Isabel Allende

"Fear is inevitable, I have to accept that, but I cannot allow it to paralyze me."

—Isabel Allende

Chilean Writer

1942 -

Commentary

The person who says that he has no fear is a liar.  We all fear something.  Maybe we are afraid that we are not good enough.  That we have not talent and have wasted our time writing or painting or acting.  What do you fear?  What keeps you awake at night?  How do you cope with your fears?  Do you run and hide?  Do you confront your fears head on?



My biggest fear is not having enough money to pay my bills?  I need to know where my next pay check is coming from.  I know deep inside that I am not an entrepreneur.  I have the desire and the ideas, but I am not willing to risk my financial security.  I have tried to start businesses while still employed but have not been successful.  And this fear is also why I have not become a full-time writer.  I need financial stability so I write part-time.



I am a risk-taker in my mind.  I will question any idea or concept.  Nothing is sacred.  Everything is fair game.  And the reason for this, I believe, is that in my teenage years I rejected the faith of my forefathers.  If I could challenge God, then I could challenge anything.  I am not a risk-taker with living life.  I have learned that I need security in the physical world so I can take risks in my mind and soul. 



But I have also faced fear and beat him at his own game.  I once was afraid of speaking in public, but after 5,000 presentations, I rarely experience fear of speaking.  In fact, I have become so relaxed that I am willing to make mistakes and laugh at myself.  What fears have you overcome?  



What fears are holding you back?  What fears are preventing you from being the writer or painter that you want to be?



Creative Practice

This week identify the fears that are preventing you from following your creative pursuits.  What can you do to confront these fears — to challenge these fears? What can you do to minimize the impact of the fear on your life and happiness?



Biography

Isabel Allende was born in Lima, Peru, the daughter of Francisca Llona Barros and Tomas Allende, who at the time was the Chilean ambassador to Peru.  Her father was a first cousin of Salvador Allende, President of Chile from 1970 to 1973.  Her father walked out on the family when Isabel was three.  She spent her youth in Chile, Bolivia and Lebanon as her mother and step-dad moved often.  She married Miguel Frias in 1962 and became a TV personality, a dramatist and a journalist.  She also translated romance novels from English to Spanish, but was fired for making unauthorized changes to the dialogue that make the heroines sound more intelligent.



Isabel gave birth to a daughter, Paula, in 1963 and a son, Nicolas, in 1966.  In 1973, because of the assassination of Salvador Allende, she fled  Chile and moved to Venezuela where she worked as a journalist.



Her 1982 novel, The House of Spirits, began has a letter to her 99-year-old grandfather. The manuscript was rejected by numerous Latin American publishers, but was finally picked up by a publisher in Spain.  The book was a huge success and has been translated in many languages.  

Allende writes on a computer and writes in Spanish.  On her website, she writes:  "Language is essential to a writer, and language is as personal as blood. I live in California—in English—but I can only write in Spanish. In fact, all the fundamental things in my life happen in Spanish, like scolding my grandchildren, cooking, or making love."

Allende has written more than 20 books that have been translated into 30 languages and have sold over 57 million copies.



In honor of her daughter, Isabel has created a charitable foundation dedicated to the protection and empowerment of women and children world wide.



Video

Here is a powerful, humorous Ted Talk by Isabel Allende.  Be sure to watch it all.

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Harley King

Photo by Johari King

"Study your fears for they have much to teach you.  Some fears protect us from danger.  Other fears predict the future.  Some fears are false and worrying about them keeps us from enjoying life.  Other fears are worthless and should be discarded."

— Harley King

American Poet / Speaker

1949 -

Have you examined your fears?  They have much to teach you?  Are you afraid of riding on elevators?  Do you know why?  Are you afraid of driving a car?  Do you know why?  It is important that you understand where your fears came from.  Understanding your fears will help you over come them.

I read a story recently about a man who in the middle of a violent storm went out of his house to move his car because he was afraid a tree would fall on it.  While he was sitting in the car, the tree fell on the car and killed him.  Sometimes our fears predict the future.  I learned this early in my marriage.  My wife is very good at sensing danger in the future.  Where we lived we had to drive 25 miles to a movie theater.  About ten miles into the drive, she sensed something was wrong so we turned around and went home.  Now I can never prove that something would have happened, but in my heart I know we made the right decision.

One of those fears that we should discard is the fear of rejection.  Many artists, writers and actors face rejection and it can hurt emotionally.  And sometimes our fear of rejection keeps us from sharing our work with the world.  Rejection by others can not harm us unless we let it.  You know your work better than anyone.  Don't let people's prejudices and ignorance stand in your way.

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Mark Twain

"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear — not absence of fear."

— Mark Twain

American Writer 

1835 - 1910

Fear is important to our safety and longevity.  We need fear in order to be aware of danger.  Yet, fear can also be destructive if we are afraid of the wrong things.  Fear can both protect us and cause us harm.  The challenge is to distinguish between the two possible results.  If we are in danger, fear will help protect us.  But if we are not in danger, yet are afraid, the fear causes harm to the soul and the spirit.

As writers and artists, we should not be afraid to create.  This fear is harmful to the soul.  Resist this kind of fear.  Learn to master the fear.  Don't let the fear overwhelm you.

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Meredith Monk

"At a certain point, you have to go to the edge of the cliff and jump — put your ideas into a form, share that form with others."

— Meredith Monk

American Composer

1942 -

Artistic folks are often perfectionists who are slow to let their work out into the larger world.  We need to learn to take a leap of faith — to believe enough in our work to let others experience it.  Sure, the work will find critics and those who don't understand and maybe even controversy, but that is okay.  The work must see the light of day.  So take the leap and jump off the cliff.  Share your work with others.

Here is Meredith Monk performing Lost Wind.

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Paula Abdul

"You end up becoming who you are by jumping into that circle of fear — that's how it's done."

— Paula Abdul

American Singer/Dancer

1962 -

Have you embraced your fears or do your fears control your every move?  It is by facing our fears that we become who we are meant to be.  Holding our feet to the fire makes us stronger and wiser.  Step into that circle.  Look fear in the eye and demand that he set you free.  You are stronger than your fears.

Here is Paula singing and dancing.  Enjoy.

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William Faulkner

"Get it down.  Take chances.  It may be bad, but it's the only way you can do anything really good."

— William Faulkner

American Novelist

1897 - 1962

The fear of many writers and artists is having to face a blank sheet of paper or a blank canvas.  And what holds the writers and painters back is the need to be perfect.  They believe that everything they write or paint must be the best so the fear of not being good enough paralyzes the artist within.  You now have the permission of William Faulkner, one of the great American novelists, to create bad stuff.  And I second him.  The important thing is to get the paint on the canvas or the words on paper.  The clean-up will come later in the form of revision.

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John Amatt

"Face new challenges, seize new opportunities, test your resources against the unknown and in the process, discover your own unique potential."

— John Amatt

English Speaker

1945 -

Only by challenging ourselves to try new adventures do we discover who we are and what our limitations and opportunities are.  Are you challenging yourself to learn something new?  There are physical challenges, mental challenges and creative challenges.  On what level are you challenging yourself?  You must learn to step outside your comfort zone and find new beginnings.  

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Eleanor Roosevelt

"You must do the thing you think you cannot do."

— Eleanor Roosevelt

American Speaker, Author

1884 - 1962

Is there something that you have wanted to do but were afraid to do it because you might fail? Then that is the one thing you were meant to do.  We are not given dreams that we can not achieve.  We must work hard to achieve those dreams and not let fear overcome us.  Take the step today to do that which you want to do.  Have the faith that you can do it.

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Truman Capote

(1959)

"Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor."

— Truman Capote

American Writer

1924 - 1984

People, unfortunately, strive to be perfect and not make any mistakes.  For creative leaders, perfection creates paralysis and immobility.  Painters who seek perfection stay with the tried and true because they don't want to risk failure.  Writer won't step outside their comfort zone because of the fear of failure.  We are a society driven to be perfect and we don't tolerate mistakes.  Yet, without failure there is no success.  Failure provides the flavor to life.  

For a society that dwells on perfection, we crave seeing others fail.  We love to watch the mighty fall.  We cling to our entertainment shows to see which celebrity screwed up.  Who is going through a divorce.  Who is sleeping with who.  Who is fighting with who.  If I began naming names, the list would never end.  Every moment of every day someone stumbles and falls.  

Yet, it is in the moments of failure that some of the greatest novels have been written and some of the greatest paintings have been painted.  Without the pain of failure, there would be no joy in success.  So I challenge you to step outside your comfort zone and try something new.

(Source of quote: Goodreads.com)

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Langston Hughes

"An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose."

— Langston Hughes

American Poet/Novelist

1902 - 1967

It takes courage to be an artist.  You must be able to do what others are not willing to do.  You must be able to create what you are afraid of creating.  If you let fear of rejection influence what you create, you will not be able to produce the art that you want and need to create.  

Artists need to be free from the criticism of society.  Critics often get it wrong.  Don't let the negativity of others hold you back.  Create what your heart tells you to create.  Believe in the choices you make.  If you listen to yourself, you will find your way through the maze of criticism and come out with your spirit whole and free.

Are you feeling courageous?  Are you creating the art that you want to create?  Are you ignoring the criticism of both your friends and your enemies?  Are you creating from the heart?  The choice is yours. 

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Johari King

Wave Dreams

(2010)

"I'm learning not to shy away from experiences I want just because I'm afraid of failure and criticism.  And I now know when to remove myself from situations that chip away at my spirit and slowly destroy me.  I've realized it's all about balance and breathing in a bit of fresh air."

— Johari King

American Writer/Painter

1977 -

One of the biggest challenges for many creative leaders is coping with fear: the fear of failure, the fear of success or the fear of criticism.  This fear can actually paralyze the artist within and prevent the production of creative work.  Overcoming this fear takes courage, faith and belief in oneself.  Overcoming this fear can take years.  Even successfully published writers and artists can be paralyzed by fear.  Some turn to alcohol or drugs to take off the edge — to hide the anxiety.  Others withdraw and hide.

This fear can chip away at the spirit and slowly destroy a person.  A creative leader must learn to overcome his anxiety and fear.  He must find a way through the wall that threatens his creativity.  He must learn balance and the ability to breathe fresh air.

What fears are holding you back — keeping you from producing your best work?  What are you doing to find a way through the fear?  How are you finding balance and faith in your life?

Buddha's Garden

(2010)

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Malcolm Forbes

"Failure is success if we learn from it."

— Malcolm Forbes

American Publisher

1919 - 1990

Have you ever felt like a failure?  Have you been told that you couldn't write?  Or that you couldn't paint?  Or that you couldn't sing?  I have been told all my life that I can't sing.  And people still today tell me I can't sing.  Yet out of this failure came one of my greatest successes.  I have been paid to sing and to lead others in singing for the last twenty-four years.  As part of a seminar that I teach, I lead others in singing.  I have been able to turn a weakness into a strength.  No, I have not learned how to sing.  But I have been able to use my weakness to my advantage.

In every failure, you can find an opportunity if you look hard enough.  And as Forbes said, if you learn from your mistakes, it was not a failure.  I have come to believe that we often learn more from our failures than our successes.  Our successes usually don't teach us anything because we think we did everything right.  We should learn to tear our successes apart like we do our failures.  Then maybe we would learn something from success.  If you feel that you have failed, I encourage you to examine what happened and learn from it.  

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Fyodor Dostoyevsky

"Taking a new step, uttering a new word is what people fear most."

Fyodor Dostoevsky

Russian Novelist

1821 - 1881

Why is it that we often fear attempting something new?  A new job?  A new place to live?  The unknown scares us whether we are creative leaders or not?  And often this fear translates into anxiety.  People often wonder why Hollywood actors who seem to have everything, lose their temper, overdose on drugs, and make foolish mistakes.  I think the underlying issue is anxiety.  We are afraid of the unknown?  What will tomorrow bring?  Will I still find work as an actor, writer, singer or artist?  Will my fans still love me?  

In reading Cheever by Blake Bailey, I saw how anxiety can drive a creative individual to drink.  We all have anxiety at one time or another.  Not having enough money is one of my anxieties and it has prevented me from starting my own business over the years.  I have a need for a regular paycheck to pay the bills.  Once I was offered an opportunity to go into the speaking business and I panicked — froze on the spot.  

What fears are holding you back?  What fears are you willing to live with?  What fears do you put into your work?  What fears restraint your creative efforts?  What fears inspire your creative work?  The fear of being poor inspires some people to work hard to be financially successfully.    

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Octavio Paz

"I don't believe that there are dangerous writers: the danger of certain books is not in the books themselves but in the passions of their readers."

Octavio Paz

Mexican Poet

1914 - 1998

Speakers are often evaluated and rated by their audiences.  While 90% of the audience may enjoy the presentation, there is often 10% who didn't like it.  Usually the problem does not lie with the speaker, but rather the audience member.  Either the person is angry at his boss who make him come or he is upset about something that is happening in his life.  

When people label books or paintings as dangerous, corrupt or incendiary, the problem lies not with the books or paintings.  The problem is in the passions of the audience member doing the labeling.  When a person is afraid of his own desires, he blames that which is outside himself instead of blaming himself.  Sometimes when someone condemns something too loudly, he is hiding his own desires.  

Don't let the negativity of others bring you down.  The problem rests with them, not with you.  Stand up for yourself and your creative work.  Believe in what you create.

Here is a poem by Octavio Paz.

Last Dawn

Your hair is lost in the forest,

your feet touching mine.

Asleep you are bigger than the night,

but your dream fits within this room.

How much we are who are so little!

Outside a taxi passes

with its load of ghosts.

The river that runs by

is always

running back.

Will tomorrow be another day?

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Duke Ellington

"I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues."

Duke Ellington

American Composer, Musician

1899 - 1974

Many of us waste energy complaining.  We need to learn to transform our frustrations, fears and failures into positive energy that inspires us to create great works of art.  Are you feeling down today, maybe even depressed?  Great.  Use that negative energy to create.  Write through the frustration.  Paint a picture with large dramatic brush strokes.  Are you angry and upset?  Transform that negative energy.  Splatter the canvas with paint.  Quickly write a poem in very large letters and don't rewrite it.  Read the poem aloud to the universe.  Is your heart broken and you can't stop crying?  Give yourself a hug and sing in a loud voice a country song about your broken heart and the mean person who broke it.  Be sure to sing off key.  Paint a picture of a heart in agony.  Dance wildly about the living room and do a belly laugh.

Emotions are a part of being human.  What most people don't realize is that they can control and change their emotions.  Don't wallow in self-pity, take charge of your life and choose to change your emotions.  Do something that gets you out of that rut.  Climb a mountain in your backyard.  Take photos of squirrels chasing each other in fun.  Go for a swim.  Listen to Duke Ellington.

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William Sloan Coffin

"All of life is the exercise of risk."

— William Sloan Coffin

American Author, Clergy, Peace Activist

1924 - 2006

Have you ever let fear stand in the way your doing something that you desired to do?  Most of us have.  And yet if we stop and think about it: all life is a risk.  While eating carrots, you can choke and die.  Walking down the street at 6 a.m., you can be hit by a speeding car.  Taking a shower, you can slip and fall and hit your head.  You can visit a doctor and be told that you have cancer and have only six weeks to live.  All life is fraught with risk.  So why haven't you tried that new technique of painting?  Are you afraid you will fail?  Why haven't you sent your novel to a publisher?  Are you afraid of rejection?

Fear is powerful and often stops us from doing what we want to do?  We all have dreams and hopes, but sometimes we are not courageous enough to take that first step into the unknown.  That first step is often the most difficult.  In our minds, we think of all the things that could go wrong.  We should instead focus on our dreams and what we want to accomplish.  What steps are you going to take today to overcome your fears?  

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Pierre Auguste Renoir

Self-Portrait

(1875)

"It is not enough for a painter to be a clever craftsman; he must love to 'caress' his canvas, too.

— Pierre Auguste Renoir

French Artist

1841 - 1919

For some people the process of creation is painful and difficult.  They struggle to put words on paper or paint on the canvas.  They let their fear of failure or their drive for perfection prevent them from working.  Others love to work.  They are happiest standing before a canvas or sitting before a computer.  Work comes easy for them.  Which person are you?  Do you love your work?  Do you enjoy painting?  Can you get lost in process of painting?  Do you enjoy writing?  Can you write for hours and suddenly stop and realize how fast the time has flown by?  Or do you procrastinate and look for ways to avoid working?  Do you tell yourself that you have to clean the house, wash the dishes or pay the bills instead of working on your art or writing?

Umbrellas

(1981)

Read my poem, Indecision, inspired by Renoir's painting, Umbrellas.

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