The Universe Gives You What You Need

The universe gives…

I traveled the world, only to find myself back where I began seven years ago.

It’s been seven years since that day someone made the offhand remark, “Don’t you wish you could sell it all and move to the south of France?”

My ears perked up. I love the south of France! But half an hour later found myself thinking that was a stupid idea. It would never happen.

I started thumbing through American Art Collector magazine as I remembered an American artist I had once met in the south of France. He lived in a village I had visited. Lucky guy. How was he able to do it?

I turned the page of the magazine. I may not remember names, but I always remember images. Right there, right before me, was an article about his work. The artist’s name was Dan Adel.

Now some might smirk and say that it was just a coincidence. Those are the folks who do not believe in magic. But I do believe in magic.

So I quit my job, sold my stuff, and went off. Once in France, Dan Adel and his gorgeous wife Veronique became my friends. And I became lucky too.

It’s been seven years since that small French village first took me in, teaching me to find strength in solitude.

I have had a thing for about seven years. It constitutes a cycle.

The fact that I am about to launch The Working Artist, a work that is the culmination of the lessons I’ve learned these past seven years, made this summer’s visit to France even more significant.

I’ve come full circle back to this place, this place that always holds the answers to my questions. What will it teach me this time, I wondered?

The Universe painting by JulieJ.GalleryAs I walked through the countryside and into the village, I passed a café, and someone called me “Crista!”

It was Dan Adel. Wouldn’t you know it?

Dan was having lunch with a shaman who happened to be passing through.

The shaman listened as Dan, and I caught up on one another’s lives.

He nodded quietly as Dan and I went into one of our long, long conversations about art.

The afternoon sun moved across the sky and settled into dusk.

I love those exchanges: art, philosophy, spirit, and meaning.

Sometimes I aspire to the arts because of the conversations.

As I stood up to say my goodbyes after that very pleasant and unexpected afternoon, the shaman grabbed my arm and whispered, “You’ve learned how to be strong.

Now it’s time to open yourself to the world and be receptive and vulnerable.

Even when it hurts, if you look for it, the universe always gives you what you need.”

I nodded, a little unsure of what he meant.

A few days later found myself back in England. I was walking in the countryside with Companion when I not-very gracefully fell into a large bush of nettles.

I screamed in agony, my arm covered in stinging red welts.

Companion pulled the leaves of a nearby weed and began rubbing them to make a paste, which he applied to my burns. The pain floated away.

He explained, “The dock leaf takes away the nettle’s sting.

It’s easy to find because dock plants grow near the nettle.

Nature puts the remedy next to the injury. If we look for it, the world always gives us what we need.”

And suddenly, I understood.

Who Believes in You?

All artists have dreams, wishes, and goals.

Whether we keep our light hidden and never share our aspirations with another soul or announce our plans loudly to the universe doesn’t matter.

Either way, as artists, we all want our work to be seen and to connect with others.

We each desire respect for our talent and our ideas.

And these are big dreams.

Believing in oneself is the key to making one’s dreams come true.

Do you believe in yourself?

You see, too often, artists don’t.

We work and work and work at developing our craft.

We stretch and grow and mature our vision and strive toward our goals.

But we play small, waiting for outside validation that it’s safe to believe.

Waiting for the world to tell us that it believes first. Waiting to be told when we can take pride in our efforts.

When we’ll be allowed to wear the ARTIST badge?

But it’s not the world’s job to believe in you. It’s your job.

Believing in yourself as an artist is about something other than sold-out shows and your name in Art in America.

It’s about taking pride in the work rather than in response to the work.

Believing in yourself is about living with authenticity.

It’s about flying your Freak Flag high, letting yourself be as weird on the outside as you feel on the inside.

Owning who you are and what you believe to be true and permitting others to do the same.

You are a human being, a craftsperson, and a thinker. Always show up and put in the hours, weighing your success based on your efforts and work.

When you believe in yourself, all your dreams will come true.

Do you believe it?