Dear Artists...

 Today is February 10, 2026 and its a day that I feel at peace. A day that I feel like I am making moves in the world where they benefit me. I have been having some really important conversations with amazing people and one of the things that struck me was the conversation about being a leader in the artistic world. Being a leader comes with so much responsibility. When I was inebriating myself with drugs, I found myself to relaxed and Following behind others. I also found that I had things on my mind that needed to be done in my personal life and my career. Ideas would literally linger in my head. I would sit and just allow myself to fall short. I kept telling people I hope I don't miss my train. I hope I don't miss my plane ride. I would have dreams of me not making my flight or missing the train as well. However, Now that I look back at that statement and I look back at those dreams. I was missing my train and plane. I know that I was inebriating and with that inebriation came procrastination, self doubt, more comparison, and self destructive ways. However, now that I am sober and just analyzing the so called past and my future, I found myself stuck on the topic of being a leader. I have been a leader my entire life whether it be in my elementary school line or it being a project at work. For example, when a coworker abruptly quit, My own boss told me to make a plan for her position when I was only there for 2-3 weeks. I was baffled and I was upset. That is what has detoured me from continuing this position. So I am making the choice to lead my life somewhere different where I can finally just be the leader since there are people in positions who choose not to be the leader for their own organization. But I get so upset because, I have been in places like the job I am at now, where I am being seen for my work and they know I offer more and will use that until I am burnt out. I have a hard time being a leader in the right environments because of the hardships I faced with jobs and other social groups. Now I am learning that there is responsibility in being a leader in my own life. This comes with boundaries and being equal. I will define these soon. Although being a leader is a huge responsibility, it becomes even bigger when you are an artist. Sometimes as artist we see life differently. We just want to do our part so that we can just make art. Sometimes we find ourselves putting all our energy into something while using our artistic vision to create things that others would have never thought of. It becomes so taxing on our spirit because people tend to take advantage of that. As an artistic leader we have to be balanced enough to make proper positions to protect yourself while also walking through the fire. Protection comes with boundaries. Boundaries are set to make sure that you are keeping yourself protected and loved. If you don't want do something, just don't do it. Communicate that you don't want to do it and if they ask why, just insinuate that you are not giving your time and energy to a certain thing because your energy is needed somewhere else. There is nothing wrong with letting people know that you are not willing to give yourself to any of these things at all.Again, people will recognize that you are willing to exhaust yourself for something and continue to use that and not even know how much time and energy we put into things. As artists, We tend to ay attention to the details of our craft. Paying attention to details is a skill that transcends from our art to everyday life. As we know, everything on earth that we do is geared toward our art and artistic direction. So, our art brains are more complex than the regular 9-5 capitalistic / commercial brain. They usually work on a rule by rule basis. As an artist, we are rebellious. As the politics would say, a lot of us are radical leftists. Lol! I don't like to subscribe to labels because they have limitations. I just wanted us to have a certain understanding of how we work or our brains work. I also see how we strive for equality in general. No matter the gender, sex, title, limitation or job, we all want people to be able to thrive together for the bigger picture. We as leaders, try our best to make sure that people are scene and heard. I know for me personally, even if someone is against me or has a differences of opinions, I don't dismiss it. I  understand and take the conversation and analyze whatever I could learn from it. for example, even if I encounter someone who participates in sexism and racism, I try to understand why and when and where for them. I want to know that specific perspective because I try to equalize it and make sense of their ideals, values and morality. I am not trying to change them but to understand is to conquer for artists. To see it through a different lense is the most powerful thing we can do as artists. Thats how we find inspiration. Thats how we understand art. Thats how we see different parts of ourselves. There are so many artistic leaders that Have different ideals, morals and values yet as artists we still find ourselves gravitated toward their work and how they were able to perceive their ideas through their mediums. For example, many people love Leonardo Da Vinci however he himself felt that he had "Offended god and mankind because" his "Work did not reach the quality it should have" just before he died. That is very powerful and strong. Socially Leonardo compared himself to the religious fulfillment of his time. Yet a lot of atheists who don't believe in god find his work to be the biggest and greatest work of all time. Again being an artistic leader has its true underlying responsibilities and that is just what comes with the territories. But again, don't doubt or compare yourself to something to where you don't feel complete or whole. Place your leader energy where its needed. Find other like minded and equal leader. Fellow ship with them. Learn from them. Believe that you too can set boundaries and be equal as others. Calling all artists, Have you found yourself in positions where you had to take on responsibilities of other people? Have you felt used or mentally abused from others who lacked boundaries or because you lacked boundaries? How did you over come? Where did this lead you? I would love to know and hear! xoxo