Breaking Free - It's A Process

I found this picture today and had to share it:
 

I did share it also on my personal Facebook page, with some thoughts of my own:

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I'm not there quite yet... but getting a little closer every day I think. I do know that worrying what others think is paralyzing. I'm (slowly) learning that the only person I have control over is me - and even that much to manage is a challenge some days. I'm working on breaking free, coming back to life, and getting back to what I love - painting, writing, creating...
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Finding this picture again today (I've seen it before) is very timely.  Last night I stumbled across another person that I need to contact about a custom order from several years ago.  Of course, I am terrified, waiting to hear the things I've been telling myself all these years, from someone else.  I am encouraged by the last person I contacted; she was happy for me that my life was doing better and when she received her horse, she said she loved him.  I am so thankful for all of that, it was the outcome I had hoped for, but had feared would never happen.

Another encouragement is recently learning of another (MUCH more skilled and well-known) artist having had struggles with clinical depression.  She has been working on her return to sculpting and painting after a long period of depression - and she has now even created a horse for one of the big model horse companies! 

I reached out to her and thanked her so much for sharing her journey through depression.  I told her that I'm battling back from extended period of darkness myself, right now.  She was so nice and encouraged me to keep moving forward, keep painting, keep showing.  I can't express how much her words meant to me.  Her words of encouragement came right on the eve of my very first live show in over 10 years.  Even though I had a paid entry into the show, I was still thinking of backing out, but after her messages, I decided to go... and what a show it was!

Her story gave me hope.  Granted, I would say she has more talent that I do in just her pinky! - but I found hope that there can be life and a continuation of a creative journey, after many dark years.


The next horse I need to finish is already nearly done.  I'd like to get him finished soon and *gulp*, try and make contact with his owner.