joeor better known as … Blueprint For The Art Show At Home…..Part 8,
Fear.
Nothing seems to strip us of our ability to act than fear.
I lost a job as a Process Server my first day on the job in 1968 because I froze in fear handing out the summons to the target.
I just had so much fear.
When I was asked to call people up on the telephone so I could make appointments to show them vacuum cleaners, cookware, etc… I would freeze the minute they answered the phone.
I eventually worked at the problem until I got over my fear.
Let me tell you the story that clicked, that began my ability to kick the fear.
When my children were infants, 2 years, 4 years and 6 years old we were invited over to a good friend’s 4th of July party. They always had about 100 people, not counting the kids. We parked on their property on the side in a sea of cars and walked around to the back where everyone partying.
I had Ben and Nathan in my arms (2 years and 4 years old). They had a big ole German Shepherd dog who’s formal task I think was to greet all new arrivals. And Kathy and Harry, the hosts, greeted us as we walked into the back yard. I got a nice hug from her while I was still holding the babies. Only,…..
The German Shepherd chose that precise moment to lunge up at me to be petted. As he came down, his front paw somehow got tangled in my jeans belt or pocket and the next thing I know, my pants are down about my ankles and my white BVDs showing.
All sound stopped in the yard.
The radio seemed to quit playing.
My wife’s face froze.
I couldn’t grab the pants since I was holding an infant in each arm.
Kathy reached down, picked up my pants and started quickly pulling them up and when she got above the knees, Harry recovers enough to yell, “Kathy.â€
Kathy realizes what she’s doing and just let’s go with this most shocked looked on her face. My pants are down about my ankles a second time and I covered only by my BVDs.
Well I just busted right out loud laughing.
Everyone then started to laugh.
I handed the Babies over to Kathy and Harry and casually reached down, pulled the pants up, fixed everything, tucked the shirt in and retrieved the Babies.
So what’s the lesson?
You cannot be concerned with what other people think. You cannot let things that happen in your life or your art show get in your way and prevent you from achieving your goal. Things will simply go wrong. I never foresaw this kind of event ever happening to me. Yet one has to be mentally prepared that it can happen. So everytime I start to fear something, I just remember that day I remember I overcame that incident and that gives me the confidence to overcome what I’m currently facing. Confidence is like a muscle, the more you exercise it, the more confident you are.
No. I’m not suggesting that everyone go stand in front of 100 people in their underwear to overcome fear.
What I am saying is that each one of us have incidents, moments in our lives when we were victorious. Levcrage this. And when you face a challenge, remember your victory and you’ll have the strength to overcome your challenge.
You’ll have the strength to talk to prospective buyers at your Art Show and ask them to buy your painting.
Darrell