Happy Monday, Amigos!
How's your Monday vibe?
I'm feeling fantastic, like a breath of fresh air custom-made for me. I hope you're basking in the Monday amazingness too.
Let's view this Monday as a golden opportunity to leave everything behind—the good, the bad, and even the concept of separation. Let's embrace a brand new start, no judgments, no preconceived notions, just unadulterated passion for exploring what this shiny new day has in store for us.
I get it. Sometimes, I freeze too. Many times, actually. And it feels like there's no way to keep moving forward. But with a touch of gentleness, we can let go of everything that holds us back.
I stumbled upon this gem on the internet the other day, and it resonated with me:
Isn't that the truth? We evolve constantly. Our preferences change with our ever-shifting life experiences, maturity levels, bodies, relationships, dreams, and even our taste for meat. Currently, I'm in a veggie phase, but who knows? It might change soon... or not.
The secret, for me, is not being attached to anything or anyone but allowing life to unfold its wonders. Then, we can squeeze the juice of life at every moment. I haven't mastered this yet, but I'm always on this track.
And sometimes, that's what we do with people—we hold onto versions of them that no longer exist. They might do the same with us, clutching onto a past version that's long gone. For our mental health, we need to embrace change, in ourselves and in others.
Just like the seasons. Personally, I love winter, even though it's freezing here. Have you seen the Portland news? One needs to be cautious, but the beauty is indescribable. While some may hate it, I believe winter is gorgeous! And well... inevitable. It is what it is. I don't love summer, but I accept it as part of the inevitable change. So, let's welcome this new Monday, brimming with changes. It might seem like the same old boring Monday, but that's because we've pigeonholed it that way. A change in perspective and willingness can make it different. I've got the perfect song for this change—listen to it in my Weekly Treasures list at the end of the blog.
I took these two pictures, one in summer and the other in winter at Multnomah Falls. I love going there. This winter was my first time hiking there in the snow. I am speechless at the magnificence of this beauty. Winter is my favorite, followed by autumn.
Changes are happening everywhere—in nature, in us, and notably in my art. And I'm loving it. As a figurative artist, I adore studying shape, color theory, perspectives, form, and volume. But I also love abstraction; my mind is abstract, I naturally interpret life in an abstract way. In this new era of my 40s, the Green Era, I'm exploring the place where figuration and abstraction collide.
I just finished my second art piece of this collection, and I love it. I can see the difference between this one and the first, and I'm excited for what the next canvases will bring. Now, I'm delving into abstraction. I truly believe it's more than dots and lines with no sense of existence. It goes further, weaving a story between realities, not just decorative pieces but a stitched narrative.
I've changed my process and materials, going beyond oils. I'm incorporating different materials and witnessing them interact to each other to create wonderful things. At the same time, I'm allowing myself to like and dislike new things. It's challenging, but there's so much growth in it, and for that, I'm grateful.
I hope you can embrace change and flow with it, having fun along the way.
Here are the
To Listen: If you don't like something... Change it. This is the first line of the song I mentioned earlier. Listen to the lyrics; it's so true! I can paint non-stop while listening to this song on a loop; it just brings a smile to my face.
To Dare: My first time skiing was intense, not the cool kind, but things happened, and I ended up feeling alone and abandoned. It was a surreal experience. I've done it many times after that, but this last time, I approached it as if it were my first and enjoyed it so much. I experienced so much love and gentleness. So this treasure is about giving things a second chance... or a third one. After all, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb.
To Eat: Pomegranates. Have you tried them? As a Mexican, I'm slightly ashamed that I've only discovered how amazing pomegranates are in my 40s. I've had them in different Mexican dishes, but this time, I tried them as a regular fruit, alone, no chiles rellenos, no nothing, and OMG! I'm so obsessed that I bought pomegranate earrings and a pomegranate sweatshirt on Etsy.
To Exercise: A group of friends and I started a push-up challenge in December, and this January, our challenge is planks. We're using this app, and I really like it. It keeps me committed, it's easy (well, not so much in the end, hahaha, you sweat!), and, most importantly, it's easy to use. We're doing it to be strong and healthy, not obsessed with a specific outcome. I just want to be healthy and strong enough to carry my own grocery bags, lol.
To Shop: I thrifted a vintage lamp at an antique shop, and I think antiques are treasures. They have a history, and you get to know people who value these things for the story and uniqueness too. We moved to a new house a few months ago, and I'm not the kind of person who goes to Pottery Barn or Target and buys everything in one go (don’t get me wrong, I do buy things from those stores). I love living in the house, collecting things over time, feeling the house, and understanding what it requires. Maybe it's too romantic, but I am. I'm a hopeless romantic.
Wishing you the most awesome week, full of self-discovery and fantastic surprises.
For now,
Love & Sparkles,
Ishani