Create YOUR Own Masterpiece: Chip Away at Whatever Isn't David

The great Renaissance artist Michelangelo when asked about his process to create his masterpiece sculpture David from a gigantic block of flawed white marble, responded that he basically “chipped away everything that wasn’t David.”

Hmmm - Interesting process, right? Getting rid of whatever is not the true artform you want to create and by so doing the masterpiece emerges.

There’s a parallel, is there not, between Michelangelo’s creation process and our own when we do the personal work to create better versions of ourselves? Better lives? When we strive to become more loving, more joyful, more peaceful, more compassionate, more fun-loving – all those wonderful qualities?

Do we not in fact “chip away” at everything about ourselves that isn’t “David” in order to create our own personal artform - the more evolved version of ourselves? Similarly as Michelangelo transformed a block of flawed stone into a masterpiece?

Are we not in fact creating our own “masterpiece” when we eliminate from our consciousness the thoughts and beliefs and stop the actions and habits that are not loving, joyous, peaceful, or compassionate?

Hmmm…

Well, I think that’s exactly what we do.

My soul sister BettyAnn and I created Your Heart of Love with the purpose of creating a platform where we all converse about building lives more loving, joyous, and abundant; so in our first few podcasts, BettyAnn and I talk about the necessity of creating an inner world that reflects what we want, becoming it by getting rid of or “chipping away” at that which is essentially not love, joy or abundance – using a process parallel to Michelangelo’s – one in which we rid ourselves of:

animosity or judgement or criticism towards ourselves and others

feelings of “not enoughness” or unworthiness in ourselves and in other relationships

complaint

blame

comparison

lack of appreciation, compassion, and trust

fear

Should we want to experience lives more loving, joyful, and abundant, don’t we need to “clean house” so to speak by honestly addressing and changing the above in ourselves?

The first step involves taking stock of what traits or habits need to go, and then sweep (or sometimes scrub or even kick) them out in order to make room for the greater love, joy, and abundance we desire to come into our lives. We in fact need to eliminate the old habits and ways of being and doing in order to make room for the new, expanded version of ourselves.

This is not necessarily an easy process, at least it wasn’t in my case, due to some pretty stubborn/entrenched beliefs and mental habits acquired over the years that didn’t really serve me and weren’t a match to where I wanted to go.

But just like a really deep house clean that sometimes requires a lot of elbow grease, the personal transformation process is, oh, so worthwhile for the person you become and the quality of life you’re able to create for yourself.

BettyAnn and I would LOVE for you to join the conversation. Let’s support one another to create our own personal Davids. Check out our podcast.