Photo: © D. Paul Graham, “VVG Flowers”, Van Gogh Immersive Experience, Atlanta 2021

“Monday 5 Things”™ ….. Strong Willed …..

He was a tormented artist who lived a life of poverty and psychosis, yet over only 10 years he created 2,100 pieces of art; 860 of them in the last two years of his life. His work was bold, bright, fresh, dramatic, and extraordinarily expressive through his use of lines, light, bright color, and a thick application of oil paint. It was only after he took his own life at 37 that his work achieved critical acclaim. The prolific amount of work he produced, despite or perhaps in spite of the internal demons that he battled, would have required an incredibly strong will to create and translate onto his canvas what he saw in his life, mind, and surroundings. Reflecting on Van Gogh’s work this past week took me down a road of contemplating on the strong will needed to create, to take risks, to live, and to love. And this morning’s M5T unfolded.

1. Willing to fail, but to never regret

I don’t like to fail but have learned the most in life from failures. The most profound life lessons have come from what I call my spectacular failures. Through the failures, I have also learned to never give up or to never be defined by failures. Failures makes you stronger. They can inspire you to say, ‘yes I can’. To refuse to sell yourself short. To tell yourself that your dreams are worth pursuing. “So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.” ~  Christopher Reeve

2. Willing to love deeply but to never hate with shallow ignorance

Loving deeply goes well beyond infatuation and lust. It is genuinely and intensely caring for someone, wanting the best for them. It is agape and acceptance. A profound connection through all seasons in life. A willingness and open mind to listen and understand your partner’s perspective and needs. Deep love is security in yourself and your partner. It builds a future together with unreserved trust, and profound emotional and physical intimacy. “I carry your heart with me. I carry it in my heart.” ~ e.e. cummings.

3. Willing to laugh at myself but never mock others

Laughing at yourself deconstructs pessimism, conflict and adverse situations. It is self-deprecation that can only come from confidence, self-awareness, and humility. Laughing at yourself is an antidote to negativity and an elixir for positivity. “If you can’t laugh at yourself, life is going to seem a whole lot longer than you like.” ~ Natalie Portman

4. Willing to unbridle my passions but never accept the mundane

I want my passions free for the world to see, without restraint, regret, or excuses. Passions are not just exuberance, but demand endurance. That means cultivating your passion with the necessary time to grow, to mature, and to be internalized. There is tremendous power in your passion. Passion is contagious that should be unconfined daily and used with intensity. Your passions are an expression of your true self, the things that move you, the things that vitalize your mind, body, and soul. They shake up your status quo, your comfort and discomfort zones, and inspire opportunities in life to pivot as necessary. “I would rather die of passion than of boredom.” ~ Vincent Van Gogh.

5. Willing to live with purpose, but never isolate myself from others

I want to live my live all in and at full throttle. A life that allows me to thrive, to prosper, and to be fulfilled. Purpose breeds purpose and intensifies your sense of belonging. It demands control and discipline to not be distracted. Purpose relates to the goals we have in life. Our “so that’ and our “Raison d’être”. Purpose fosters coherence and significance. Coherence to understanding our life. Significance that instills in us the sense that our life is worth living and has value, not only for ourselves, but to everyone that comes into our lives. “Man’s search for meaning is the primary motivation in his life and not a “secondary rationalization” of instinctual drives. This meaning is unique and specific in that it must and can be fulfilled by him alone; only then does it achieve a significance that will satisfy his own will to meaning.” ~ Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning.

Here’s to a week of strengthening your will in all that you encounter, create, and love.

© 2024 D. Paul Graham, all rights reserved.

For over 12 years, D. Paul Graham has published “Monday 5 Things” ™, also known to readers as M5T.

You can reach Paul by email at dpg@imagegraham.com