Last week, I started a course called Stress Control which is helping me, and many others, to learn about ways in which we can take control of our anxieties and to help us overcome them, step by step.
I have been to two sessions now, and things are making sense! I have been doing a lot of jogging and running (much to the surprise of my family) as a way of not just building up my fitness levels, but as a way of promoting my own wellbeing. It really is helping; I feel more focused, I'm sleeping better at night and most importantly, I feel way better than I have done for a long time.
This is only the beginning though.
I recently had a conversation with a huge inspiration behind my lettering work. Her name is Sarah "Inkymole" Coleman and she's awesome. Her work was bought to my attention when I was studying at BCU as my tutor Clive is incredibly proud of her and he suggested I look to her for inspiration. How right he was! Her work is so fluid, so natural and yet so refined, a world away from the work I produce.
Sarah left some comments on a few pieces of my work, which really lifted my spirits. To hear from friends that your work is good is nice, really nice, but when you have a woman like Sarah with such talent and such commercial experience say that your logo is gorgeous is far more of an incredible feeling!
I have always described myself as an amateur. I believed that I would only ever give myself a "proper" term like Lettering Artist after I felt I had earned it through working or through commissions. I've never really thought much about it before now, but when Sarah said to me "I think it's time you stopped describing yourself as 'amateur'!" and she disagreed with my view on becoming a professional saying:
"Professionalism is what you demonstrate, how you work, conduct and present yourself, and is reflected in your work ethic. I am not sure you need a commission in order to 'be' professional; maybe to be 'a' professional?"
It just clicked. In hindsight (a common theme for me recently) I can see that has been very negative and in some ways counterproductive. I have been working really hard on my lettering, not so much recently but over the last few years I've really taken it seriously. I know where it is that I want to be in terms of my skill level, I know that my ambition is to have my work published one day, and by taking a step back and looking at my efforts and my progress I can see that I am no amateur. Yes, I do it for the love of doing it, but I am so driven to do it and to reach my goal that I suppose, I am professional.
Sarah also stated that: "There’s a time for modesty and it’s good to stay humble but there is also a time to acknowledge you’ve arrived!"
As I said before, this is just the beginning. With this course, Sarah's comments and my drive to succeed, this next six weeks is going to be pivotal. Not just to my mental health but to my professional practice as well.
With all this in mind, I think it is safe to say that I have arrived, even though my journey has just begun.