In 2023 I was on a mission to create more space in my life.
Time
presence
less doing
more stillness.
Make Space. Make More Space.
It was an ever looping mantra in my mind. I would write, draw, paint and stitch about it.
Meditation/yoga space behind our home...needs a spring clean-up. Photo: John Lutz
Cultivating this space would leave me with intentional time to do the things that I loved with more energy for the people in my life. I was drained and depleted from years of making decisions based on old stories. Exhausted from not living up to expectations that I never wanted to begin with and eager to finally live a life that was aligned with my heart.
Trails are plentiful for walks here. Crystal Brook Trail, Mount Chase, Maine.
I’m still on this journey. It has shifted over time and I’ve been able to make subtle and steady progress that feels less like trampling through sticky mud and more like walking among dirt, grass and flowers. Balance is hard. I thought today I might share some things that have helped me move forward on this path.
~Meditations. Not the kind where you sit quietly (that is very helpful for some people and if you can do it, wonderful. I still struggle with sitting still). Meditating for me, means listening to Insight timer or another free app while creating art or walking in the woods. Find the link at the bottom for the one I have listened to (almost everyday) for the past several months.
~Creativity. Any kind at all. Art, dance, food, gardening, writing. My motto is “Make something new everyday that never existed before.”
~Move everyday (but not too much).
~Spend time with people I love.
~Listen to others. Really listen when they are talking…without thinking about what my response will be.
~Pause and reflect on how my body feels. I spent most of my life ignoring my body so this is a big one for me.
~ Live authentically, even when it’s scary, from the place where my mind and heart meet.
Debsconeag Lakes Wilderness Area, Nature Preserve in Piscataquis County, Maine.
I’m sure there are more, but this is the beginning of wellness for me. These practices have been the backbone of living a heart-full life. As challenges and changes happen, I lean on these practices.
What do you do for your wellness? How do you stay balanced?
Art and Things
Workshops were so magical this week! The creations of others always amaze me. While reading my book aloud, before art making, a little boy crawled into my lap and I realized, once again, why I do this work. Although the spaces I do it in have drastically changed over the past 25 years, the work itself has not. There is always more healing, connecting and making to be done.
I’ve started going through old journals from 2022 and 2023 and using bits for new book creations. Here’s one in progress. On a side note, mixed media art and writing journals are slowly coming together. I will let you know when they go up for sale in my shop.
Take care and lots of gratitude to you,
XXX Char
Insight Timer meditation https://insig.ht/otvK0pF0YIb
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