Claiming a creative title, artist, writer, poet, dancer, etc. is often fraught with conflict and questions of talent. Am I good enough? Is it ok? What if others laugh or think me pretentious? How will I be judged? It was enough to pull me away from my art major and into psychology, a safer route. I don't regret my psych or Gender Studies degrees, but I wish I could have chosen from an "and" place with art rather than an "or" place of pushing art to the margins.

 

Claim your titles. Even if you don't share them with the world, let your heart own them. 

 

Set your inner compass by them. I made my artist dreams small for a very long time. It is painful. As I wrote about last week, doubt will always come but you can give it a noble job to do. I didn't know this when I was younger and doubt ended up slaying my artist dreams trying to protect me. 

 

I am artist who also coaches and teaches and writes. Different than a coach and teacher who also makes art. It is working that can be dismissed as silly semantics but the soul resonance is profound. It is a shift in self orientation. Do I have it all figured out, no. Will I introduce myself as an artist? I don't know, but my inner navigational compass is set differently and that is enough for now. The path will unfold from here.

 

If you also have a secret identity, a dream (creative or otherwise) you hold dear but are shy to announce, admit it inside the privacy of your own heart. Let it live there while looking for ways it can live out in the world. If you want someone know, tell me. Let me know. I'll keep it safe. I see you. 

 

You know my love of Korean dramas (thank you Netflix.)  One I highly recommend on the theme of reclaiming lost dreams latter in life is Navillera. 

A retired letter carrier decides to fulfill his childhood dream of learning ballet. Inspiring, heartbreaking, heart expanding, tender; a beautiful story of the resilience and courage called on in following a dream. 

 

Check it out, especially if you are having any kind of "it's too late" or "I will look foolish" thoughts. Especially if you love stories set in the dance world. Especially if you love a good mentoring story.