Well that escalated quickly.
One minute it was December and then all of a sudden here we are in January.
What a full year. A hard year, but a good, full year. I had my first show at The Space Gallery in Geelong with the lovely Mandy Dollery. I juggled painting, and an almost full time brand role with 7-Eleven (I have never worked in corporate before, so its been a learning curve). Not to mention family, and all the ups and downs that come with just everyday family life. I had to put the breaks on a little with my painting biz and realise I can’t have it all…just yet. There are so many things to be grateful for and I am really happy with all the things I tried along the way, the people I met, my progress and my achievements, but definitely the downtime that I gave myself.
December was probably the real test of my endurance. I really had to learn to let things go and prioritise what was important, including rest. I had tried to squeeze in so many things. I had a lot of plans of what I was going to get done, places I was going to go, people I would visit and like every year I had over estimated the amount of time there would be between finishing up at work, Christmas and then taking off with the family for our break.
Every challenge is a disguised opportunity for salvation.
Right up until the 31st December, the universe was definitely challenging me to look at what needed to change.
These are some things I knew, but challenges in 2022 reminded me and I will be taking into 2023 with more intention:
Health should always come first. I know this in theory, but we often forget that we can’t control the health of ourselves or of others, so you never know when something (big or small) is going to pop up. However, we can try and eat better, drink more water, move and go to bed earlier. The caveat here is, I am trying to be better at these things and fail often…
Family is so important. My kids make me so happy and I just love the time I get to spend with them. I learnt that my time to do my own thing makes me a better mum, friend, daughter and sister. To be more present with my family & friends I need regular space to create.
Creativity is a big part of my life. I have actually only begun to realise in the last few years how much I need this. I have always created, ever since I was little. I studied art and design, I have worked in design, I now run an art biz. But it’s really only recent that I truly made the connection between my creativity and to my mental health and wellbeing.
Kindness is key. Lastly but definitely not least, love, compassion and empathy for our fellow humans. No more explanation needed really.
Laughter, lots of laughter. Something that has been lacking a bit the past few years. I will be looking to bring laughter back.
I hope you have a fantastic 2023, with all the richness that life has to offer.
Thanks again for following my journey and reading my thoughts.
Vanessa x