The Ultimate Question

Who am I? Of course this seems fitting after I had a keyboard mishap that had my last name change by one tiny little letter and as a result yielded hours of amusement. The topic of my blog dreamed up before the keyboard malfunction. I've heard over and over again the three instrumental questions in Kung Fu: "where am I?", "what am I doing", and "where do I go from here?" Upon further pondering, I believe that there is a question to be asked prior and that is "who am I?"

Until the age of 7, children are basically sponges soaking in all of the information that's around them. Behaviours, attitudes, habits, responses, opinions, thoughts, feelings, the list goes on are basically downloaded into the subconscious mind. Then at about age 7 the conscious mind, the choosing mind kicks in and this is where the upheaval begins. Here's an example: if I grew up with the paradigm that work is WORK-struggle-hardship-no fun allowed and then I do something that's my work (say glass art or making fudge) and I have fun doing it, I'm slamming up against what I've been programmed to believe. The result will be (speaking from experience here) self sabotage because even though I'm gifted at what I do and it comes easy to me, I'm having fun and that's against "the law" according to the subconscious computer that runs the show. So now what? Be mindful, be fully conscious and aware of what I'm doing is the one of the first steps until it becomes a habit or process that the subconscious has now accepted as the "new law" and after becomes the state of "effortless effort". There's a few other things, but that's a start.

In my coaching program I've been (and it's ongoing) peeling back the layers of what doesn't belong to me and seeing if it serves or not. My parents did what they did, but I'm me and I have my way and my choices that are for my highest good. There are things I will keep but they will be at my choice not by automatic response. I'm the first artist in the family and I'm also building a business unlike anyone in my family has ever done before so yep, I'm slamming up hard against what I've soaked in during my sponge years. Plus I also have fun at what I do and that goes against not only the grain, but whole darned field because fun is to be had after work and only after the work is done with the assumption being the if one is having fun no work is getting done. That is light years away from the truth because when I'm having fun, I'm in the zone and there is where the "work" flows and is done with grace and ease. So toss the struggle and hardship, bring on the fun.

Who am I? Good question that I have some answers for and it's a process as I peel off the layers to discovering me. What I can say is that if I don't have my creativity lit up like a Christmas tree and if I'm not having fun at what I do, I'm a miserable camper. So hello creativity and fun, let's see what we can howl at today.
Sherri Donohue
My Blog