Do You Still Have The Explorers Heart?

art watercolour

This week I realised my lovely ego was attempting to get me to run, leap and jump into the future me. It wanted me to be beyond where I was in that moment, to fly with creativity before I have my wings, and I listened for a little while. I asked myself do I want to be a ‘professional’ artist, right now? Sell my work.
 
OH YES! my ego said, we must! it gets us lots of lovely attention and we can then be ‘defined’ as a REAL ARTIST. Haha!
 

What defines a REAL ARTIST?

Certainly not making a living from it and getting money. Some artists may make a lot of money making commercial art and they may not necessarily feel the creative, intuitive, heart centered flow they once felt as bright eyed and bushy tailed beginners.

 
Me, I want to continue being an explorer with an explorers heart. And in life, this constant need (by the ego/society) to race towards an imaginary finishing line is just plain bogus.

 
If you have an art, be it writing, painting, cooking, jewellery making, poetry, storytelling, dancing, singing…. (the list goes on) always keep that beginners mind. I have met many an arrogant teacher or ‘expert’ that is so fixed in the boundaries of their art or their subject they miss all the lovely things of life outside the box, through the doors often bypassed by tunnel vision.
 
Ask yourself if you were 10/20/ 30 years down the line as a teacher or ‘expert’ in your field could you teach a beginner with the same love and care you were once taught (or not)?
 
So many people on the spiritual path and in the teaching field forget what it was like to not know, to be uncertain and to experience doubt.

Being A Beginner

If you are a teacher do you look at beginners with contempt and frustration? or are you able to put your ‘years’ aside and embrace your beginners heart? your inner explorer of the new?
 
If I get arrogant and self righteous as I begin to feel confident in my art I am quite happy to have my ass kicked by anyone who can bring me down a peg or two so that I can remember what I have said here.
 
The ego likes to be better than other people (also it will take being less than others also) but it is us who choose what path we walk on.
 
Being wild, free and in the spirit of the newbie, beginner and explorer is a life embracing experience.
 
Never forget ‘getting there’ or ‘making it’ is not the goal. The goal is to enjoy every single step of living.
 
Do you still have the beginners mind or the explorers heart? or have you got a little stuck in your field of interest?
 
Check out this recent video I did on you tube:
 
 
 
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Kelly Martin
Kelly Martin

Kelly Martin, author of ‘When Everyone Shines But You’ is a dedicated writer and blogger who fearlessly explores life’s deepest questions. Faced with a decade of profound anxiety and grief following the loss of her father and her best friend Michael, Kelly embarked on a transformative journey guided by mindfulness, and she hasn’t looked back since. Through her insightful writing, engaging podcasts, and inspiring You Tube channel Kelly empowers others to unearth the hidden treasures within their pain, embracing the profound truth that they are ‘enough’ exactly as they are.

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2 Comments

  1. Lori
    September 12, 2011 / 11:11 am

    I know when I teach that sometimes I get annoyed with my students not getting it! This is a good reminder that everyone really is where they are at! I can't really fault them for not understanding or not putting in the amount of work I think they need to put in. I know I also did that when I was more of a beginner too, and there were lots of times when I was lost and didn't know what to write as a student. This is a good reminder.

  2. September 20, 2011 / 4:36 pm

    Hi Lori, you sound a great teacher,you are self aware and that is brilliant!

    Hugs x

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