Ask yourself two very important questions:
What brings me joy?
What brings me misery?
Don’t idealize your answers or respond based on others’ expectations. Be honest with yourself. Now that you have your answers...pursue what brings you joy and abandon what brings you misery.
Lately, social media has been a source of misery for me. Everyone says I’ll never succeed without it. We'll see. I hope to prove them wrong. I love blogging and posting photos without the constant pressure of posting stories every hour, making daily posts, leaving ten comments, following three new people, and then unfollowing three to keep the algorithm happy. And, of course, there’s the endless cycle of watching people argue and judge each other. Now, I am in my peace canoe, floating down the river of calm.
Maybe I spoke too soon, though, because I do enjoy Pinterest and YouTube. Watching videos and browsing colorful photos...Ahhh! I also don’t feel pressured to churn out content for these platforms every ten minutes. In fact, I haven’t even posted a single video on YouTube yet!
This is the space where all my creative and healing magic happens—from art to reiki to podcasting. I love it and have decorated it to suit my taste, hoping it will also bring joy and calm to those who visit for healing and art.
When I need to find tranquility, I draw. I spend upwards of 20 hours on these mandalas and cherish every moment. Drawing is therapeutic. Years ago, I would rush through my mandalas and end up disliking them. It’s crucial to draw the grid first and take your time. Many online videos are sped up, making it seem like people are creating these in an hour. It’s actually a slow, meditative process.
Afterwards is the ink bit. There are so many pens I love, so it's difficult to name one. Once I get my art therapy videos up I will talk a lot more about supplies that I love, but you might find other things you like more when drawing or painting. That's ok! We all have our style and tastes. It's the point of art. You need to find what works for you and what lets you voice onto paper or canvas.
Then comes the inking. There are so many pens I love that it’s hard to name just one. Once I start my art therapy videos, I will discuss my favorite supplies, but you might find different tools you prefer when drawing or painting. That’s perfectly okay! We all have our unique styles and tastes. That’s the essence of art—finding what works for you and expressing yourself on paper or canvas.
There are many mediums to choose from, ranging from ink to paint to pastels. I used ink, watercolor, and colored pencil for this piece. It was a truly relaxing few days, accompanied by lovely music and podcasts, with my cats relaxing beside me.
Every time I add another color to my pieces, it gives me a huge dopamine boost. Color is life. So, once again, let go of the things that make you miserable and pursue what brings you joy.
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