During my creative journey I’ve had my share of trouble
In a weird kind of way artists seek trouble
We’re inherently curious people
For centuries, artists have been drawn to the fringes of society, to seek interesting stuff beyond the ordinary, because that’s often where inspiration, intrigue and mysterious things happen. Take for example, extreme beauty. For me, it’s one of those dangerously alluring concepts, found on the outskirts of normality. Sheer beauty has the potential to be enormously troubling too. Similar to the kind of trouble a person with a genius mind might encounter
So along my travels seeking beautiful things, my artistic journey has led me to the extremes. Where I’ve learnt a secret I want to share with you…
It’s about walking through trouble unscathed
Experiencing a crisis
And dealing with it calmly and confidently
Point 1. An unpredictable crisis can happen in an instant
Actually, some people even thrive in a crisis
Instability creates opportunity, a strange kind of excitement, and extreme beauty is exposed
And of course, trouble arises
But with the right strategy, overcoming a crisis can be simple. This strategy I’m about to discuss is very easy for anybody to implement. I want to give you this idea to help unlock any crisis or difficult situation you might encounter. It’s my number one weapon when faced with a major problem, and I use this approach often
It’s fundamental
And helps solve little problems as well as major catastrophes
Even when I’m overwhelmed. And helpless. Having no idea how to conquer a giant crisis. Firstly, I start with this one little thing…
It’s ridiculous
And might seem silly
Even irresponsible to some
But here’s the truth about being in the middle of a moment of crisis…people become frazzled, frightened and terribly confused. Panic strikes. And once clear minded stable people lose their grip, creating waves of irrational fear traveling through the ether
But when I do this little basic thing in the middle of all the confusion
It’s like gold
5 star
Works without fail
My simple action buys me enough time to think straight, pray and then act wisely after the dust has settled from initial shock of the event
My method doesn’t cost money
And anybody has the ability do exactly the same
In one word here’s the straightforward way to deal confidently and successfully with any crisis…
Smile
It too will pass
Smiling has the potential to disarm individuals. It puts a lot of people at ease for just a moment. And calms your nerves too. Long enough to gain the proper perspective. Producing a smile at exactly the right time is an art form. It creates breathing space. During a moment of intense pressure, it helps you find that tranquil place to think clearly amidst the mayhem
Here’s the truth about any large scale problem…
Point 2. When a crisis hits people start searching for answers
This is a good thing
Because if the crisis didn’t happen, then people would have continued on towards destruction. So a crisis can actually work in our favour by alarming people to problems that otherwise might have gone unnoticed
A crisis can alert us to issues that need immediate attention
But here’s the major problem…
When people look up from the mess of a serious crisis, all they see are terrified faces filled with fear. Panic grows. And anxiety levels increase. Until one unconventional person, in the midst of the panic, breaks the visual pattern and provides a face with a smile on it
Ahhh
Breakthrough
A smile stops the rot for a moment
Panic is disturbed
And peace has a chance to grow
Because here’s the truth…
Point 3. Panic has the powerful ability to spread like wildfire traveling through a community of people
But a quiet smile can halt the electric pulse of fear. A happy face can reverse the fearful flow and send different signals calming people’s nerves. One momentary glance can bring precious clarity to the mind
So let’s take the idea one step further
This is my personal experience…
The story illustrates a different perspective for dealing confidently with a crisis
When I was working at News Limited in Sydney, as a graphic designer, the art department faced a crisis nearly every week when newspaper and magazine deadlines loomed. Computer networks were less stable in those days, so we often battled technical/computer/server/printer problems that threatened to stop production of entire publications
These were serious technical glitches
Involving millions of dollars
As the graphic designer working on many of the publications, I had become good friends with the IT manager, whose name was Greg. He’s a proud and self confessed computer geek. Probably one of the reasons why our strong friendship grew was because we found ourselves in the middle of a crisis
Often
For example, during one late night shift, I hurried into the server room reporting to my nerdy friend ‘the computers have crashed and the boss is angry.’ The production deadlines had passed. Stress levels were extremely high. And nervous anxiety permeated the office floor
Greg’s response was unforgettable
He reacted to the crisis in a totally unexpected way
And made me like my new geek friend even more
During the event Greg taught me an important lesson, about how to deal successfully with high degrees of pressure in a crisis. And my teacher knew his stuff well. He was daily in the business of crisis management
So here’s how one super geek taught me a big lesson I’ll never forget…
In the middle of the crisis he wasn’t angry
Or upset
He wasn’t riddled with anxiety
Confusion
Or worry
Instead, he laughed uncontrollably in the face of a million dollar crisis
I was astonished
Of course, Greg’s response then totally cracked me up too, and we both laughed hard at the absurd pressure of the situation. Professionals in the office were bewildered by the contagious deep belly laughs emanating from the server room
There was no denying the seriousness of the crisis confronting us, and the ripple effects the problem caused the company. If publications didn’t appear on the newsstands the next morning, lots of executive heads were on the chopping block. The pressure to fix the problem increased with every passing moment. But laughter was pouring out of us like rushing water. Our eyes were sodden and cheeks dripping with happy tears
Predictably the boss on the other end of the phone was not happy. He expected a serious explanation!
Greg’s unconventional response to overcoming the stress and anxiety of a moment of intense pressure, was to firstly let the steam out
And it worked
Point 4. Like a smile, hilarity is contagiously refreshing
Having fun is incredibly important for a healthy state of mind
Our laughter created a different kind of reality, a spacious free atmosphere, one that allowed us to relax and think clearly, after the mirth had subsided. Only then could we deal calmly and confidently with the crisis
Finally, we solved the problem and our publications eventually appeared on newsstands the next day
So what did I learn from all that trouble?
Let’s start with a quote from John F. Kennedy who said this…
“The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word ‘crisis.’ One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger, but recognize the opportunity.”
Our crisis was obvious…
The server and all the computers had crashed. Our publications, and millions of dollars of advertisers money were in terrible danger of forever disappearing into a black hole
But our opportunity was this…
To prove as creative thinkers, we could avert the worst of problems and still succeed in reaching our goals by overcoming the dangers present
As a footnote, Greg and I have enjoyed a strong long term friendship to this day. Our combined quirky sense of humor has been an essential part of our mutual support for each other, helping us overcome life’s challenging moments
I’m grateful for his friendship, and our unique experiences together
Here’s 8 tips to help you deal with a crisis in a cool, calm and totally confident manner:
- Relax, see humor in every moment
- Develop a stress coping habit everyday
- Lessen the noise and firstly care for people
- Focus on the single most important task at hand
- Refuse to be frightened or intimidated by money
- Understand life will go on despite how bad it seems
- Refuse to be overwhelmed by the enormity of the situation
- Observe your response and reflect wisely upon it afterward
Everybody is certain to encounter a few bigtime troubling events in their lives. It’s inevitable
So be prepared
But remember this…a crisis can come in many different shapes and sizes, however there’s always a solution. In those moments a genuinely supportive friend with a sense of humor is a huge bonus
But sometimes a crisis becomes so overwhelming there’s no friend in the world who can possibly help
Therefore, we need divine guidance
Here’s what ultimately gives me a stable foundation to face and conquer my crisis moments. I take comfort in the words of Jesus who said in the bible…
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33
For some people on the outskirts of society, life is a continual crisis. I know people in the 3rd world who struggle everyday to overcome the enormous difficulties of simply surviving amidst the confusion of life
Many years ago, I asked a friend what she saw in my painting. The girl responded with words that touched my heart…
“The painting gives me a feeling of peace”, she said
Sometimes people’s lives a filled with one crisis after another. Life becomes chaotic. The confusion becomes exhausting
Dealing with one problem after another
I was grateful that my painting provided this Australian lady with a deep feeling of peace. Contemplating the situation afterwards, I sensed my painting was like an oasis in the desert. She had stumbled upon visual refuge for her weary soul. Discovering a place to rest. Her eyes for a short time, gazed into the depths of my artwork. But it wasn’t my painting she was looking at, she found herself and her whole life somewhere in between the abstract brush strokes
The comment made me happy
Her words were only a fleeting moment, but they live long in my memory. For I caught a glimpse of the impact my creativity had upon one individual
She found peace
And rest
In art
Intuitively, I knew it was a place she had desperately longed for, so I quietly let her enjoy the revelation in a moment that lasted for eternity. Afterward, I guess the experience surprised her somewhat, that such a feeling of peace and tranquility could be found on a piece of paper
One of the Australian landscapes where I find peace, and extreme beauty, is the Sydney Harbour. When I rest on Balmoral beach, laying upon the clean sand gazing out upon the water, I feel grateful for my country. I love Australia. I also love the ocean. Water helps me contemplate life
So I created the picture below of an elegant lady sun bathing on the beach, far from her moment of crisis
‘Yellow Hat’ (2014) Acrylic & Charcoal on canvas 210 x 297mm Unframed $450