Just Do It

Have you ever wanted to do something but didn't because you were afraid of what someone else might think, didn't have enough money, or didn't think you were good enough to actually do what you wanted to do?  Don't worry, it happens to all of us at some point in our lives.  If it is still happening to you, I want you to stop reading this blog and go do something you've always wanted to do.  Life is too short to not do it!

Recently, a dear friend of mine and I shot a short film.  Don't worry it may find its way onto this blog in the near future.  I had shot a few scenes for other projects with friends, but this one was purely spontaneous.  No script.  No crew.  No money.  No problem.  We brain stormed for a few minutes, pulled out the camera, made some costume choices and boom, we were shooting a movie.  Is this movie high quality, brilliant film making, and certain to be a viral hit in 2013?  Hell no!  The main thing is, we wanted to do something and we didn't get in the way.  We had a blast shooting it.  I haven't cracked up to the point of high pitched sniggling (combination of snickering and giggling) while working on a project in a long time.  In the process, I was able to learn what it's like to be a camera guy, to edit a movie and to just simply let go and make a silly little movie without worrying about what my actor friends might say or any other limiting thoughts.  

Being an artist is one of the bravest things a person can choose to do with his or her life.  Every day you subject yourself to the possibility of rejection, acceptance, success, failure, opinions and the most terrifying of them all, the truth.  We've all heard the expression, "truth hurts".  An artist knows this all too well.  However, let's not make it seem like being an artist is a horrible thing.  Hell, I'm an artist and I am one of the happiest and friendliest people you will meet.  Yes, the truth hurts at times, but it can also set you free.  Remember that!

Shooting this movie and doing what I really want to do in life on a daily basis keeps me free.  It's when I don't do things because of the possibility that someone might talk negatively about me that I feel confined.  People are going to talk about you and it doesn't matter if it is positive or negative.  That's what people do.  They will talk about the choices you did and did not make and then move on to talk about the next person.  

Fear is the God-given gift for self preservation.  What life are you preserving?  What choices do you make on a daily basis?  If your choices are made based on the fact that you're afraid to be yourself and live the life you really want to be living, you're not really living at all.  Give people something to talk about!  Like I said, they're going to talk about you anyway.  What will they say about the real you?