Yes or No?

It is time again. 

Time to renew my subscription to a community of creatives I have participated in for the past several years. 

Honestly, I have been thinking about not renewing this time and saving the money. This thought causes me some angst, though. 

Time to get out my mental pan balance. 

Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash

I weigh the cost against the benefits, the pros and the cons. 

The community is a part of my creative lifeline. Here is what I gain from being in this community:

• Friendship. I have made many friends in this community. Although I would likely remain connected to many of them outside of the community, I think that it would be less regular, and I like the weekly constancy the community provides.
• Inspiration. The brilliant, creative minds in this community inspire me. I am amazed by the things that they accomplish. Knowing people with such talent encourages and motivates me to explore my own creativity.
• Structure. It's so easy to allow life to intervene and find myself drifting away from the goals I have set for myself. The scheduled meeting times keep me accountable and on track. 
• Connection. These people get the struggle of creative work. They're in the midst of it, too. Also, they have a wealth of craft knowledge and the ins and outs of taking your craft out into the world. 

It is clear to me that the benefits far outweigh the cost. This community feeds my creative soul. 

I tuck away the mental pan balance. The answer is clear. With confidence and a couple of clicks on the computer, the renewal is complete and the confirmation email is in my inbox. My creative soul feels like all is right with the world.

Until next time,

Tracy