Are you a Diva in the Making?

 

Divas and Divos

 Who doesn’t love them… or at least love to hate them? They’re so over-the-top, larger than life and melodramatic. We love them from afar but what must it be like working for Pavarotti, Cher, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, or Elton John?

 

And if you’re a burgeoning artist, do you possess any of those oh-so-regal qualities? If so, do you like those aspects of yourself? Do you even notice those parts of yourself? Do you need a little Diva in order to succeed? When have you gone too far?

 

We could get into a heavy discussion of Freud’s concepts of the Id, the Ego and the Superego and how they need to be in balance. Or we could talk about Narcissistic personality disorder:

 

Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance and a deep need for admiration. They believe that they’re superior to others and have little regard for other people’s feelings. But behind this mask of ultra-confidence lies a fragile self-esteem, vulnerable to the slightest criticism.

 

But that would be boring and lofty. So let’s bring it down to earth a little, shall we?

 

Artists often pursue their art in order to get attention. We could shun this idea and believe it stems from a deep, noble calling (which is true, too) but we’d be in denial to not think we’re not attention getters! That’s fine. The world is made up of all types. And wanting external validation is a commonality we all share, to some extent.

 

Problem lies… well, you can guess it – what happens when you don’t get that external pat on the back? You’re left to your own devices, which can be fragile (or you wouldn’t be seeking so much external validation in the first place!) You can sound defensive, self-righteous, overly opinionated, demanding – A Diva!

 

Of course, the answer is to develop inner resources to help you during times where your self-esteem is challenged. Get centered. Breathe. Be kind to yourself. Be kind to others. Believe in something bigger than yourself.

 

Now, let’s get something straight… being a Diva isn’t always a bad thing. It’s depends on the degree, ultimately. Heck, Divas are successful for a reason. They ask for what they want. They are proud. They believe in themselves (at least outwardly, which can be impressive too!), they get the job done (because they don’t have problems asking for what they want) and they’re talented and often charismatic.

 

 

So if you’re a Diva or Divo in the making, figure out what qualities you do and don’t like (or at least qualities that others may not like) and teach yourself ways to get centered and confident from the inside (especially when the chips are down), like meditation, spirituality or good, old-fashioned love (which needs give and take in order to survive.)

 

Bottom line: Keep a little Diva alive while making sure you’re not stepping on others.