Today is Friday the 13th… does that make you a little nervous? (Go ahead, you can admit it – it makes a lot of people more than a little nervous) Or, do you take the opposite view and look at it as a lucky day? Friday the 13th seems to bring out the YING / YANG in people.
If I wasn’t an artist, I’d consider doing something in the “Human Behavior” arena. I love studying and observing people – not in a creepy way, but so I can better understand where they are coming from. Looking at personality and communication style is a great idea when deciding whether to work with someone as well. Do you have the same motivation levels, work speed and way of talking? I’m sure you have felt you “just click” with some people and certain clients are easier for you to work with than others — that would have a lot to do with how you interact, view the world and get things done.
I met Bart Baggett last weekend and he teaches people to do Handwriting Analysis – he’s been on Larry King and trains people to become certified so they can testify in court. Cool! Seems like something an artist might be good at — want to learn more? Here’s the spot: www.myhandwriting.com
I also met Carole Dysart – she works with the DISC method and is an amazing reader of people. (And she’s good! She pegged me after about 2 minutes.) From her website, www.caroldysart.com, DISC is described like this: You can implement DISC Profiling personally, for better understanding of self and others, resulting in more satisfying communication. Apply DISC professionally for improved work relations, increased productivity and superior job-matching and human resource services. She’s starting a certification program so you can learn to do and build a business around DISC… I’d enjoy that too but probably not as much as the art / creative stuff.
So why am I talking about handwriting and personality tests when I brought you into this post talking about Friday the 13th? (And no, the answer isn’t bait and switch — don’t be so suspicious!)
I woke up this morning, realized it was Friday the 13th and got to thinking about attitudes. I think Friday the 13th is a personality litmus test of sorts – a quick way to guage if people see the world from a positive, open attitude or a more negative, scary attitude.
See the day as unusual and therefore expect great things? You are more on the positive side.
Use it as an excuse to complain, worry or stay in bed “because something terrible is inevitable — it is, after all, FRIDAY THE 13TH!” – well, I think you can guess the penchant of that person.
So who are you? Is your natural instinct one of openness and wonder or concern and mistrust?
Here’s another example. I live in Portland, Oregon. In case you haven’t heard, it is cloudy and drizzly here… a lot! But yesterday was SUNNY and GORGEOUS! I was talking to a friend and said, “Oh, are you just soaking in this amazing day? It is SO PRETTY out!” She instantly replied with, “But it isn’t going to last. It is going to be cloudy again tomorrow.” Hmmm….
I am a ‘silver lining’ kind of person. It has always been in me but I’ve really nurtured it in recent years — building my muscle of finding the good and the lesson in even the most difficult of situations. I believe that Friday the 13th will bring good things into my life.
I also believe that having a positive attitude helps me in my business. If I thought the world was coming to an end and no one was going to license my art anyway so why put any effort into it, how much do you think I’d get done? And how would I be perceived by potential clients I reached out to?
Today it is my wish that you take a real look at your overall attitude towards life and in particular, your business. Don’t get nervous and feel the need to defend your attitudes, they simply are – in this moment. It doesn’t mean they have to stay that way. Ask yourself if your attitudes are helping you or holding you back. Keep the ones that help and work on the ones that don’t.
Just a little food for thought – signing off to go do a little ‘attitude checking” and adjustments myself. Have a wonderful and creative day!
~ Tara
Tara! I’m so glad you brought this up! I felt the same way about the day. I live just north of you on the peninsula in WA and it was lovely and sunny here too. But all day I observed people in stores, on the freeway; the overall edginess.
It’s funny how a simple thing like a number could have so much (seeming) control over people. Personally, I’m like you, I create my world from the inside out. My hope and goal is that hopefully I will rub off on people or at least brighten their day.
Thanks for this blog entry!!
Friday the 13th is just another day. It came and went just like any other. Portland, Oregon eh?
I used to live there, my sister still does, I graduated from what used to be Washington HS in ’64,and my mom lives across the river in Vancouver, and my daughter who lives in Hawaii often longs for the drizzle and grey.
Attitude is everything. Being an artist is so full of challenges. Mostly because it is a profession chock full of subjectivity, and luck plays a big part in it. Luck and timing. I think you are dead on that staying positive is key. Great point!
Um….thanks for helping me procrastinate today! 🙂 That handwriting thing was FUN. Okay now really settling in to some ACTUAL WORK. Shhh. Don’t bother me now. 😉
Tara, just checking in and this post caught my eye. I was born on the 13th of February. (My actual birth date was not a Friday, but I’ve had plenty of Friday the 13th birthdays in my life, including this year!) I recently decided to rename my company after my birthday (february 13 creative). I have lots of good reasons for wanting to do this, but I’ve definitely wondered how many people out there get freaked out by the number 13. I hate that it’s stigmatized and I guess part of me wanting to use it in my company name was maybe a way of trying to de-stigmatize it a bit! So, thanks for this positive post about a scary day 😉 And fantastic advice for any day of the year.