There is an old saying that I think, everyone who creates needs to hold on to. The saying is: Hard work is its own reward. Hard work requires dedication, discipline and the willingness to fail and start over. Its not an easy thing, but one grows in the process, and one learns so much. Lionel Richie says, “If you win, you win, if you lose you learn.” I think we cripple ourselves creatively when we focus too much on what other people think about what we do. I went through a really dark time when what I was doing wasn’t getting the results I thought it should. I became frozen, unable to create and deeply depressed. Releasing the magnitude of my expectations and grandiose dreams was like stepping out of a prison. I learned to create for the creation. I learned how to work for the work and all it gave me. I learned to shut out negative debilitating voices including my own. Creating will always be a challenge. It will engage us in a life long conversation about our worth and the worth of what we do. Don’t let anyone stop this conversation inside of you. Honor the gifts you have been given, don’t compare. Do what you do, watch your own growth. Celebrate every step gained, every technique gained, every moment when you feel yourself growing. I have had massive disasters that have enhanced my perception of the tools I use and the art I create. Live with your creative spirit and learn the steps it longs to teach you.