LET GO OF TRYING TO DO IT ALL
It's a familiar feeling, isn't it? Trying to do it all. There's so much we strive to be and do (and perfectly too). You want to be a great partner, parent and friend. You want to do your best at work. You want to live a fit and healthy life.
Oh, and probably have some worthy and improving hobby and a gorgeous home while also successfully juggling your finances.
The problem is that you can't do it all.
Life priorities shift and change like the seasons. You can only do what you have the time and energy for, and time and energy is limited.
So, this painting is saying: Let Go of Trying to Do it All and learn to prioritise what's important in your life (and being honest about these choices). [Note: it's not answering every single email in your inbox.]
This painting was inspired by Sarah Knight's 'The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F**k'. Once you get used to the number of times 'f**k' is used, there are some useful lessons in here about managing life free of anxiety, obligation and guilt.
Lessons in living well:
- Take care of yourself (you will achieve more for others when you take care of you first).
- Learn which people and activities deserve your time and energy.
- Allow yourself to say 'no' to people and activities that don't make the list above.
- Know what your boundaries are and stick to them (i.e. when saying 'yes' and 'no').
- When managing other people's expectations, be kind and be honest.
- Let go of fear, guilt and anxiety when you do say 'no'.
This painting is a joyous riot of colour, shapes and lines. It evokes a sense of the chaotic and dynamic world we live in. And yet, this painting also has shape, form and uses constraints. These limitations (the boundaries) don't diminish the art work - they make the art work. In this case, the painting was created using only a few colours and as energetically as possible on a small 20x20cm canvas.
The result?
A painting to remind you to be honest about what is important to you.
Not because someone else thinks it's important, or you feel obliged to say yes. The lesson here is in learning to say 'Yes' to the things that align with your values and 'No' to more of the things that don't.