I’ve been a little MIA the past few weeks. Just when I thought life couldn’t get any more complicated, it was like oh yeah? You haven’t seen shit! Watch this! And proceeded to throw a bunch of roman candles, bottle rockets, and small tornadoes through my life.
It’s cool, it’s all good, I’m good, but man! It’s been a fucking doozy of a year, and these last few weeks it feels like it’s all coming to a head. I’ve been experiencing a bit of writers block, and instead of forcing it, I’ve been painting every day and it’s been awesome.
So, despite life being rocky lately, there’s still a lot of gems, and a lot to be thankful for, and it’s really getting me through, so I hope this inspires you to take note of what you are grateful for, and also to know that if your life also feels like an explosion of illegal fireworks right now and you are a scared ass dog, you are not alone.
Here are the best parts of the last few weeks:
<3 Seeing incredible momentum in human rights, civil rights, and the Black Lives Matter movement, and seeing how many people care, are showing up, getting educated, educating, protesting, and how shit is changing FAST! We are so powerful in numbers, and despite all the cruelty in the world, it is moving to see how much good still exists and that we can be the change. Damn, you know?
<3 Long ass walks through the woods or near the ocean, or both. Since I was a kid, I’ve always walked, and even when shit is hitting the fan, a long walk always calms me down and helps me find some peace.
<3 My friend (whose blog and art you can find here) inspiring me with her IG post to work on several projects at once, and doing it and feeling awesome! I then read about the same concept in Steal Like an Artist. Talk about signs! It really takes the pressure off and gives me something to do as the paint dries. I’ve literally been painting seven things at once, and rotating them, and it is the highlight of my day. I write every day still, too, even if it’s less often.
<3 The flowers on the Oregon Coast are going off! Foxgloves and wild roses everywhere, it’s insane! The woods smell sweet and spicy and it’s heavenly.
<3 Saying “Fuck it I am a grown ass woman” and buying myself a four pack of ridiculously good cream filled red velvet cupcakes, and eating one with coffee four mornings in a row, no guilt!
<3 Watching nostalgic movies I haven’t seen in forever. This week it was Miss Congeniality. Sandra Bullock was and is my hero, and her in that lilac dress?! WOW!
<3 Getting to spend the fourth of July with my family and and see my sister on her birthday for the first time in YEARS, even if the circumstances are less than ideal.
<3 Finally designating “paint clothes” so I can get messy as I make art just the way I like it.
<3 My pink jasmine blooming outside my front door
<3 Reading three books in one week, all about art, including Ashely Longshore’s You Don’t Look Fat, You Look Crazy, which is hilarious, fabulous, and full of eye candy. It’s a must read! She is also generous with her money and fighting the good fight, so you should support her.
<3 Doing a more elaborate than usual tarot spread under the New Moon Solar Eclipse and getting a super accurate and hopeful spread.
<3 Knowing major life changes are coming, and even though I’m scared, feeling trust in myself to make it work and thrive, as I have before, and will again. Also, allowing myself to be excited. Change is so good for our brains.
<3 Spending an entire day laying in the sand at the beach reading and sunning (with SPF) and dipping in the FRIGID 60 degree water, and feeling awake, refreshed and RESET afterwards.
<3 In Steal Like an Artist (another must read for any creative person, which let’s face it, is all of us!!!) the author explains his method for making writing more tactile and hands- on to avoid computer burn out, (it’s true! I enjoy hand-writing much more than I do typing.) BUT I never thought about printing and hand editing, and I rarely outline blog posts by hand but by golly I’m gonna start, and I’m stoked on it!
<3 Making greeting cards for family, and having way too much fun coming up with silly puns and cheesy analogies.
<3 Knowing when I need some comfort viewing, I can always indulge in an episode or two of Sex and the City.
<3 Realizing that some of the goals I set in my planner in January and on my vision board for March are already coming to fruition…. I’m telling you, claim your dreams!
So, even though life is lemony sometimes, I hope you find a good Whiskey Sour recipe. I hope you remember that we’re on an adventure and all of our experiences are valid and part of our story. Who wants to read a story where it’s smooth sailing all the way? Not even kids watching the Care Bears want that, because it doesn’t make for a good story. Embrace the shitty aspects of your story. It’s the meat, it’s the juice, and it’s material for your future memoir.
Sending you all the love and cupcakes and sunshine xoxo