin’.

Pause.

*crickets*.

Stress.
Produce.
Late hours.

Family fights.
Super stress.
Make utter crap.

Fear.

Pause.

Dark thoughts.
FEAR.

Phone call.
Sale.
Payday?

More phone calls.
Several sales!
Paydays! Commissions! Ideas!
Stress!

Make awesomeness.
Feel loved.

Livin’ the Dream!

Repeat.