Thirteen Things I have Learnt About Myself Through Art

Art has always been my sanctuary. A place where I meet myself most honestly. Through the paintbrush or the quietness of creating, I’ve come to know myself in ways I never imagined. Art is a mirror, reflecting back the deepest parts of who I am. My fears, my truths, my dreams. In the act of creating, I’ve found healing, revelation, and a voice that feels truer than any I’ve known.

This journey hasn’t been linear. It has been filled with twists and turns. Through my art, I’ve come to understand my own rhythms. To see the patterns that weave through my life. To recognise what whispers to me from within.

Here are the things I’ve learned about myself through art.

1. My health is my greatest asset. Mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual.

   My wellbeing is the foundation upon which all else is built. Each layer - mind, body, heart, spirit. Woven together, supporting me as I move through life. Allowing me to create and thrive.

   
   

2. Healing is ongoing and essential to the work that I do.

   Confronting all that lingers and feels uncomfortable to face is exactly where my attention needs to go. To accept, learn lessons from, and heal. And maybe to alchemise into something of beauty. Healing is a sacred journey, not a destination.

   
   

3. The stronger my connection with source, through meditating, the clearer I am about what needs to be done.

   In stillness, I connect with spirit. The more I meditate, the more I feel the whispers guiding me. Showing me the way.

   
   

4. What I think and believe is what becomes my reality.

   My thoughts are the seeds. What I water with belief, grows. My reality is a reflection of that.

   
   

5. I need to work in my own capacity, on my own time. I was never good at working for someone else, having a job.

   My soul craves freedom, simple as that. I enjoy creating my own way, knowing that my inspiration lies in the spaces I create for myself.

   
   

6. My intuition rarely / never falters.

   About situations, people, choices, everything. The more I trust and act on it, the stronger it becomes. Every time I listen, every time I trust, it grows louder, clearer. Guiding me to where I need to be.

   
   

7. My authenticity produces the greatest art.

   Being a perfectionist and creating something to the best of your ability feels very different. Recovering from the former, what I create now is for my own fulfilment, not to impress or feel accepted. Being true to my intuition leads to my authenticity.

   
   

8. I’m incredibly disciplined when I have a purpose, in a way I never was when I was younger. When I’m in alignment, it’s easy.

   Purpose is my north star. When living a life with purpose, discipline feels like devotion.

   
   

9. Sometimes I sacrifice too many things for the sake of my art.

   I am working on stretching my capacity for other things in my life. I give so much to my creations, often forgetting that other areas need tending. I am learning to expand, to hold space for all parts of my life, to let other joys and loves come in and nourish me.

   
   

10. I am happiest when I’m in the balance between effort and surrender.

    There is a sweet spot. Flowing between both, knowing that in the space of balance, life flows most freely.

    
    

11. I have a love/hate relationship with social media and technology.

    I allow myself to go missing from it, and take time away when I need to. I step back when the noise of technology becomes too much. Knowing that it’s in the quiet I find myself again.

    
    

12. I like to plan, but not too far ahead. I enjoy leaving things to surprise. Keeping things a mystery.

    I lay down intentions but leave room for the unknown, for its he mystery that keeps life alive with wonder.

    
    

13. I’ve learned to love and accept each part of myself, even the shadows, for experiencing contrast has shown me greater perspective.

    In every shadow, there is a lesson. Both light and dark have shaped me, and I express this in my craft. Through the dance, I’ve discovered the full spectrum of who I am.

Through the journey of life, this list will continue to grow as I do. With devotion to a continued practice of self learning, I am excited to explore deeper into the depths of myself to see what other surprises remain to be discovered. There is such sweet simplicity in observation and reflection, it is a ritual I've become deeply fond of. It allows me to zoom out, see where I've been, where I'm going. All the old skins I've outgrown and shed along the way.