If I close my eyes at this moment, I can hear a gentle breeze quietly tickling the pine branches above and the slight slosh of water hitting the dock. It’s heavenly. So peaceful. So quiet. 

Opening my eyes after a deep breath of the freshest air I’ve ever breathed, I feast my eyes on a large, pink billowing cloud, about 30 stories tall, floating just to the east of us and carrying a rainstorm with it in the distance. I can hear an occasional distant rumble and can see a gray sheet of rain falling below it. The pink morning sun is coloring the deep green trees, yet if I were to run and get my easel to capture the mood, it would be gone within moments. I’ll just try to imprint it in my memory.

On the dock across the lake I can see two red spots — Adirondack chairs that glow when the sun hits them, and then are barely visible when it tucks behind a cloud. The red against the green is the perfect color harmony.

Lucky

When I was back in Austin for PleinAir Live, I mentioned how eager I was to return here when someone said, “You’re lucky. I’ll never see an opportunity like that.”

I quickly, and gently, responded that he would in fact see it if he wanted to, and that my luck had more to do with 40 years of 18-hour workdays. His response … “I will never see it because I’ve been dealt a bad hand.”

Born Into It?

Clearly I was not going to change his mind easily, nor was he going to be open to having his mind changed, but it made me stop and think. Was my success because of the draw of the cards? Because I was born into it somehow?

If I’m being perfectly honest, I don’t know if I would have achieved the success I have experienced if it had not been for the mentorship of my dad. I was not born into money … they had none, but I did have the benefit of overhearing conversations and being invited into business meetings and watching him build his business from nothing to something. So maybe I did get a lucky card. I certainly consider myself lucky to be born into a family with an artist mother and a creative entrepreneur father.

But is it all the luck of the draw?

Looking back on friendships and acquaintances, I know people who have truly had luck in their favor, but did nothing with it. People who were born with a silver spoon, but are unhappy, unsuccessful, and who grumble about the cards they were dealt. One once told me “being born rich was a curse.” Another told me that because he grew up with money, he wants to be poor because he hates rich people.

What Are You Wearing?

Whoever we are, no matter how we grew up, we don’t have to wear our circumstances. I can pretty much meet someone for the first time and know the stories they are telling themselves about their bad luck.

When talking about ideology, my friend and mentor Jay Abraham says, “Whatever you think, you’re right.”

Why is it that someone born rich can fail at everything in life and someone born poor can become a billionaire?

It all boils down to what we’re telling ourselves.

Getting Rich

One of my kids says, “Dad, I’m going to be rich once I get out of college,” and my response is, “What’s stopping you from starting now?” The story he is telling himself is that college is the first step. My fear is that once college is done, there will be another step he has to take to make things perfect before he can start. Then another.

Starting Now

My best advice to him was to start now. Nothing happens easily, nothing falls in your lap, so why not use this time to work toward your success? My overnight success in radio, for instance, started at age 14. Today I’ve been associated with the radio industry for 51 years. Time is on my side.

I’ll see some kids I meet working three jobs, selling things on the side, and doing all they can to get started now. The only roadblock is the one between our ears.

No Easy Path

I’ve come to understand that no path is ever paved, no conditions are ever perfect, and that the only thing that determines your success is your thinking. There is not some sudden lightning bolt that makes things better – unless you win the lottery. I don’t play the lottery because I don’t believe in luck. I believe luck is a byproduct of thinking and action.

Zip My Lips

I love my friends dearly, but when they complain about their conditions and not having anything, I’m tempted to suggest that a change in their attitude would make a huge difference. But usually I zip my lip and try to enjoy their company. 

The most powerful thing impacting the outcome of our lives is our thinking.

• If you think you can’t succeed because you had bad parents, you’re right.
• If you think success isn’t possible because no one in your family ever succeeded, you’re right.
• If you resent your parents’ success so much that you think you can never succeed, you’re right.
• If you think “I’m too old to do anything more with my life now,” you’re right.

I can list 50 excuses right now for why success isn’t possible for me. I’d be right about all of them … if I allowed myself to fall into that deadly trap.

What If?

But what if you told yourself your disadvantaged upbringing was an advantage?

What if your screwed-up wife-beating alcoholic father made you stronger and improved your chances of success?

What if being from the wrong side of the tracks taught you street smarts that would make you more successful?

As Tony Robbins says, “You can’t change your past. All you can do is change your future.”

For every failure excuse, there is a success response.

If you look for it, you’ll find it.

Is it time to ask yourself if you have blind spots?

Those blind spots are killing your potential because you’re allowing them to.

Every successful person I know has been kicked in the teeth, gets up, gets kicked down again, gets up, gets kicked down again, and keeps getting up. EVERY one.

Do You Really Want to Live This Way?

For all the wonderful things you may think about someone like me, I can share some horrible things I’ve gone through that might make it OK for me to cower in the corner out of fear and do nothing with my life. Admittedly, there were times I gave up and gave in, but I eventually told myself to get back into the fight.

It may be your health. It may be depression. It may be the loss of a limb. It may be a horrible past.

I don’t want to make light of any of those things, but I know that you can overcome them, or work with them to turn them into strengths.

For every person I know who is stuck because of the ideas they are telling themselves, there are others who ignore those ideas and move forward, no matter how frightening or painful.

Being a member of a lucky birth club isn’t even a guarantee of success. I know people living on trust funds who have more money than I’ve made in my life, and who are miserable.

Your Ship Won’t Come In

If you’re saying, “I’ll be happy when my ship comes in,” or, “I’ll be happy once I make my first million,” or, “I’ll be happy once XYZ changes,” you won’t be happy. I’ve had my ship come in only to have it sail away. I’ve made money, until I lost it all by making stupid decisions.

We are born with brains. Yet too often we settle in, not realizing our brains are pliable. Your brain can grow, can change, and you can change ANY circumstance if you set your mind to it. 

No, it’s not easy. The only thing that’s easy is accepting who we are and not changing it. Is that what you want from your life? Or do you want better?

Listen to Your Heart

Your spirit is quietly screaming for you to stop accepting your lot in life, ignore the cards you’ve been dealt, and create a new you. It’s never too late. Is it scary? Yes. But which is scarier? Being stuck knowing you could have tried — or trying?

Today is the day to move away from the past and move toward the future. You have it in you.

Eric Rhoads

PS: My mindset was pretty negative. Six income-producing events were canceled. My business has been struggling. Facing three kids going into college at once (triplets) and knowing that if I did not make a change, I’d disrupt the families of those who worked with me. 

Mentally, I was not sure how I’d survive. I was scared. I was finding a lot of reasons it was too hard to do, but I gathered my strength, took a deep breath and jumped in to create the world’s first virtual art summit. I was not sure I could succeed, but I had no choice but to try.

The good news is that the event was a huge, worldwide success, and it is allowing me to continue my business, and if I can make one more event a success, we can make it.

Last week after PleinAir Live, I announced Realism Live, the first virtual realism art conference. If it can be created in realism, we’ll be teaching it, including drawing, painting, portraits, figures, florals, still life, landscape, and more. And we’ll have a beginner’s day.

When we announced it, we immediately had 600 sign up. We need 1,000 more to make it work, and I believe we will. 

If art has been in your mind and you’ve wanted to try it, or you want a chance to learn from the best of the best, please explore www.realismlive.com. It’s in October. Your participation will make a big difference.

I’m here at the Austin airport and I’m looking out the window. The sun is blinding me as it reflects off of the chrome trim. Instead of breathing the fresh pine-scented air, the smell of jet fuel fills the air. I can’t wait to be back at the lake late tonight.

After a week of my virtual art summit, PleinAir Live, and being on camera late into the evening each day, I’m ready to sit on the dock in an Adirondack chair and have time to think.

Unexpected Success

I’m grateful for over 1,500 folks who joined us for the world’s first virtual art summit to learn and grow over the past five days. It’s also been a great lesson in pivoting. As my business collapsed around me, this survival mode was met with resistance and fear (some from my own brain and some from others). I almost did not do it, because I kept thinking of all the limitations and not understanding how to do it. But, instead of cowering away from something I did not understand, I faced it, mastered it, and had a successful event.

Is Fear Driving You?

In these strange COVID times, I’ve been watching others make a race for the bottom. Though I’ve done a little discounting out of fear, I’ve seen numerous others drop their prices by half or more because their minds are telling them they cannot survive these times. Yet I’m learning that many businesses are thriving and having some of their best success ever, in spite of it being counterintuitive for the times.

The Mental Basement

My friend Lyn Boyer said it best when she told me, “I had to make a choice. I could either race for the bottom by giving in or pull myself out of the basement mentally.”

I often say we tend to tell ourselves stories that we assume are true. But unless you follow the data, what you think is true may not be.

What are the stories you’re telling yourself about these COVID times?

Are those stories really true?

Rather than cowering in the corner out of fear of the unknown, is it possible to walk up the stairs and get out of that mental basement?

Challenges and problems make us stronger. I had a choice … give up and hope things returned to normal, or pivot, ignore my fears, and find a way to survive. And thankfully, the pivots are taking me to new places — places from which I’m learning new and wonderful things.

What about you?

We have no idea what we face, what this all looks like in a day, a month, a year, or longer.

We can’t assume it will get better and we can’t assume it will get worse. We simply have to adjust to the moment and do the best we can at the moment. Usually, the best we can do is a surprise, even to ourselves.

Can you pivot?

No matter how bad things seem, know that there is growth from pain, and know that a pivot can change your life. I discovered my virtual conference reached more people than the live events I do, and people want more (which you’ll soon learn about). And I never would have known if I’d given up and not tried the things I feared.

Fear not.

Eric Rhoads

The springs stretch on the screen door, vibrating with their high-pitched creaking sound. Seconds later, the screen door slams with a thump. It’s a sound I can remember from my Aunt Ruth’s porch at her little white farmhouse nestled among the high corn in Tennessee. 

When I hear the sound from my own screen doors, it instantly brings back feelings of a better time, a moment when I was the happiest, the moment I got my first puppy, Pepper, who was born on the farm. 

Slam!

This morning as I snuck quietly out of my cabin, I accidentally let the door slam, probably waking Laurie, yet the sound transports me to that place every time I hear it. Now, as I sit in the 140-year-old screened porch overlooking the lake, my mind has wandered off to the past, to the moments imprinted on my soul. It’s the very reason I try to imprint memories into the minds of my own children, so they will look back on the good old days here at the lake.

Crunch!

Sometimes an escape is pleasant, even if only for a moment, to run from life in 2020. I’ve talked about the difficulty of having most of my business crunched like an empty aluminum can in the hands of a muscle man. First it was canceling one event, then two, then three, now four. Just when I thought there was a ray of hope that we would be free to meet, we returned to caution. Not a bad thing, just a disappointment that we have to wait things out.

I think if you were to ask any of us if we want to repeat this moment in time, we’d all say we’d rather get on with our lives and never think about masks or quarantines again. Yet each of us has had a lesson to learn. What was yours?

Though I have experienced many lessons, the best has been to slow down and enjoy my surroundings, my family, the people I love.

Takeoff!

Before COVID I was spending 30 weeks a year on airplanes. Now, other than my flight to the Adirondacks in June, my only flight is today, returning to Texas to host our PleinAir Live event this week. And, though I’m thankful for this event and over a thousand people who are attending, leaving home and the quiet life is difficult.

Addiction

I can’t speak for others, but I think the stimuli of life, the seduction of doing more and more business, the ease of travel, and the desire to be stimulated by the next trip, the next meeting, the next business opportunity, will be something that changes in me. It was an addiction, yet now I’m getting beyond the surface and finding that gold in my own home.

What have you found that has surprised you?

Returning to the Old Ways

My fear, frankly, is that this will pass and we’ll all fall back into our old patterns. I’ll mourn this time once it has passed, not because of the forced quarantine, but because of the forced opportunity to get to know my family on a deeper level. It’s been a precious gift.

A Quick Exercise

Quickly, today, grab a yellow pad and write down every good thing that has come from the past three months. Then write down all the things you don’t want to return to when it’s over. Circle the highlights, and build a plan to not return to the things you hope to avoid — and find a way to preserve the things you love. If you don’t do it now, before you know it you’ll be back on the merry-go-round and may not be able to jump off. Yet now, before you’re fully on it, you can still make the important changes.

COVID-19 had its blessings. Understand them, embrace them, and make the changes that need to be preserved.

Eric Rhoads

PS: This afternoon I’ll put my mask on, drive an hour to the local airport, then board two different flights to return to Austin, where I’ll be hosting PleinAir Live Wednesday through Saturday. 

We created this event as a response to people’s inability or discomfort with travel and their need to connect with other painters and friends, and study with the best painters in the world. And we’re doing it for a fraction of the amount they would spend if they were our live Plein Air Convention, which has now been canceled.

If you’re curious about this plein air thing I talk about, if you want to learn a little about each different painting medium, like watercolor, oil, pastel, gouache, and acrylic, and want to learn about plein air history, the movement today, and the way to paint outside vs. inside, our one-day beginner course is for you. It’s $97, and you can watch safely from home.

And if you choose, you can sign up for the following four days, filled with the top artists in the world, some of whom you’ll never have a chance to meet or study with in your lifetime.

In the three weeks since we came up with the idea, we have pulled off what I was told was impossible. We’ve put together a world-class group of artists to teach, and we are making art history with the first virtual art conference, the first worldwide gathering of plein air painters online, and the largest online virtual paint-out in the world. 

I’d love you to be a part of it, and frankly, we could use the help. You can learn more at www.pleinairlive.com.

Stillness comes in various forms. Today, the lake has no movement as I sit looking on from the old screened porch. There is not a leaf rustling, not so much as a momentary breeze, and the sticky high humidity is hovering against the distant shore, obscuring the view, making the deep greens look more like a deep turquoise.

A pinkish glow is reflecting into the water from the sky, and the gentle slam of a screen door and the voices of a couple chatting over coffee are as clear to me as if I were sitting at the same table. The lake is a giant amplifier, which is why we teach our kids to always be careful about what they say when they’re on a boat or sitting on the porch.

This morning, as I have my coffee, a huge bowl of ripe, deep red strawberries picked up at yesterday’s farmers market are about the most flavorful I’ve had. Store-bought berries don’t cut it, so I binge in summertime.

Boom!

When I was a child growing up on Lake Wawasee in Indiana, we used to take our pontoon boat onto the lake, and it seemed as if we were right under the exploding fireworks in the sky above us. I never thought I’d experience that feeling again, but last night a local neighbor treated us to a display every bit as special as any I can remember. We were watching from the boat, along with our neighbors, who would honk their boats’ horns for applause. The booms would roll across the lake, bounce off nearby mountains, and create an echo effect much like that I remember as a child. I’m feeling pretty blessed.

How Many Summers Left?

Richard Saul Wurman, founder of the TED conferences, used to talk about “How many summers do you have left?” with emphasis on making the best of these special seasons. Now, with COVID fears and seeing the disease impact families we know, it makes me realize just how special this time is, and how we need to embrace our time with those we love even more. The stakes are higher than ever. There is nothing like a pandemic to help us discover our true priorities. 

Clarity of Mission

For me, these moments on the lake in this 140-year-old camp, and the time with family and friends, is my priority, because it’s a tool to draw us closer, provide us with peace from the freshness of the air, the scent of the pines, and the glow of light along the trees against the distant purple mountains. It was a lifelong goal to accomplish, and now my desire is to help my family keep it for generations to come. Not an easy task. If it were not for bitter winters with no heat and a boat-only-access home on a lake that freezes, we would want to be here all the time. Yet I think half the magic comes from the winter months, when we can’t wait for the summer.

Contrast is what summer is all about. We look forward to it and give it special planning because we can do more things in the summer, when we don’t have busy school or work schedules. We look forward to long, warm sunny days that contrast short and frigid winter days. If we had summer all the time, we would not cherish it.

What Matters Most

The pandemic has also provided contrast. Both clarity on what’s important, and a chance to experience family and being home on an entirely new level. For some, the contrast of noisy kid-filled homes gives a new fresh appreciation to the drag of getting up to go to an office, where concentration is so much easier. For others, it’s the stark realization that commuting is for the birds, and life is too short to spend two hours a day on a freeway.

Polar Opposites

Contrast is what Chinese philosophers were talking about with yin and yang and the I Ching. And in the Bible, there is light vs. darkness, heaven vs. earth. Good isn’t recognized without evil, comfort without discomfort. It’s contrast that makes us appreciate things, which is why success is sweeter having experienced failure. Money is better when you’ve been poor. Success is better if you’ve had to struggle.

Pray for Pain

Though my natural instinct is to want to protect my kids, I also know that if everything is handed to them, there will be no appreciation for what they have. My prayer is that they experience pain, difficulty, and struggle, but that they live through it so they can appreciate the good when it comes. It’s hard to make a teenager understand that concept.

I’ve watched when people have things handed to them without effort, and it’s sad when that contrast is missing. Appreciation is sweeter with contrast.

Though we don’t want struggle, embrace it. Everything will be sweeter. 

Because we’ve been in lockdown, getting out is sweeter than ever. To the extent you can, make this the best summer ever, as though it’s your last. Live it like you’ll be in lockdown next summer. 

Each day is a gift, and for the first time ever — except for the few alive who experienced the Great Depression — we’re being served this time to understand that our perfect lives were more of a gift than we realized. 

Embrace it. Pray for the best, but make the best of what we have.

Eric Rhoads

PS: I’m embracing a painful week. My income is mostly tied to an event we do every year called the Plein Air Convention. We needed to cancel it this week. It was the right thing to do. And, in spite of the pain, I can find so much good to come from it, including the chance to innovate and create the world’s first fully virtual art conference, which is slated for July 15-18. It could change everything because people from all over the world will be interacting as one, for the first time in history. It may change the plein air world entirely. Wish me luck. And if you think this idea of painting might be of interest, take a risk. It will be worth it. www.pleinairlive.com.

Fierce winds are blowing the sloshing water up onto the dock and a thin mist of water keeps spraying me, making me nudge my old green Adirondack chair back farther and farther. It’s rare to see whitecaps on this little lake in the wilderness. Amazing to me, the birds are flying overhead, twirling and diving into the thermals of air, as if they’re at an amusement park on a roller coaster. It makes me wish I could fly. Wheeeee.

Deep, rich greens fill the distant shore as the tops of the trees are splashed with warm morning light. It’s early here, and it’s just me, the birds, and the sunlight. Everyone else is nestled in their cabins in their little brass beds and flannel bedspreads. 

Erratic

This has been a week of weird weather. We’ve had massive thunderstorms and gully washers of rain, thunder that rattled the old cabin, winds that have toppled sailing boats, and cold fronts that took us from 90-degree heat to warm blankets and cold nights for perfect sleeping.

The Value of Storms

Life, like challenging weather, always sees some benefit after the damage of the worst of storms. And though the world at the moment carries with it lots of challenge, lots of turmoil and unrest, that’s not always a bad thing. It may seem like it, but I can guarantee good will come from what we perceive as bad. Rain brings nutrition and removes pollen from the trees. Winds clear out dead trees. Even lightning brings fire to forests in need of rejuvenation and new growth. 

Challenges bring about growth, and each of us will make adjustments in our thinking about how we perceive certain things. 

What have you faced in your life that seemed like a bad thing at the time, but turned out to be for the better?

Stop and think about what is upsetting you at this moment.

Is it fear?
Is it the unknown?
Is it anger?
Is it frustration?

We are creatures of comfort, and we squirm a little anytime someone makes us step outside of our comfort zone.

Change is the enemy for most, and we, as humans, will fight change to the death.

Your Favorite Chair

Imagine for a moment you are sitting in your favorite chair. It’s your comfort spot. It’s where you go to be cozy, to feel secure, to read or watch TV or converse with your family. Like an old pair of slippers or your favorite pajamas, it’s an extension of who you are. Then a burglar sneaks into your house when you’re out getting groceries. They don’t take the jewelry or the money or the expensive stuff — they take your favorite chair.

You feel violated. Part of your cozy world has disappeared. You search the city, you call the police, but alas, you find yourself on the hunt for a replacement for your perfect chair. But nothing compares, they don’t make that model anymore, a new chair won’t be broken in. 

Then one day you find something you feel is a decent replacement, and after a couple of days you turn and say to your family, “I should have changed chairs years ago. This is so much better, supports my back more, and is so much more comfortable.” All that drama over the old chair only to discover that you should have bought a new one five years ago.

Clinging to Old Ways

The world as it was is an old chair. The old world is something we cling to, the change is something you might not like, and it’s something that makes you uncomfortable. Yet, days, weeks, maybe months from now, you’ll have a new level of comfort. Things won’t be the same, but they will be just fine … just different.

The Big Embrace

Change may be the enemy for most, but embracing change can be the best thing to ever happen to you. Just like problems should be embraced as opportunities or lessons, change should be embraced as a chance to adopt a new outlook.

The key to embracing change is to become aware of what you’re resistant to and ask yourself if, maybe, a new outlook would serve you.

A Different Perspective

Start by putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. Ask yourself how they must feel. Ask yourself if changing your mind might be the right thing to do.

The Old Person’s Motto

I can remember being a teen and hearing old people say, “This world is going to hell in a handbasket” (whatever that means). “These kids today are going to ruin our world.” I told myself I was never going to be like that. 

The Young Person’s Motto

If you’re of a certain age, maybe you remember thinking your parents and grandparents were wrong, and that you were going to change the world. And you did. Now, maybe it’s happening to you. It’s the cycle of life.

What good can possibly happen with all the change? Maybe it’s worth pondering. I’m sure there is an answer.

You’re always just one decision away from a new outlook and a changed life.

Ask yourself if you’re looking for happiness in the same place you lost it. 

Like It or Not, It’s Happening

Our world is changing. Everything is impacted. It can be pretty overwhelming, but it will be easier if you stop clinging to the way things used to be and know that things change, and that everything will be all right.

Change is a river of new ideas that will push out the old and stale and bring in the new. Step up from the comfy chair and try on some new ideas. You might find them to be refreshing and invigorating, and even more fulfilling.

Eric Rhoads

PS: Please read this. I have a special favor and an urgent need.

The past 100 days have been, in many ways, the hardest of my life. I’ve had some really bad days and a lot of fear, but instead of cowering in a fetal position and avoiding my responsibilities, I’ve adapted. Pivoting has forced me to try things I had been resistant to, try new things that I never would have tried. Some of those things have turned out to be things I should have done a decade ago. 

As you may know, I feed my family from the proceeds of my small family-owned business. I’m not some big corporation. I know my employees, I know their kids’ names, and I take great pride and responsibility in making sure they can provide their families a good life. It rips my heart out when I have to disrupt that, which I had to do about 100 days ago to some very wonderful and loyal friends who work with our company. 

Since the in-person event business makes up the lion’s share of our ability to support these team members and their families, you can imagine that not being able to have that income has been devastating to our little company. In response to some who don’t want to travel (or can’t) and those who maybe don’t have the money or time to travel to one of our live events, if they’re allowed to occur, we created a virtual (online) event called PleinAir Live. 

PleinAir Live will take place July 15-18 (and the 14th for beginners) and is bringing the world of international plein air painters together as a giant community. I have the top outdoor landscape artists in the world teaching, giving critiques, talks, roundtables, and demonstrations. Names like Scott Christensen, Jill Carver, Sherrie McGraw, Kathryn Stats, Joe Paquet, John MacDonald, Kevin Macpherson, and many many more. And we’re tapping into the brilliance of the best instructors overseas with teachers like Roos Schuring from Holland, Leon Holmes from Australia, Haidee-Jo Summers from England, and Antonin Passemard from France.

This will truly be the first time the entire plein air painting community from all over the world has come together for one live (virtual) event. We will paint together, we will connect you with new friends, and we’re doing it for 1/10th of what you would spend to travel to the Plein Air Convention.

This event will not only get you truly involved in the plein air community, plein air painting, and learning from the best of the best, it will also help me keep my little family intact in case our in-person events are forced to reschedule or cancel.

It would mean a lot to me if you would attend. I know you’ll be glad you did, and you can do it for less than a nice meal out for four. But it will last as a lifetime memory, and it’s historic. And since most of us have not gone out much in the past three months, the money saved from staying in will make it easier. Please consider attending PleinAir Live. 

It’s so easy. You sign up at the website, and we send you a link to get into the event. It’s that easy. On the days of the event, you just click on your link and you’re watching on your phone, your tablet, your computer, or even your TV. 

It’s a little uncomfortable being so direct about how this will help us survive. If we’ve given you some joy or value over the months or years, and if you love or want to learn about art, this will make a big difference for us and our ability to continue doing all the things we love doing for you. 

Even if you just sign up for the beginners’ day and nothing else, it will make a big difference. 

Thank you for your consideration.

Sponges bounce below my bare feet as I walk atop deep green moss and thick pillows of soft pine needles, making my way to the front dock. Startled by my presence, a family of loons sends out a series of emergency calls to warn others on the lake, which is still as glass. Chirps of other birds fill the tall pines at the base of the lake as soft ripples splash up against the dock.

Handmade in 1904

My chair is an old Westport Adirondack chair, crafted in 1904 according to the stamp on the back. This dock has been its home for 116 years, and it’s seen the rise and fall of tuberculosis, and the 1918 pandemic. Then, like now, families escaped to the woods to ride it out and distance themselves from the cities.

Coming Changes

Sipping my hot coffee as I stare out over the lake, I wonder who, over the years, has been seated in these chairs and what conversations they had. Last night, some friends, properly socially distanced, visited as we shared a toast and celebrated being free enough to gather. We meandered on to topics about how our lives and our cities will change. No one knows; we can only guess.

New Appreciation

These two young executives who work for mega-firms in New York City talked of how they have discovered new things about themselves, about the unnecessary hustle and bustle of their busy lives, their newfound appreciation and the challenges of working from home, and how they plan to redefine their lives going forward. Neither will be returning to an office until 2021.

Redefined

We are living in the year that disappeared. I saw a shirt on social media that said “2020 Sucks,” but I disagree. In spite of all the fear, negativity, danger, and uncertainty, sometimes it takes getting hit by a freight train to get our attention and make us redefine our lives. And we would not be doing ourselves a service if we allowed this year to pass without buckets of meaningful and personal change. 

Up in the Air

I for one have realized my addiction to travel. I’ve always loved it, but not being able to get on a plane at the drop of a hat for a meeting has made me rethink my future. No, I don’t fear getting on a plane, I just did that a couple of weeks ago. What I fear is not living my life with the level of quality intended.

Face it, many of us have become addicted to the dopamine or adrenaline created by the stimulation of social media, of a fast-moving world, of always needing something to do.

Reconnected

Most everyone I know is telling me they crave the life they did not know they were missing, that returning to their life from 90 days ago would feel like a tragedy. They have reconnected with their families on a deeper level, they have had time to pursue things that time never permitted, and through those moments, have found themselves inside new hobbies or interests. We, for instance, have taught tens of thousands of new people interested in learning to paint.

A New Me

One woman sent me a note that said, “Because of you, I found myself. Because you were doing live Facebook broadcasts daily, I accidentally tuned in, did not know you, but something you said encouraged me to try painting. I had never considered it, and now, with your free lessons, I’m painting and I’m a new person.”

It wasn’t me or anything I did, it was her. She finally tuned in to her inner voices to explore an interest she did not realize she had. Maybe I was a nudge, but the action was all her own doing.

What is your action?

Will you return to the former you, or will the book on your life have a new chapter about a new you?

Have you stopped to think about what you discovered about yourself that you don’t want to lose?

Have you realized what you don’t want to return to?

There is, it appears, a mass exodus from the cities to the suburbs and small towns. It’s not just the fear of being stuck in a war zone due to riots, or the fear of being in an overburdened medical system in a big city, it’s because a different quality of life and quality of relationships have been discovered. I’ve had several people tell me their city life is ending and their homes are for sale or they have already moved out. Others in small towns are talking of soaring real estate prices due to new interest in a simpler life.

Though it may sound a little awkward, isn’t this what life is all about? Deeper relationships? Getting to know your neighbors? Being in a place where life isn’t running at high speed?

I’m fortunate to be in a boat-access-only place on a little lake in the middle of the wilderness. It’s only taken me 35 years to be able to afford such a place, and I cherish it. But I now wonder about my winter months and where we will land. Small towns are more appealing than ever.

Where Will You Get Off?

That freight train called COVID-19 has stopped at a station many of us have not visited for years, if ever — the village of relationships. The only question is, will we stop here to settle or get back on the roller coaster?

I can’t make that decision for you. I’m sure you know where your heart lies. But I think the world will soon sigh a breath of relief, and all of this will be behind us. And as you take a big sigh, you’ll realize that everything is going to be all right after all.

And like this old 1904 Adirondack chair that has seen it all, we too will be able to tell our grandkids what we lived through, and how in our darkest days it did not seem like we could ever get through it, but we proudly made it, picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off, and realized that we’re capable of anything.

I’m proud of you. 

Eric Rhoads

PS: We all have our unique stories. I hope you put yours in the comments below.

And if you’re one of those people who wants to find a new you, I can offer you a lot of free painting advice and instruction. You can see some resources below.

Also, last week I announced what we think is a historic virtual event, the first time in history anyone has brought the world of plein air (outdoor) painters together worldwide. Plein Air Live is already seeing massive registration from all over the world. Check it out at PleinAirLive.com. And we have a beginner’s day you may want to attend if you are curious. You don’t have to sign up for the whole event, you can attend just the beginner’s day.

Roaring thunder is echoing off the distant mountain and the lake acts like a giant amplifier, making the booms even louder. The old porch is shaking with each blast, and the rain is slamming loudly on the roof above. Rain is driving sideways like arrows trying to penetrate the screens, yet somehow the water isn’t coming in.

My dream was to one day have a porch like this. Sitting here in a storm is one of my favorite things; it’s as if I’m defying nature, nestled and secure in my little wooden shelter.

Did you know there is a difference between goals and dreams?

I’ve found that goals are intentional, and often related to dreams — but dreams tend to be random, often not formalized by the process of goal-setting.

Which do you think is more powerful? A set goal or a random dream?

In Trouble for Daydreaming

In fourth grade at Harrison Hill Elementary I was sent to the principal’s office for daydreaming, not paying attention in class. Most of my school years were considered unproductive because of my horrific grades, which had to do with not paying attention, not wanting to be there, being bored, and being in a better place inside my head than in class.

Drifting into Dreamland

Today, though I’m a better student because I pursue what I want to learn, I still drift off when a speaker stimulates a thought that then circulates inside my head, getting louder and louder as I explore the possibilities. Before long I can miss a couple of hours of content because the idea is being played out in my head. And frankly, that’s the value of going. 

No Life Without Dreams

Dreams have been the foundation of my life, which has been a machine gun of ideas sprayed across the world. If I think about something, I’m thinking about it as if it has already occured. I envision my life when that dream takes place, and I see myself doing what it is I’m dreaming. Events like the Plein Air Convention and the Figurative Art Convention were dreams where I saw myself on stage, presenting the most brilliant minds in painting. And when those dreams came true, the first versions were exactly as I pictured them, faculty and all.

Dreaming Isn’t Goal-Setting

I’m big on goal-setting, but I’m bigger on dreaming. Because dreams, I think, reflect what you really want, and sometimes goals are what we think we should want. They’re often rooted in family responsibilities like paying bills or raising enough money for college (we’re facing that now).

Where do your dreams take you?

Others tell me they don’t dream, or they don’t have vivid dreams. Still others don’t daydream. I’m guessing they do, but they’re not embracing it for what it is. It’s not useless folly. 

Ending Dreams

Young couples have dreams. One day we’ll have a family, three kids, two dogs, a little house with a white picket fence. And most of them get those dreams. Then they dream of their kids growing up, college, grandchildren, etc. And those dreams typically come true, though they are out of their hands and in the hands of their kids. But sometimes those dreams end there because of the limits we impose on ourselves.

Squashing Dreams

Before quarantine times, I was with someone whose child was telling me about his dreams of doing something big and great, and his mom chimed in and said, “Stop that foolishness. Our kind are not meant to do such things.” I was mortified and wanted to speak up, but did not out of respect to my hosts.

Are you squashing your own dreams or the dreams of others because you feel undeserving?

Brilliant Dreamers

You may think that someone like Elon Musk has something we all don’t have. We may tell ourselves that his brilliance is possible because he is a billionaire, but the reality is that he is a billionaire because of his dreams. Unlike most, he has trained himself to dream big, not place any limits, and explore endless possibilities. We all tend to give ourselves reasons things can’t be done, yet if you eliminate the limits and dream big, you will surprise yourself with what you’re capable of accomplishing. 

Dream Till You Believe It

I’m a big believer that goals without actions are just a to-do list that never gets done. It’s action that moves things forward. The value of dreams is that when we envision something in detail and continually repeat those thoughts, we begin to accept that the impossible is possible. The brain tends to help us seek and find ways to do impossible things. 

Like most, I have limits. I catch myself continually telling myself all the reasons something can’t happen. But once I catch myself, I try to change my thinking. It’s very deliberate.

What is one big dream you’ve always wanted to accomplish?

Now, what are you telling yourself about that dream? Here is a typical list:

• It’s too big for me
• People like us don’t do things like that
• I don’t have the degree or education
• I don’t have the talent
• I don’t have the money
• I’m not good at the things needed to accomplish it
• I’m too young
• I’m too old
• I don’t have much time left

Dreams are the place you write the next chapter before you accomplish that chapter.

Napoleon wrote, “Small plans do not inflame the hearts of men.”

I have confidence that your dreams can come true. I can’t tell you how; I never really know how, when I first start. But the more you think about it, envision yourself in it, the more the answers will come.

Eric Rhoads

PS: I was dreaming recently during our quarantine. I thought that there is a whole world of artists who have been coming together on my daily videos (noon Eastern @ericrhoads on Facebook and Instagram), and it made me dream of creating the first worldwide artists’ event in history. Something where all the plein air painters (and wannabes) gather virtually in a global plein air event.

At first, my brain told me it was too much work, that it would be impossible. Then I started thinking about the time, the money, the challenges, the tech, and I almost stopped working on it. But then I realized it’s a dream that can change lives and that I could not let anything get in my way.

Plein Air Live will take place on July 15-18, with a new plein air beginners’ day on the 14th. Five days total where the world gathers, paints together, learns together, and celebrates our passion. You’ll be part of a historic moment, and you’ll be connected with people you never before knew. And no travel, no expenses. All in your safe home.

Already the response is phenomenal, and frankly, technology may limit how many can attend. So if you go to PleinAirLive.com and fill out the form, we will ticket people in the order they came in. No obligation, but once we announce details, you’ll be glad you are holding that possible reservation.

This is one of my big dreams. There are others. I fully intend to live my dreams. I hope you will too.

PS 2: Here is a link to all the free video samples we’ve posted the past almost 80 days. Enjoy.

PS 3: The world, at the moment, is filled with hurting people, and they also have dreams. Let’s all remember to listen to the dreams of others and help them live their dreams.

Glitter has been sprinkled all over the water, and the light is blasting it to reflect like lasers into my retinas. The sound of a mild slosh hits the old wooden dock, and the 50-year-old metal rowboat with peeling green paint and a maroon Evinrude outboard stands ready, with poles hanging over the sides awaiting today’s fishing expedition. 

Brilliant Morning Light

The tops of the trees are orange, while the shaded part of the pines remains deep greenish-blue as the trees eagerly await a sunbath when it rises further. The mountain in the distance is looking especially inviting today, as if to say, “Come, climb me on the first day.”

We arrived here in paradise late last night, ready to go into our two-week self-quarantine after breathing the mask-filtered air on an almost empty airplane. But oh! What a place to be stuck. A boat-access-only cabin that was built 140 years ago, and we have nothing to do but absorb its silence and dust its shelves. I’m ready.

Thirty Years and Counting

If I were counting, I would guess this is summer number 31 for me on these lakes. I first visited in 1988 or ’89 and never wanted to leave. I fell in love with the smell of pines and the stunning scenery of the mountains. These lakes have become my muse, first for photography and then, many years later, the joy of painting. Though I want to see the whole world, this is a part of the world I want as a constant in my life, a place to go for some mental downtime.

A Sea of Paintings

Last summer, as we were driving in from the airport, I saw things with fresh eyes and made a list of a hundred different spots I wanted to paint. Yet I barely painted all summer because moving into the old cabin and doing repairs and projects consumed all my time. Yet again this year, I’ve set my sights high, in hopes of painting daily this summer. Time will tell.

Stuck Inside

Like you, I’m tired of being stuck inside, and like you, I’ll self-isolate for a couple of weeks after arriving and avoid situations that put anyone else at risk. Thankfully, the wilderness does not put me in touch with anyone for miles if I’m out painting, fishing, or hiking. So, to the extent you can in your situation, try to get some fresh air and some time outside if possible.

Taking Care of Your Mental Health

Each of us is in a different situation, a different place, with different circumstances. But all of us have had to face things we’d never imagined were possible. We’ve been stuck inside, we’re not exercising as much, we’re not getting a healthy dose of social activities, and we’re eating differently. And with the double whammy of quarantines and unrest, we’re filled with uncertainty and fear. Perhaps we should consider what Roosevelt meant with his “nothing to fear but fear itself.”

Fearing fear is actually a wise thing. They did not have the science data we have now, but It turns out that fear triggers massive releases of cortisol in the brain, which actually impacts your thinking ability and launches you into a fight-or-flight mode. According to Psychology Today, “low-grade cortisol baths” seem to be the biggest immune system culprit of all. These “baths” are smaller influxes of cortisol all day long, primarily due to a stress-dominated thought process … “When added to the concept that your brain, in many ways, doesn’t know the difference between what you vividly imagine (or worry about) and what is real, you can see the damage your panic may be wreaking on your risk of contracting a circulating virus.”

They go on to say, “When stress, anxiety, worry, overwhelm, depression and isolation are left unchecked they actually reduce the effectiveness of your immune system and make you, and those around you, much more susceptible to getting sick.”

Not only does fear impact our physical health by weakening our immune system, causing cardiovascular damage, ulcers, and irritable bowel syndrome, it can accelerate aging and premature death. Fear also creates memory impairment and tends to “lock in,” making things worse by increasing anxiety. Fear causes brain processing impairment, which results in erratic decision-making, increased negativity, explosive behavior, and impulsive reactions. All of this then leads to fatigue. It seems to me that with COVID-19, our immune systems have to be our highest priority.

My Downward Spiral

This week I found myself glued to the TV, staying up watching protests and rioting until two in the morning, worrying about my community and our own safety. I stopped sleeping, tossing and turning all night. Laurie pointed out I was not myself. I had become grumpy, irritable, and negative, and I realized I was falling into a negative spiral. I was not my normal upbeat self. I was suddenly depressed, then started having some wine to self-medicate and escape, and of course I felt bad the next morning. I was defeated.

A Moment of Clarity

Upon awaking with a slight hangover and little sleep it struck me that I had to snap out of it, and not let my emotions drive me further down. I knew I had to lead my family, and with my daily broadcasts, lead my friends in the art world. So I worked hard to elevate my mood (yes, dancing like no one was watching with some loud music in my studio). I committed to eating right, exercising more, getting up and getting to bed earlier, and insulating myself from all the bad news. Though I check enough to get a minute or two of basic information, I’m no longer watching the TV news, no longer watching the unrest unfolding, no longer allowing that to dominate my thoughts. I’ve pulled away from social media and am unfriending everything negative.

Your Number One Priority

Your health, your mental well-being, has to be your number one priority. Without it you can’t make good decisions, can’t take care of your family, and can’t provide the emotional support others need. And if you allow your thoughts to destroy your immune system, you’ll fall deeper into the spiral and could get infected with the virus. 

Is it time for you to consider the toll all this negativity is taking on you?

Once I got to the woods, to the lake, I realized just how keyed up I was, and how getting away has been such a relief. I did not know how badly it was impacting me till I changed my perspective.

Enough Is Enough

Psychologists tell me that worry and fear are usually unwarranted. We tend to amplify the story and then ruminate about it, but most of what we worry about, we cannot change. Change what you can, but don’t worry about the rest. So I’m officially declaring this the summer of joy. 

The Summer of Joy

You deserve joy. You deserve laughter, fun, walks in the woods, time doing what you love with those you love. You deserve hugs, silliness, and happiness. And, after all you and I have been through, we need it and appreciate those things more than ever.

A Shield

I for one refuse to allow anyone to destroy my joy. I’m going to protect myself by avoiding the news, avoiding social media (other than my daily broadcasts and reading the comments), and taking another break from all media. If the world ends, I’ll eventually find out. Meanwhile, life will be better and I’ll be happier.

Happy Socks

Joy is not up to someone else, it’s up to you and me. We control our joy. We may get it from the actions of others, but we can get it by simply looking into ourselves and pulling it up like a great pair of happy socks. The media and social media are robbing us of our joy. If you want a summer of joy, you may want to consider a summer away from the things that are feeding fear. Just something to consider.

Control Your Reaction

Right now things feel like there is no end. No end to the virus and its possible return, maybe a lifetime of masks and distance. No end to the protests or the causes of the protests. We can’t control those things, but we can control how they are controlling our emotions and feeding our fear.

I want the best for you, I want you healthy, happy, strong, and vibrant. It’s OK to run from the fear, to hide out and put your head in the sand for a while, and consume yourself with fun distractions. In fact, it’s healthy.

Here’s to a summer of joy.

Eric Rhoads

Distractions: I have lots of them if you want to learn about art.

1. Free lessons for beginners at www.paintbynote.com
2. Free daily broadcasts of art instruction samples at 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. on YouTube Live (@streamlineartvideo), and I’m live daily at noon on Facebook and Instagram (@ericrhoads) and on Youtube (@streamlineartvideo)

Last summer I wrote about taking a digital holiday, getting away from the negativity of social media and all media. Today, social media and TV have become unbearable, and because of fear, fatigue, and explosive behavior, things are worse than ever.

I’d like to invite you to join me in putting my head in the sand. No, I’m not ignoring real issues we have to deal with, but our mental health is at risk.

I for one cannot sit night after night stimulating fear in my system. I’m not willing to allow current events to destroy my health, my life, and my mood.

And the reality is, I’ll change what I can change, but beyond that, my worry is a fool’s game.

Drinking in the beauty of Austin, Texas, with its deep green cedar trees and gnarled oaks, I’m staring out over the yard one last time. No more will I sit on this porch in my red wicker couch on the long covered porch with the tin roof that rings like a metal drum with each raindrop. No more will I cuddle with the dogs here as I write. I’ll miss the deer in the yard and the neighbors’  Longhorn cattle, but alas, now that the kids have graduated high school, summer calls us to an old cabin on the lake where I’ll be reaching out to you for the balance of the summer. It’s good for us, our family, our kids, and even the family who stays in our Austin home each summer, who get a change of scenery.

Silence

But when we return, our secure little nest will be silent. No more slamming doors, teen drama, setting the table for five, no more arguments, but also no more hanging out on the couch with a day-to-day debriefing. Thankfully, two of our triplets remain in the state, only a couple of hours away, and one in a neighboring state about a day’s drive away. 

Years ago the stress of parenting made us eager for these stress-filled, high-drama days to be replaced by quiet moments, but as we approach the runway for takeoff, we’re getting sad. It’s the start of a new chapter.

Stressed

Over dinner the other night we were reminiscing about school with the kids, how they were so stressed about moving to a new city and a new school. They were stressed about elementary school, then stressed about the transition to middle school, then high school. As parents we knew how short and insignificant it would all one day feel. Yet no matter how much we told them everything would be OK, their stress levels were high until they’d had time to adjust.

All New to Us

Now the tables are turned. Our anxiety about kids in college is probably as bad as theirs, as is our anxiety about moving to the next chapter. This new chapter will be a trial run, kids away from home, us being alone together and having to get to know one another all over again. Yet we’ll still be coaching kids in school and reminding them occasionally of life choices they need to be making. And after college, if there is no grad school, it will be graduation to life, a new chapter for them and for us. We don’t know what it will bring, but chances are our little family of five will grow, with new personalities injected into our lives, and hopefully one day some little ones who can call me Gramps. 

Perhaps I’m a late bloomer, or maybe I just delayed things as long as possible. My cousin, one year younger, just retired this week and already has grandkids who will soon provide great-grandkids. Me, I’m still putting in 15-hour days with no intention to retire, and my kids are just now leaving the nest.

As we turn the page to a new chapter, or click the remote to a new episode, I for one am in love with the idea of change. I used to fight it, now I crave it. 

Tolstoy said, “True life is lived when tiny changes occur.” Roy Bennett said it this way: “If you want to fly, you have to give up the things that weigh you down.”

Breaking the Rules

Though I’m not critical of the mold for how we’re supposed to act or be when our hair turns white, I feel like this chapter brings many new possibilities. I’ve passed on hundreds of invitations to paint at events or speak at colleges and events, and skipped all-expenses-paid trips to foreign lands because I wanted to be home as much as possible. Now, I’m free to go, and my wife is willing to go along. And, for the first time, she is free and has ideas for which I must be the one to tag along. It’s only fair.

The winter pastor at our old church in Florida, author John Maxwell, says, “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”

As I watch friends who have lived this chapter before me, I’ve seen some become stagnant ponds, and others become waterfalls. Movement creates movement and energy. Stillness creates more stillness. There is a time for each, yet too much still water breeds mental bacteria.

The Edge of the Earth

Each of us is in a different place. Your life may be ahead of you. My friends with young kids don’t yet realize it passes in the click of your fingers. I never believed it, yet here I am. Some of you are at the edge of the earth, about to jump off for the next planet. Like changing seasons, we each move from chapter to chapter, often clinging to the past only to be dragged into the future. Then when we get comfortable, we get dragged out of that comfort zone again.

I for one am enthusiastically looking forward to being uncomfortable. Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. 

“The comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there.” – Brian Tracy

Where are you?

Are you so comfortable you don’t want to be ripped out of your easy chair? Or are you waiting for the next chapter to begin?

I for one am excited. 

Eric Rhoads

PS: We’ve all been ripped out of our comfort zone. Each day when we shop for groceries, we wonder if we’re the next victim of COVID-19. But, if you dig deeply, you’ll find this time has been a gift. Look for it.

My gift for my art-loving friends has been almost 70 days of art instruction video samples. But, like all good things, they are soon to go away. People have asked me to keep them up a little longer so they can catch up … so to find them, follow these steps.

1. Go to YouTube.
2. Search Streamline Art Video. 
3. Click “Subscribe.” You’ll have access to everything for a while after we make them disappear from the public page. Please do so today, so you don’t forget.

PS 2: Big news. Sometimes bad things lead to good things. My summer painting retreat in the Adirondacks was postponed, then canceled because the college we normally stay in has closed for the summer. But a place I’ve always wanted to hold the event has opened up because they had to cancel their summer camps. For our 10- year anniversary, we are staying in one of the GREAT CAMPS of the ADIRONDACKS, which was built in 1901 for 2.5 million ($70 million in today’s dollars). It’s a classic, on a different, more beautiful lake. If you’re interested, we’re still accepting people, and we have a 100% money back guarantee if we or you have to cancel. 

Each morning during self-isolation I’ve been without my normal routine. Normally, pre-COVID-19, I’d awaken early, make breakfast for the kids, see them off to school, head to the gym or yoga, come home to get ready, and then go to my office.

Now, I’m staying up late, usually until midnight, sometimes one or two, and there is no routine to awaken for. My kids have been sleeping in on days when there are no Zoom classes, or getting up two minutes before class, which they can attend in their pajamas. No breakfast to make, no gym available to visit. The only thing consistent is my “go to the office” routine, which has been at home since the kids were born.

Sleeping In

Frankly, I like sleeping till I awaken and not having to deal with an alarm, but I do miss those morning routines with the kids. And this week one of my triplets graduated with a Zoom call, and the other two are officially graduating next week. 

Leaving the Nest

My wife and I are mourning because we’ve looked forward to this day for years, watching our little birds released from school and ready to move to more self-sufficiency in college. But in spite of the school’s best efforts, a Zoom call graduation was somehow so anticlimactic. There were relatives watching the call, but no gatherings of family flying in, no party, no graduation dinner, and not even a chance to see all the kids our children grew up with one last time. 

Beaming Faces

This moment has made me realize that the absence of ceremony is a casualty of this “hidden enemy.” Though I typically dread moments when I need to put on a suit and tie and sit through hours of mind-numbing content, I’m actually missing it. It would be an absolute joy to see these faces beaming at the prospect of their accomplishments in school and in anticipation of their future. And what a joy to see the faces of kids from Scouts, the playground, from playdates, from band outings, from Halloween and school plays, and so much more. And what a disappointment that we don’t get that closure, knowing we won’t see most of them ever again. 

Missing Touch

Last week we opened our soundstage for the first time for me to shoot an interview with an artist who came in for the shoot, and the ceremony of a handshake, a hug, or even a high five was missing. It somehow felt less meaningful; it does not feel like an actual connection without that touch. The ceremony of the touch is missing. And for the first time, I’ve realized that I can’t really get a feel for someone by just looking into their eyes. That touch somehow makes the connection so much more complete. I’ve also missed it with a couple of visiting friends, where we sit masked, several feet apart, trying to catch up. It feels forced.

Closure is missing in so many areas right now. Closure of one week to the next by starting the week in communion with neighbors in our churches or synagogues and getting fed some inspiration and knowledge. Saying Goodbye

Sadly, families are unable to gather for memorial services for loved ones lost. I cannot imagine the incomplete cycle of life without that closure to say goodbye, to celebrate a life well lived, to laugh and cry together, and to see remaining family members, some of whom we see only for funerals. It’s very empty, and I feel so sad for families who could do nothing at this time.

Sharing Energy

Frankly, I’m missing the ceremony of spreading energy with friends in our events like the Plein Air Convention or the Publisher’s Invitational art retreats, which have had to be rescheduled for later dates. It makes me understand just how important these people are in my life, and how much I miss them, even if I see them just once or twice a year. Video calls are barely a good alternative.

Reinvention

The result of these times is that we’ve all been forced to reinvent. We can’t allow restrictions to prevent our celebrations and our closure. Couples are moving forward with online weddings, there are social gatherings with online cocktail calls and other virtual events. These don’t fill the void of human contact, but they are better than nothing.

Making Better Use of Moments

No one knows what our lives look like a few months in the future, though many are predicting the worst and the best. It’s simply impossible to know yet. But the sooner we can replace normal, the better off we all will be. I can’t wait for parties, having friends over, events, conventions, meetings, handshakes, and hugs. And when the “all clear” signal is transmitted, I plan to go all in and be more social than ever. I’ll make a point to spend more time, and quality time, with friends, and no longer take those special moments for granted.

We all have pent-up demand. And I suspect, if we can, we’ll do more things, be more social, travel more to see family or just to take trips, and it will be like the pleasure of eating an orange for the first time after years of being unable to take a bite.

Now is the time to plan what’s next for each of us. 

What will you do first?

Who do you most want to see?

How will you look at the value of your time together differently?

What do you most want to do?

Some are striking fear by telling us this will return in the fall, or that we may have sudden quarantine weeks for the rest of our lives. Others are saying this never ends. Ever.

I don’t want to believe any of them.

But what if it were true? Or what if you only had the next few months to do everything in your life you’ve always wanted to do? What if you have three months to see everyone you’ve wanted to see in person?

What if you could hold certain people only one last time?

Savor the possibilities, and make your plan.

My guess is that there will come a time when everything is back to the way it was before. Hugs and handshakes included. Even blowing out birthday candles on a cake we later eat. I’m counting on it.

Yet, it’s clear there are no guarantees in life. Therefore, I plan to be ready to pounce. I’m making my list of every event I want to attend, every person I want to see, every conversation I want to have in person, because I don’t want to ever look back in regret. What about you?

Eric Rhoads

PS: In spite of the difficulty of this time in history, each of us has discovered something about ourselves. Most of us have innovated in new ways, reinvented in some ways, and often reinvented the ways we live and work. For some, those new ways make us better and will stick. Others will return to the old ways. Yet I think there have been blessings to come from this, even if nothing more than the appreciation of the freedom we once had and have lost. I now know more than ever just how important freedom of movement is. I also know the power of fear for the first time in my life.

Before you go back to your definition of normal, consider embracing the new you. Do you really want to commute for two hours a day? Do you really want to spend your life in a car or an airplane? Do you really want to go back to all parts of the way things were?

I’d be nervous if I owned office buildings, because a lot of us will no longer want to go to an office. Working from home works. Companies can save money and have found they can survive and in some ways be more efficient.

Make your list of the parts of life you like from quarantine and the things you are no longer willing to do. Quality of life matters more than ever. Focus on quality.

Lots of people have returned or come to art for the first time in their lives. We’ve seen millions of hours streamed of our instruction videos and have had hundreds of thousands discover what we do. We’ve been doing free video samples daily at 3 p.m. (ET) (Facebook or YouTube @StreamlineArtVideo) and I’ve been live daily at 12 noon (ET) (@ericrhoads on Facebook) to try and keep everyone upbeat.

We’re about to discontinue these daily instructional videos, but for now they are still up and you can find them all here.

I should also mention that on June 1 we’re giving away a lovely Joseph McGurl painting to celebrate the anticipated end to quarantine in most areas. You can enter to win at paintgiveaway.com.

And for those who think you have no talent but really wish you could learn to paint, I have made beginner videos for you free at www.paintbynote.com.