Putting yourself out there

It's funny, we take such great pleasure in crafting stories, drawing images, writing songs, choreographing dances, acting or pursuing sports, but in the end it's all met with trepidation.  Why? When we share what we create or have practiced for endless hours, we open ourselves to critiques, opinions and advice. We delight in positive reactions and we question ourselves when we receive harsh reviews. In most cases, we take the feedback and try to make it better.  In other cases we abandon it all together.  Many a time we have to convince ourselves that one negative opinon is not necessarily the opinions of the masses; but often times that one opinion needs countless reassurances to rebuild the confidence. Regardless of what we create and how much self satisfaction we get out if it, we ultimately seek acceptance. Our work is an extension of ourselves and when we present it to the world, we are putting ourself out there and being exposed to nay sayers.  So what do we do about it? We keep pursuing our passion. We continue to fashion our art, weave our tales and hone our skills; and through it all we feel the intangible reward of touching another life and stirring emotions.