*Originally published early in our business but such a good reminder I wanted to share again*

One of the hardest things is pushing past the ugly.

When we are doing something new or something out of our comfort zone there is often the ugly/hard that accompanies it.

I am the biggest cheerleader of my children to practice, try again and push beyond…it can be harder when it comes to me.

Have you ever had a hard patch in your marriage?  Has it been hard? Ugly? Did you push past the ugly?  Did you get to the other side and make something beautiful out of a mess?

Have you ever had hurt feelings with a dear friend? Was it hard to apologize?  Were things uncomfortable for a while? Did you push past the ugly? Did you find joy in a restored relationship?

Have you ever seen characteristics in your children that broke your heart? Did you not know what to do to help them? Did you push past the ugly together? Did you feel the peace of watching them grow into the people they are made to be?

Have you ever felt stuck in your life? Creativity? Direction? Did you push past the ugly?  Did you work hard to figure out why you were stuck?  Did you experience the richness of your gifts and where you are supposed to be using them?

Pushing past the ugly is hard.

Hard in life, loves, and gifts.

I want to share a recent experience with you that revealed some things in me.

I felt out of practice in creating.

We had been busy with the business and our e-courses and I had not been making time to make art.

The “art” of business was replacing the creating of art.

I wanted to create.

I said I wanted to create.

I would look at my studio longingly but not make the time.

I found myself procrastinating and couldn’t figure out why.

I started setting my alarm early to wake up and create when everyone else was sleeping.

Me. Music. Morning light. Coffee. Paints.

I would giggle a little.

Why did I stay away?

What was it?

I was afraid of failing.

I was afraid of creating something ugly and wasting my time.

I had forgotten that the process is what matters.

Art is….ART.

It can’t be controlled for the perfect outcome.

It is going to be ugly sometimes.

Push past.

Push past the ugly because that is when the beauty appears.

That is when you are surprised by what can come out of you!

Marriage.

Children.

Friendships.

Creativity.

Faith.

The world and hurt around us.

So often we stop in the midst of the ugly and miss the whole point.

We miss everything that makes life worth living.

We get frustrated in the midst of the ugly and don’t even know what we are capable of.

How strong we are.

How creative we are.

How much change can come from our actions.

How beautiful we are capable of being.

How loyal and deep our love can be.

How strong our faith is.

Are you pushing past the ugly?

Hold on…..it is worth it.