Earlier this year, I wrote an article about moving out of your comfort zone in which I said that this action can produce rewards beyond your expectations. This pastel drawing is a result of this kind of adventure. It is just one of many of Gretchen’s drawings now on display in her new online gallery at gretchenstlawrencestudio.com
Gretchen decided to redefine herself as an artist after years as a high tech program manager and she has been successfully establishing a distinctive style and a following in just a few short months.
In the process, she had to overcome all sorts of self-imposed barriers to becoming a professional artist. She was helped to a large degree by the fact that she works with a group of supportive artists and paints with them on a weekly basis. Working in a community of aligned people eases the stress of moving out of your comfort zone.
Recent changes in technology have lowered the bar to launching a career in almost every area. You can now create and publish your work on the Internet for less than it costs to subscribe to a major newspaper.
You can create professional looking websites and keep them updated for a few dollars a month. This opens the door to new opportunities for professionals in their mid-forties who see career roadblocks looming in their future.
Think of it this way: You have been accumulating business experience for many years on somebody else’s nickel. Isn’t it time you turned this hard won experience to your advantage and used it to secure a livelihood that gives you great satisfaction and which you can control?
As a self-employed businessman or artisan you may make far less money than you did as a high-flying big city executive, but you gain something priceless: control of your own time.
There is so much that you gain in this transformation that it would fill a book. You can check out the articles I’ve written in the micro business category to get a taste of what is in store when you move out of your comfort zone and take control of your future by creating a business of your own.
You may not choose to become an artisan, but the path to success in any new field often starts with training or apprenticeship. In October, I wrote my first article about late-life artists who are transforming life experience into art. I noted that many of these mid and late-life artists were launched into a new career by taking a course taught by a professional artist.
I have continued to follow these artists and see that a number of them are producing an increasing volume of excellent work and are developing viable careers. It takes hard work, but they say it is extremely rewarding and would not consider reverting to their previous occupations.
You have the same opportunity and it all starts when you decide to move out of your comfort zone. When you decide to make your move, you will find that there are people who are willing to assist you