Alex Alvis Art

Are you a Professional?

I don't know what you do or who you are.  Maybe only you know that.

Let me explain.

Maybe you're a rock star and you wear all the clothes and you have the entourage and the fans and the houses and cars and "friends"...and you're feeling fulfilled about all of it.

Good for you.  You're a professional.  But you know you're not all that ...stuff.  In fact you care very little about all that. 

You think of yourself as a musician - but not with ego, not with pride, just with this internal...this is who I am.  You know you can count your friends on one hand, your favorite house is the little house you grew up in in Indiana and no one knows how to find you there, and your favorite shirt is one you've had for years, it's very soft and says Haynes on the label. 

What you need is to make music.  And very little else.  You don't make music for anyone...only for yourself.  Sure, it is interesting and it pleases you that there are other people who like it too, if there are.  But - it isn't a requirement to whether you make the music or not.  It is inside you and you find happiness in expressing it.

But maybe you're a Rock Star and you don't feel fulfilled by it.  The money is nice and all.  You have great stuff and are surrounded by people who would do anything for you (as long as you are "successful")  You don't know how you'd get along without it all. 

But the truth is, if you didn't have to do it, you wouldn't.  You listen to classical music when you get any time to yourself and wish you had finished your biology degree because you're secretly fascinated by the taxonomy, morphology, cytology, phytogeography of tulips.

For the sake of this conversation you are an amateur Rock Star - no matter how successful you may be by our society's definition of success.  And not just that, the world may have benefitted more if you had finished your biology degree rather than played rock music with less than all your heart put into it.
You lose a part of you and the world has lost too...because your tulip?...it isn't here.

So - have you ever asked yourself this question?  If you were the only person left on earth, how would you spend your time?  Would you still write music or play your instrument of choice? 

Would you still do what you are doing right now?

If you would not, what would you do? 

What do you get lost in?  What could you spend hours upon hours doing without noticing the passage of time, like you did when you were a kid and you played pretend games? 

And I'm not talking about spending time distracting yourself.  I'm not talking about escape.  I'm not talking about video games or the latest hot HBO series or spending hours on Fac... uh...social media.

Would you explore?  Would you build?  Would you pilot a plane?  Grow vegetables?  Make bread?  Shop for the most amazing shoes?  Work out?  Run?  Hike?  Groom Poodles?  Solve two mile long algebra equations?  Re-invent the wheel?  Climb steep mountain faces?

I know.  You are NOT the only person left on earth.

But whatever that is for you.  I hope you will consider spending time with it, whether you think you have the time to or not.  There is the real world you have to tend to the details of, of course.  But how much of that could be minimized so you can nurture and develop what you really want and like to do? 

I hope you get to go into your world today and spend some time there.  I know I will.

'Til tomorrow!

~Alex

Procrastination and other Frustrations

I have been working on my website.  This is a frustration for me because I am not in the studio and sculpting when I am doing anything else.  Because I get frustrated I procrastinate and then I get further frustrated because I KNOW I am procrastinating, of course.  It's like walking around in circles.  I'm not getting my website done...I'm not sculpting either....

Just look at that floor.  Really, when did I last vacuum?  It will just take a minute...

There is a really good book I've downloaded and listened to recently called The War of Art by Steven Pressfield.  There is another one I want to listen to as well called How to Conquer Your Frustrations by William Knaus.

Unfortunately it is not a recorded book.  Fortunately - it is a free one and you can read it by clicking on this link.

I felt as if I was fated to feel unfulfilled and discontent for the rest of my life. I felt like maybe everyone was fated to repeat maladaptive patterns and self-sabotaging mistakes.

My, how things have changed.

Since then, I’ve taken significant steps toward major changes in my life, all bringing me closer to a joyful life based on my “anchors,” or values. My life continues to open up and I am presented with new opportunities daily.

But tackling something like resistance is tricky.  I think this is mostly so because of the time it takes ...and the word, tackle, seems to imply that something will change right away if you do this overcoming resistance thing...my dad's expression was "take the bull by the horns."

It's bull that taking resistance by the horns will cause immediate change, that it will help you on your journey to yourself, to your joyful life based on your anchors and values.

This journey is more like walking down a long hallway toward an arch at the other end where you will reach that goal of You you are walking toward.  The hallway you're walking down is pretty dark. 

Through that arch is some really nice golden light...it is a compelling soft and warm glow.  In there is You - the you deeeep waaay deep down inside you know is you. 

You're scared.  What if, once you get there it's just you and...well.  You?

On your way down that dark hallway, a door opens and someone tries to grab you...or a door opens and a huge wind blows you down...another door opens and the smell of wonderful food and laughter are inside...another door opens and someone hands you a telephone...or tickets for a cruise...or so much money you won't have to DO anything EVER AGAIN...why YOU have won the LOTTERY!  Oh goody!

You know.  You can say to yourself.  It's life!  And you can just say that - through that arch is who you are and what you are and what you are meant to be but ONLY once you experience what is coming at you through those doors...you know...on the other side of those doors!  It's Life!  Life Happens (or...was that expression...what was it???  ....oh yeah....I think really it was......shit happens!?!?!?)

Have you ever heard someone say "My LIFE has TURNED to SHIT!!" 

Maybe that person might have done better by grabbing the doorknobs of some of those doors, slammed them shut and then and walked on...because resistance to you being who you are supposed to be...well.  It really will kick the shit out of you.

It's Tricky...so so - ah...So Slippery...

Do you really think what you could experience walking through all those doors are the things that make who is through that arch at the end the REAL you?  Are you sure what is behind those doors aren't just ...manifestations of resistance? 

Here's a thought for you (and me...)  Maybe the way it works is this:  Once you walk through that arch and step into that golden light of You...what if that Chamber of You is lined with other doors?  Doors that open to things that are more appropriate to the you who is You?

Hmmm. 

So here you are, in a chamber full of golden light and a door opens...and nothing inside wants to distract you from You...nothing kicks the shit out of you.

'Til tomorrow, hope today is day is a day of you for You...
come on, do it for yourself.  And for us too...don't deprive us of who you really are :) ...please?

~Alex