Life can be messy. So can creating (maybe someday I’ll share a pic of my palette post painting). Both can also be scary. We get used to our lives and routines or our way of creating. Deviating from our norm sounds super scary.

It’s like we’re on our normal path, doing our normal things, and we come to a bridge. That bridge wasn’t there before, and we’re not sure what to do. We can’t see to the other side of the bridge, and have no idea what may be in store for us.

Should we cross it? Turn around  and go back?

It’s an individual choice, but crossing the bridge means experiencing new things. Sure it’s scary, but it can also be incredibly rewarding.

A bridge appeared in my path a couple of years ago. It was a scary bridge. It interrupted my life and took me onto a completely new path. At first, I didn’t like the bridge. It took away some of the things I was used to in my life and creativity.

However, after being on the bridge for a while, I discovered new ways to create and took up painting. Back in high school (like forever ago), I painted in oil, but I hadn’t picked up a brush in decades.

I did my first two watercolors in May 2021, then I got a macro lens for my cell phone and started taking pics as my creative outlet (my big camera is difficult for my aching hands to hold most of the time). I went back to painting at the end of February 2022. I haven’t been doing it long, I know, but it’s invigorating to have a new creative outlet.

So, even though the bridge that appeared in my life was scary, it also blessed me with new opportunities that I may not have experienced otherwise. The bridge has increased my bravery as I share my art. I even launched a Patreon account (something I never thought I’d be brave enough to do). If you’d like to check it out, here’s the link:

https://www.patreon.com/joanstradling?fan_landing=true

Even though a bridge in your life may be ugly, painful, difficult, scary, you’ll eventually get to the other side where you may discover new things about yourself.

Don‘t turn back. Persevere.

Cross that bridge when you come to it.