02 Jun 30 Days of Liberation | Day 02

Restrictions

Perhaps you are seeking some liberation within yourself? Perhaps you too have felt an inner need to allow your art, your expression, or your voice to be released. Are there real restrictions at play or simply inner dis-ease or lack of flow that is the cause. Have you too succumbed to the dark voice in your mind? “Luke, I am your father…”

We are all subjected to various restrictions, both outwardly and inwardly imposed. The inward are perhaps more invisible and yet the most influential. This will be the point of focus for this series of word scribbles. Just to be clear, these inner restrictions are yours. They are borrowed, collected, and shared from all the various sources. 

“Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle. Some things are within your control. And some things are not” ~ Epictetus

Restrictions have their place. They form a framework to help us to funnel our creative ideas into a tangible form. In any creative process, it’s paramount to follow some sort of line or stream of consciousness that will guide the exploration, which includes some outward (client) or inward (artist) restrictions. A beginner thinks “When I have a big client, unlimited budget and an unrestricted deadline, then I will finally create my best work.” The veteran creator knows this to be false.

The specific restrictions we are looking to vanquish are the ones that causes us to freeze, to over plan, cronic perfectionism, to re-re-rethink, to look for reasons why we can’t do it, and then to take a nap. It’s about being much more courageous, far lessself-judging, increasingly more spontanous, and less concerned about others’ opinions.

“Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.” A great quote that is likely paraphrased from an ancient Greek philosopher. Regardless if they are (or were) your teacher, mentor, friend, coach, etc, their opinion is out of your control. On the other hand, your opinion is in your control.

What little action could you do today to dissolve some of your inner resistance? Keep it small then build upon each victory.