Stop Comparing

Don't you hate when you have this brilliant idea, and then you go online and find out that somebody else has already done it?  And they're doing it way better than you can do?

Grrrr.

That totally happened to me today.  And I'll admit, I was jealous.  And mad.  And annoyed.

Now, I'm not going to tell you who it is that's way better than me, but I will tell you that I have since changed my attitude around.  Yay for me.

I know it's not good to compare and think terrible thoughts like, "What do I have to offer that hasn't been done already?  What's so special about me?  That person is way more talented than I am." 

It's hard, though, right?

Well, I've decided that a helpful little thing to do when I feel those thoughts start to beat my spirit down, is to stop comparing myself to everyone else, and just compare my current self to my past self.

Pretty good idea, right?

So, yeah, I'm not a wildly successful artist right now with licensing deals and more money coming in than I know what to do with, but if I compare myself, to the Laurie from 5 years ago, than I'm doing pretty awesome.

For example, this is totally embarrassing, but do you want to see one of my very first attempts at digital art?  Eeek, here it is:

 

I honestly had no idea what I was really doing.  I had been using Photoshop for years, but only for working on photographs,  I had never tried to create an art piece from scratch before.  I didn't know anything about all the different Photoshop brushes out there, and how to make my own brushes, and how to add texture, and lots of other tips and tricks I've learned along the way.


So, here's my advice to myself today:

Focus on the progress that you've made.

Know that you have something unique to offer the world.

  There is only one of you.  

Keep expressing your unique creative voice!

Wow, I do feel better now.  Thanks, Laur!  : )