I did my best and got down (dog) and freaky yogi almost every day. Some days I didn’t find the time and also I lost a few days being ill. Those days are great opportunity for just letting your soul catch up (love this expression, thanks Annica!) and get some XP on meditation practice. I absolutely enjoyed this time and I can feel the benefits of the daily practice.
If you missed it here's a bit of a flashback for you!
So happy to hear from the friends that joined and followed the journey! No crying cuz it's over though, there's a new challenge coming up! Come with me and Adriene on the TRUE journey now in January. I won't document it as fanatically as LIGHT but there will be yoga every day!
So as some of you have seen I've made a digital 2d portrait study.
This is the second one. The first one I didn't even finish.
Often it takes more time to repair flaws in an artwork than just simply start over. And when it comes to learning it's more about quantity than quality although you have to be present so you don't fall into your drawing comfortzone and just mindlessly produce thinking that you know things. I used to think that I know things and that's one of the greatest enemies of my learning.
If you get constructive feedback that's awesome! Don't apologize. Don't defend yourself or your work. It's not a part of you, only your process. I asked my boyfriend who also is an artist for feedback and in the beginning it really really sucked to not get your ego stroked the right way. I would listen, but still do it my way. Then I was like "fine, I'll try your way then!" and the results were immediate. And that's the beauty of letting go and opening up to feedback. You get better at recieving it, giving it and it supports your process. So thanks Mike for all your support! <3
So what did I do differently this time?
I got a great deal of constructive feedback on this one, even some after
I said "now this is done. And no matter what done means all edits are
strictly forbidden".
I used a grid to make sure everything was at the right place already from the start. Then I had a little practice of the process as well as very basic shading from the previous study. These things helped a lot. Another thing which I highly recommend is to from time to time flip the canvas so that your drawing and reference image both become reflected.
What will I do different for the next portrait?
Well as you can see from above I didn't have a very good approach to the hair, neither did I have the patience. So for the next one I will approach it with some of the tips and process from Proko's tutorial on "How to draw hair".
Feedback does not only come in verbal form. This weekend was tough for me. I got quite ill and I don't know about you but I usually feel down when I'm reaching physical limits. But I guess I can look at it as my body is giving me feedback, telling me to chill out ffs! I'm still up for the YWA christmas calendar challenge although it's at a halt at the moment since my cold got worse when I kept pressing on. So that's why I made a bed yoga playlist called "YOGA FOR BED-err DAYS". For anyone who wants to yoga but is sick, down or just feeling like a hybernating little yogi.
Take care of yourself my friend!
Haven't been updating in what seems like forever! Hope life finds you well. I want to invite you to join me on a challenge! A yoga challenge with Adriene. This is a great way to make yoga one of your daily habits, have fun and countdown to Christmas. You can find all the videos on Adrienes Youtube channel, except for the new ones that will be coming every Monday in December. This is honestly more exciting than chocolate calendar (but you can have chocolate too if you want)...
Here's the calendar but you can of course find it and more on her website...
Also keep your eyes peeled for I'm the guest on my friends Youtube channel, the honest student, talking about friendship! That's it for now. Hope you will join on the challenge, but either way have a good one!
What do we do when we feel that we're not living up to expectations?
I have to admit that I little while ago found myself back in the bottomless pit of unreasonably high expectations. It is a place where you might think high expectations would result in perfection. Alas, I find that it is much more like a reversed King Midas touch. No gold. Just crap. It is a place of little or no logic.
How do we make sense of it? Well first of all when we find ourselves there we must know that we usually are going about things all wrong. Take a step back and ask yourself:
In the best of worlds what would I have done? What would the ultimate version of you have done? Then do that next time, or at least take a step in that general direction.
How can I make things easier? It is easy to get into negative self talk when experiencing that things aren't going as planned. When you find that happening stop it immediately. And don't blame yourself. Remind yourself as often as you can to be kind until it comes naturally.
Will this matter tomorrow? Next week? Next month? Next year? In ten years? Whatever it was it is surely not the end of the world. Honestly it does not serve anyone to worry. It might be helpful to put a restraint to either "ok I will think about this for 5 minutes" or I have thought about this three times, that is enough.
"Have you tried turning it off and on again?" Our body and mind needs care. When we're stressed and feel we have much to do we might put or needs aside for this oh so important thing. That's a warning sign. Here we must practise restraint, responsibility and above all respect for ourselves. And if you find that warning is coming up often then maybe you need to reevaluate what you're juggling or re-plan your routines.
Get your mind to a positive place by guided meditation or inspirational talks. It doesn't have to be for a long time. Even a few minutes or a moment can do the trick sometimes.
You can do anything you want.
But you cannot do everything at once.
The worldwide multi-tasking efficiency illusion madness must come to an end.
Did you think of anything this time to promise yourself for this year? I'm not sure wether or not I believe in new year resolutions, I'd rather make goals. My goal this year is to think less and do more. That might sound like a stupid thing to do, to think less, but god knows that for the indecisive, the perfectionists, the philosophers, the what if's and many others that might be a blessing from the heavens.
If you're not familiar with the KISS-principle it stands for:
KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID
The KISS-principle is one that allows you to take a step back and say "ah yes, I could build the next wonder of the world, but is it really necessary (and even possible within the frames of this project!) What is the core, the heart of all this?" And then go back to it. Strip it down. Take the shortcuts. Less is more. Being happy with something you've done and rest in the feeling of knowing that it is good.
As I write this my first short 3d film is being rendered, if my habit of striving for perfection would have ruled I'm not sure it would ever be done. Now I am not talking down to myself saying that the result is bad, rather that someone can get lost in the tweak and adjust of tiny details until the end of time. AND THAT'S NOT SATISFYING NOW IS IT?
Listen my friends. The best ideas are not the ones that are perfect in mind, but the ones that we actually render to life. This is something I know a lot of us need to be reminded of, especially when ambitions are high, ideas many and we actually have a few limits... like you gotta eat, sleep and stuff (And celebrate your victories!) It's all a balancing act. We may fall, but we learn and eventually we will get better, not only focussing on staying on top of everything but also to the point where we can let go and jump around, getting curious and still knowing where we're going. Woho!
Got a bit of aquarelle feelin' going on for the holidays. Here's one of the pieces I did.
So keep your eyes open for my short film. It should be up within the nearest days. In the mean time I wish you a joyful balancing act. May the flow be with you.
Do you collect something?
I have since I was small collected a large variety of things. Shells, broken glass that have been polished and washed ashore by waves, cute but unusable erasers, decorations that look like frogs, buttons and vintage dresses. My latest collection was everything that is mint green, polaroid pictures, books and things given to me by people that matter in my life. The collecting even stretches far into the digital world. You could call me a digital hoarder. Something that I’m far from alone to be.
Double exposure polaroid
trying to seize a moment in Malta
A pinterest overflowing with boards, a Spotify filled with playlists for a wide spectrum of emotions and genres, information heavy clouds and drives… it could be the proof of characters who love to collect and share inspiration, but maybe also characters who are afraid of letting go…
The fear of forgetting. Or being forgotten. Because how often do we not collect things that we do not use? Things that slip our own memory. Or even worse, things that we intend to use but deep down inside know will become only a burden to organise and store.
As I was reading the yoga book Närmre något (2016) by Simon Krohn I came upon a lesson which I most likely already was aware of, yet it always seems to be another thing when someone tells you something than when you tell yourself something even though you might be saying exactly the same thing. Anyway, this is what I understood:
When we collect we are not present. Because when we are collecting we are trying to hold onto the present and thus we lose it. To capture the moment through the camera of a lens is impossible. To grasp it through writing will always result in being one step behind or ahead (yes, there is some undeniable irony in writing about this). Just thinking about it separates you from the moment. It can be both at once liberating and frustrating.
Understanding this can help you let go. Because all of your fantastic and sentimental moments are not within any material possession. They might seem like they are there, but your possessions can only possess the ability to bring up memories of moments lived or the desired ones to come.
In a world that constantly tempts us with a promise to save and store memories in ever more revolutionary ways it’s easy to get caught up in it.
You can get two for the price of one. One in each color. Entire sets. Newer. Improved. Cooler. Better. Nicer. You need it. You deserve it. Treat yourself. For the occasion. For those you love. It will be perfect. It will match now. It will stand out. Collectibles and unique one time offers. Gotta catch them all.
I saw a very inspiring Ted talk on the topic of living a minimalist life which I also would recommend you to see. It's called Less stuff, more happiness by Graham Hill.
It is far away from my lifestyle and probably many others, but maybe it can inspire to reconsider and loosen the attachment to our possessions.
I don’t know if I’m “cured” of my collecting. Probably not. I will most likely make many more playlists, write many more poems, post many more images in social media and fill an unknown number of clouds and drives. At the same time I will not be as affected by the crashing, breaking and losing. Because we’re all going to be freed of everything one day. By that time it will feel good to know that you were truly there and not in your next art piece.
I was talking to one of my dear friends about social media and as usual my friend had a great deal wisdom to bring. Here's a little story (based on true events):
Ziggy's father went out and chopped some wood. When he had done so he was proud of himself and his accomplishments. Later on he saw an image in social media of a greater stack of chopped wood and the proud owner of the stack, yet his feeling for his accomplishments remained the same. Why was that? He told Ziggy that although that pile is much much greater than his and they both exist in this same world, the other one is not a part of HIS world. He did not make it and it has no impact on his life. It's not real to him, only an image from someone else's life.
Now me and many of you may not have much experience with chopping wood, but haven't we all seen accomplishments that we have valued as "greater" than our own? Haven't many of us felt pride over something just to suddenly have it overwritten by someone else's display of greatness?
This can be applied in all aspects of life. In work, self-expression, creativity, appearance, physical and spiritual state of being. I'm not saying deny all that is not directly linked to you. Be inspired, but take caution so it doesn't backfire into the crippling state of jealousy or feeling like "I could never do that". Social media can be a bit one sided sometimes as many use it to enhance their best sides and show the results more often than the road there, flaws and mistakes.
I think this is a great reminder for us to remain proud of what we do. To take caution in comparison, because let's face it there may be someone who's greater than you in some way. But here's the great news: Your greatness can exist at the same time! It does not cancel each other out. It's not a competition. Your journey, your progress, your time and effort should always remain more valuable to you.
Take pride in your stack, whatever it may be.
You have made this.
You've come a long way my friend and I am proud of you.
KEEP DOING YOUR THING!
Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night from a horrible dream that suddenly got you to worry your heart out?
I had a terrible dream the other night, one that is reoccurring and always seems to come in times of stress. I was wide awake in horror BUT THEN remembered that YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF YOUR MIND (not the other way around). So there was this sudden burst of energy and I started writing... a sort of poem if you will:
I guess bad dreams
are just efficient ways of showing us that we care
or to make us aware that we are human and have fears
To remind us
that there are things we can't control
in other ways than how we handle it
To bring awareness
to our subconscious mind
To test us
To prepare us
To make us stronger
To have faith
in the world to continue those pirouettes
and darkness to break into day
To know
that the universe got our backs (even literally)
To prove to us
of the impact
of images and imagination
To remind us of the intelligent thought sorting system that is
The beginning of this post was hardest to write yet.
Erased and replaced so many times.
I prefer not to get political but considering circumstances the subject seems inevitable.
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When I was ten we had a pretend election in school. We got to vote for the president of USA and we got to choose between George W. Bush and Al Gore. I voted for Bush.
I had no idea what he stood for but his name was Bush and I thought it was funny. Imagine, a Bush for president in The States. And he won our pretend election. And the real one too.
I'd like to think that the voters of that election (2000) and this one (2016) did not vote out of the same grounds as I did as a ten-year-old. Because "it was funny."
Because it's not.
Granted, Donald Trump may be different from conventional politicians, but is it really the force for change that USA needs? For a moment I felt the same kind of dread as was felt when Sweden Democrats entered parliament and then later became the third largest party in the Swedish Parliament.
- - - - - - - -
We must not get infuriated or think that the ones with a opinion differing from ours are stupid. They have their reasons. Wether it is change, economy, personal gain, immigration politics, a sense of rebellion or because of not letting the family voting traditions down is of little importance to me.
What I want to talk about today is a quality which is not valued very high in our society or amongst the people with power. A quality which any decent human being has. The quality which makes us help each other (be they close ones or strangers), bridge the gaps of fear or ignorance and replace it with understanding and acceptance. This quality is one that heals, builds and brings hope for humanity.
I'm talking about compassion.
And should not the people with power first and foremost be decent human beings?
Why is compassion seemingly valued so little today? So far I have not seen any compassion from Donald Trump and this is one of the strongest reasons why I believe he will not make any wise decisions.
I refuse to think all hope is lost. Of course I am worried for a country which can elect someone who may base their decisions on the values opposing compassion. Someone who does not believe in climate change (as if it was some sort of conspiracy?) but acts out personal gain, out of fear or hate or judgement. A swelling ego without an open mind.
It's a beautiful day.
The sun is turning the early snow into subtle glitter and the sky is unapologetically blue.
I refuse to surrender to fear or hopelessness.
There are decent human beings out there and we must strive to be part of them.
We must grow and nurture our compassion. It must not be mistaken for weakness. Because it can feel disempowering when we see only the problem and no given solution. It is actually a strength and the pain we feel when we can't help is just a pinpoint we're heading down the right path.
I'd even go as far as to say compassion is a superhero strength.
It can make us do incredible things.
Believe in it.
Believe you have the power.
Don't fall into the trap of waiting for the hero.
Because it is you.
And if you need someone to pick you
and tell you that you are the chosen one
THEN I PICK YOU NOW
and if you feel unprepared for the task know that all heroes felt like that.
Your life has prepared you and will continue to do so
challenging you with opportunities for growth.
All change in the world starts with you.
If you want peace.
Find it within yourself first.
Then show it to the world and help it feel it too.
If you don't know where to start there are a great deal of Ted Talks on the subject of compassion and empathy. Get inspired. Get empowered. Shake the world in a gentle way.
So if you're like me and go into energy save during the winter... well you can avoid total hibernation!
Here's a few good tricks to keep your energy up and help you stay on track:
Join challenges
No matter what your practise is it's always good to join a challenge and motivate yourself by keeping the day count and just sticking to it. I'm currently doing the Yoga Camp challenge with yoga with Adriene. A Hatha yoga experience, and this one has a bit more elements of mental wellness than her previous "30 days of yoga" challenge (which I also highly recommend!)
Get by with a little help from your friends
When it gets tough it might feel like a failure (IT IS NEVER) to ask your friends for help. Actually it is a very strong thing to do and when your friends know where you're at and what's going on it will be much easier for them to help you. We don't have to be so goddamned independent all the time! So ask for advice, ask for support, ask for a bit of cheerleading or gentle reminders. Or better yet... why not join a challenge together?
Seize the day
Carpe diem might sound like a massive cliché, yet as the days become shorter it becomes all the more important to get outside and gather as much sun as you can. Even when it's cloudy it's still brighter outside than indoors. Also the fresh air will do you good. In our family the outdoor minimum limit is at least 30 minutes per day, something I am grateful for today.
Recharge
During the wintertime it's easy to be *yawn* a chronic sleepy head. So one way to go about it is of course to sleep more. This however does not work for me, in fact it makes me more sleepy. A bunch of other options might be
Cold showers. Yep you heard me. A brilliant way to wake the body up and although it might not feel too inviting on cold days it actually gets your circulation up and you will be less cold afterwards. I've written a little more about hydrotherapy in a previous post.
Power naps. If you're feeling sleepy, set your alarm and give yourself a good powernap. I usually feel better and more alert if I'm surrendering to a couple of zzz rather than forcing myself to stay awake.
Keep doing what energises you! When winter comes (and it will, as Snow so eagerly points out) it might be tempting to cancel everything and stay under a blanket. I advice you not to. By keep going you will let your body (and brain) know who's the boss. And by doing what you set out to do you will get a kick of "YES I DID IT" and coming home afterwards to a cup of tea and the blanket will be all the more rewarding.
Play. Ok, I'm sure some of you are feeling a bit of resistance with thoughts of playing being just for kids but I assure you that getting your sillies and giggles up will boost you in so many ways. So invest time and energy in having fun, because it will give so much back.
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When it's evening, weekend or you just feel like watching something there's a brilliant korean film I saw yesterday. It was both visually and emotionally beautiful as well as fun and the right kind of weird (for me atleast.)
Kimssi Pyoryugi (2009)
in english known as The castaway on the moon.
That's all I had for now, but I'm sure you will find your way to power up during the winter.
