Got into some art!
I'm just going to start by saying this title has got me singing Billy Ocean, but that's not the point of this blog, so moving on😄...
Anyway. Last week was definitely one of ups and downs (not that I seem to have many that just pootle along), and so I had to be really minded of my mental health and wellbeing. I was struggling to get some reports written and the harder I tried to sit and focus the more frustrated I became.
Something I'm pretty good at is giving myself a talking to and taking the advice I'd give others both from a HR perspective and a body confidence one. There were various things I could do, but I realised that one of them was to take a break and do something creative. As fate (or faith) would have it I came across a community message about a mixed media workshop taking place and signed up for it straight away. I booked two tickets and encouraged my son to come with me.
It was great for both of us. He got out of his room. I got out of my head. For a few hours we created, chatted and competed (with ourselves piece by piece, rather than each other much), supported and encouraged by Yvonne.
We created four pieces each, each of them unique. Each of them created simply working with what materials we given - from old magazines to scraps of material. I realised that each piece I'd created represented a different aspect of me, at the moment. And all of them are works in progress that could be tweaked a little more... or accepted just as they are, they don't need more and chances are I'd 'ruin' them if I kept going because art isn't meant to be perfect - whatever that is. Tweaked or left, no grand and sweeping changes are required as they are already special.
That's you/us too - Working with what we've got. Unique. Special.
So many lessons in just two hours including:
- Movement is good
- Breathing and just sitting still (with yourself) for a bit is also good
- Company is good
- Art is good
- Abandon is good (in a safe space)
- Learning new things or new ways is good
- We have many parts to ourselves
- And we are many things
- Each part plays a part
- Each part is valuable
- Sometimes we've done enough
- Sometimes things are left unfinished
- Aiming for 'perfect' can lead to 'ruin'
- Things get messy, messy is ok
- Just make sure and wash your hands and clear up after
- Starting and getting something down is better than not starting at all
- We deserve to get out of our heads
- It is healthy to get out of our physical spaces too
- We are created to be creative
- We can only work with what we've got
- We are art ourselves - unique and special
- We are enough
So, do whatever works for you. For some people it's exercise, for others getting into nature and for others it's about rustling something up in the kitchen or their sewing room. Different things will work at different times. And sometimes, doing nothing is the best thing. Reflect. Repeat what works. Even revisit what didn't work this time. Enjoy.
I wish you well, Denise.
PS - I made progress on one report today and one deadline was eased so I'm defo more confident I'll get it done well now. Phew!
PPS - go follow Yvonne on Insta.
