Making the most of a situation, means that you start where you are.  If something is challenging, or you don’t have the things that you need to get started; start anyway.  Move forward, any way that you can. Even the smallest step, is a step in the right direction.

I could probably come up with a thousand more cliches about getting started and there are so many, because it’s so true.  I have learned much about the reasons to not get started, and I’ll address them another time, but for now, let’s just talk about how to start.  It’s really simple. Just start.

• If you’re trying to learn a musical instrument, get one and search youtube for beginner (insert instrument here) lesson
• If you’re interested in learning to sew, pick a project; search “Easy Sewing Project” on Pinterest, you’ll get a few hundred thousand ideas, easily
• Want to write book? Flesh out one character on a page – just make up a person, how do they dress, what are their interests, what is their issue?
• Write a song? Find a phrase that hooks your ear and write it down – come up with a second phrase that rhymes

There are myriad ideas on how to start a project, but the point is, just start it.  Don’t concern yourself with the outcome.  If it’s your first time, it’s probably not going to be a work of art (but it might be! You might be the genius we’ve been waiting for).  That’s really not the point though. The point is to start producing your body of work; expressing your true self. You don’t have to show it to anyone, you don’t have to tell anyone, you can keep it secret, under your mattress and only take it out when no one is around.   

The art of art, is a very personal journey – there may be things you want to share with the world and if so, great! But much of what we make (if we’re doing it well), is very personal and exposes us as vulnerable. One of my creative outlets is song writing. I find it to be the most vulnerable self expression that I practice.  I tend to write about things in my own life and while the end result may be an exaggeration of the thoughts and feelings that sparked that creation, it’s certainly representative of a point in my life.

I began writing songs again, just a couple of years ago and I had just started a new love relationship.  Some of the songs coming out of my head, were about new love, starting over, exploring untapped and/or forgotten longings and passions.  It was very autobiographical and I was terrified to share them with anyone. One day, I played my very first completed song (in over two decades) for my (adult) daughter.  She loved it. I then played it for a dear friend who also gave me very positive feedback. Finally, I played it for the man who inspired it. He’s not very forthcoming with verbal emotion, but I could tell that he knew he inspired the words and was pleased by it.  Now we play it at most of our shows and I’m used to exposing that part of myself and find it not so terrifying anymore.

My point is this: create for you.  Whether or not you share it with another person, or the whole world, is up to you.  Maybe you’ll only play it for yourself. That’s not the point. The point is to just do it.  Just start it. If you keep showing up, the muses will notice and they’ll show up, too.