Express yourself

There are many ways to express yourself. Most people can do this effortlessly. Some struggle. It doesn't matter as long as you find a way to express who you are and what you're about.

I've been thinking about how many people there are in this world that don't know how to express their emotions and thoughts. They are trapped. They feel alone and hopeless. There's nothing that is meaningful to live for. And even though I have created art for many many years, I can relate to those who don't know where to start. I want to show them how simple it is to express themselves. I want to show them that they can know who they are and love themselves just so.

Whether you cook or play sports, sing or act, do yoga or decorate, there are the same valuable principles in how to begin. I always ask myself three questions.

What can I do that I am good at?

I can't play piano or sing very well but I can write a story or poem. I can't play sports very well. (Too many times of being hit in the head with a basketball, volleyball etc) But I can paint. I was working for a college years ago and I had the privilege to mentor some young ladies. (That makes me old....I'm 32) I gave my students the challenge to create something that shows who they are. Any media. Anything really. Later that week a girl came to me in tears because she said she "wasn't creative". I just looked her in the eye and asked "what are you good at?" She thought about it and finally said that she was good at organizing. I asked her what she could do to show that. She came back that week when we all met together with the coolest excel spreadsheet ever that was for  her budget. She found something she was good at and could express herself.

The second question is "what am I passionate about?"
This has been echoing in my brain for many years before I came to accept the answer. I have always struggled with mental illness so when I was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (Aka Emotion regulation disorder) and depression I was both surprised and not surprised. I always knew that I had problems. Putting a name to them made it reality. Since then I've added other diagnoses to that list but there is one thing that has stuck with me. If I am suffering in this way, there have to be others that are too. And then how can I help them? Advocacy.  Standing up for and educating people about mental illness is something I've become passionate about. I want to show people that even if you have a mental illness, you can contribute to society and life. In this journey of recovery, I have met some of the most awesome people who have had a lot more problems than I. It's important to care for your fellow human.

Which brings me to the third question...
"What can I do with my talents and passions?
It has taken me some years to figure out the answers to these questions. I had moments of self doubt and fear. I had moments of excitement and hope. And they all contribute to who I am today.
I discovered that my love of art could be combined with my advocacy of mental illness recovery by creating pieces of memorable art that depict aspects of those things. I can use my creativity through my writing and hopefully inspire even just one person.
I didn't always share my mental illness art but lately I have been sharing more and more. I think that our society is tired of hiding mental health problems rather than facing them. I know that's how I feel.

There's no limit to what you can do if you put your heart and soul into it.

So what are your answers to these questions? Think about it. You might surprise yourself.

I've attached two pages in my art journal. The first saying "embrace imperfection". This speaks to me about accepting mistakes and seeing how they cane be used for good.

The second one is about my garden of life. What do I have growing in my life? I hope it's good.

Don't forget that you are important and you are loved. It'll change your life.