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Honoring My Art: Notes from a Sabbatical

7/20/2015

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Last November, after 25+ years working for a large company, my position was eliminated as part of a major staff reduction.  I'd managed to survive eight previous rounds of cuts so I knew they'd eventually get to me.

It took a while to come to terms with what happened, and after a few months, I started to look at my unemployment as a sabbatical. I received some excellent advice.  First and foremost ... just breathe.  Take a break.  Get organized.  Network.  Try different things to see what I might want to do for My Next Big Thing. 

I did all that stuff.  Took naps and walks, spent time with my 13-year old dog, started decluttering the house (that's a never-ending project), and started a consulting business to keep my PR skills sharp. 

But the most important thing I did was to use my sabbatical to focus on photography.  Having time to shoot whatever caught my eye has been fun and really good for my soul.  I find myself being more present in the moment, thinking about composition and taking thousands of images.  It's been a blast.

For a while, I focused on shooting what other people might like or buy.  It started to feel like a job and not a happy one.  But I got some good advice from an artist-cousin who reminded me to create my art, not what someone would appreciate.  If they like it, great, but I needed to be true to what I think is good.  I have a sign on my refrigerator to remind me of this every day:  Honor Your Art.  So, I do.

I haven't figured out a way to make a living at this, but I wish I could.  I haven't given up on the idea and I am open to possibilities. 

In many ways, my time off has been a gift, though I didn't think of it that way at first.  But all good sabbaticals must come to an end.  My severance runs out in a month or two, as does my insurance, so it's time for me to focus on my next paying gig. 

I know, though, that I will continue to honor my art.  It brings me great joy and I hope it brings you the same. 

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