Positive_negative

Do you have, or have you had, someone in your life whose full time job seems to be to nit pick, criticize, and point out the down side of almost every opportunity or point that you make?  Are they sarcastic and try to pass it off as “funny”? Aren’t they a joy to be around?  Not!

Here’s the real question.  Does that persona exist within you?  Does Negative Nancy or Ned emerge sometimes when you contemplate your artistic enterprise? It’s bad enough when someone else infects us with their negativity or fear, it’s worse when we do it to ourselves.

Why am I talking about this within a blog on business and marketing art? Because whether you fully realize it or not your inner dialog is driving your results.

The good news is that it if you are having trouble with this bitchy little voice you can manage it. I’m constantly witnessing artists changing their mind, changing their lives, and growing their businesses.

I have an artist client who is a painter.  Her unconscious negativity has limited her opportunities for much of her life. When Negative Nancy chimes in it usually goes something like this.  “That didn’t work before so it’s not going to work now.”   The antidote she now applies is to flip it.  “That didn’t work before.  What could I do differently to make it work now?”

I heard the Dalai Lama speak last year.  He suggested that one key to happiness is to become conscious by listening carefully to your thoughts. If they are negative then simply do some logical investigation. Ask yourself, “Is that really true? What solid evidence do I have?”  When either of the negativo twins show up insist that they show you their evidence.

I’m not advocating positive thinking, just truthful investigation.

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