Feeling Zest About Those Hopes and Dreams

This piece, called Dancing Fish, by Leslie Avon Miller is on its way to the National Collage Society Annual Post Card Show। 4 x 6 inches, on paper

I really enjoyed reading and hearing about the goals readers have for their creativity and art. So many juicy ideas; to be published, to take the iconic photograph, to travel and teach, to continue to create for a very long time, to have a great studio space, to say something, to be authentic. My wish for each person is to achieve their goals and then some.
When I decided to write about this tonight, I looked on line at the models for achieving goals. A lot were from the business world. Focus and concentration. Dedication. All well and good I suppose. But it all just seems so task oriented, and being the rebel that I am I tend to, well, rebel at those forceful strident marching orders.
I like the idea that my goals call to me, pull me forward, engage me and feel so natural. The element of work becomes play and following my curiosity is fun, fun, fun. I experience a flow.
I recently was at a talk on Positive Psychology. The elements needed for successful employment, so they say, are zest and hope. People also respond to autonomy, the opportunity to use one’s strengths and connection with other people.
I feel all of that about my goal of providing a high quality workshop experience for artists. I have so much zest and hope I can leap out of bed in the morning when I get a chance to work on my ideas. And since I am doing this myself, I have plenty of autonomy. I think leading a workshop would fit all of the above requirements. So I don’t have to artificially develop or enforce focus, concentration and dedication because it is already built into the goal for me. That’s why it is an activity that calls to me “Leslie, come work on the workshop outline! It is so yummy!” My goal is in alignment with who I am being, not just what I am doing.
So I see two workshops in my future; one on line and by conference call, and one face to face. A combination of art technique, art talk, artist coaching, fun, and dreaming big. And I have just decided I will take my face to face work shop to New Zealand and Australia. For starters. Who knows where else? It is all just so exciting! Zest! And Hope! I can see it in my mind’s eye now….How about you and your juicy dream?