One day, on my Facebook page, I wrote, “we are the artists of our lives. If we do not like the way our creation is coming together, we have the power to change it. Each artist must find their own way, their own medium, their own tools, and their own inspiration.” This post generated an interesting discussion with a few people regarding being an artist, awareness, and perfection.
I wrote this because while I have no control over other people’s consciousness, that is about them. I do have control over my own consciousness. As I have become increasingly aware of what I say and do, I became aware of how my life has changed as I have become impeccable with my words. Being impeccable with one’s words is the first agreement in the writings of Miguel don Ruiz’s book, The Four Agreements.
Learning to be impeccable with my words has not been as simple as it sounds. When I began to pay attention to my thoughts and actions, I began to realize how significant even the smallest of moments could be. The more I have come to realize this, the more challenging living this agreement has become.
As I have worked at being impeccable with my words, I have realized the impact of every word I say. What I say tells a story. My words express emotion, attitude, and belief. I have been thinking about this as I have been watching other artists at work Tom Collichio on Top Chef always talks about the importance of editing what you put on the plate. On Work of Art, the judges would often comment about how everything in a piece contributes to the story.
As I have thought more about my word as an art form, I realized that like any artist, I must constantly work on honing my skills. I have come to realize that learning to be impeccable with my words is a journey. I cannot just wake up and decide from this point on I am impeccable with my words. It is a way of being that I am constantly working on. I am a work in progress. I am still working to master this art. I am still working to master the way I express my emotions, actions, thoughts, and beliefs. I am grateful that I am more skilled today then I was yesterday.
When I first began on this journey, I found myself being frustrated at times. I could make it through a block of time and then my mind would slip back and I wanted to give up. When I thought about why I wanted to give up, it had to do with that sense of not doing right. My inner victim was speaking. Then I reminded myself that all I needed to do was my best. My best is changing over time. I am grateful for these moments of frustration. They helped me to transform some other agreements in my life.
I have come to realize that with every breath I take, I become more skilled as a word painter. I am slowly mastering the nuances of an artist who paints a reality with her words. One morning, I went back and read some things I had written at various points in my journey. I could see my own evolution. I am grateful for these earlier writings, as they were an important part of my evolution and transformation.