Hello all around the world! Bonjour, bonsoir, こんにちは (konnichi wa)!
Drawings are still going and I'm improving each time I draw. It's so therapeutic for me. It's like creating another world you can escape into where your only limit is your imagination.
Escape can be nice, especially today. I don't talk politics here, I save that for Facebook, and even there, I only activate my account about 7 days every month. This world has gotten frightening in recent years and months and sometimes the news really aggravates my anxiety and depression.
Sometimes it's hard to escape. A reality of my generation in the USA, I have to live at home with my parents to make ends meet. Rent is exorbitant and wages are abysmal, even with a college education. Living with family at this age is frowned upon in some cultures, but sometimes you just have to play with the hand you've been dealt.
Living at home means, obviously, having to put up with your parents. Now I have a wonderful relationship with my parents, they're actually cool people that are into science and astronomy like I am, but my father has quite the addiction to the news and it can sometimes bring lots of negative energy into the home.
This has spurred me to reexamine the attitude with which I approach life and existence. To be a happy person, I frequently have to remind myself that I only have control of my immediate surroundings, like my workspace or bedroom. I mustn't spend all of my energy worrying about things beyond my control.
I have to remind my family too when our moods become unstable due to yet another day of upsetting news. We need to worry about our own family and friends first before helping others, as an exhausted person is incapable of helping others well. This holds very true to my volunteerism; self-care is critical in order for me to fulfill my values in kindness towards others.
My therapy and exposure to Japanese culture has also taught me the value of mindfulness, and in particular, staying in the present moment. This means as I am right now, dropping that to-do list and those career plans and just breathing and taking in the immediate surroundings. For example, I'm sitting in my living room, the night sky is almost dark, I hear the sound of the electric fans running and feel the refreshing breeze on my face.
I don't think about what will happen tomorrow or the next day or month or even year. That is unknowable and it is pointless to expend energy worrying about it. If a worrisome thought intrudes, I acknowledge it and let it go, bringing my attention back to my breathing and my senses.
When I feel as if there's little hope in the world, I try to return to this exercise, grounding myself firmly to my immediate surroundings in time and space. Firm ground is reassuring, and reassurance builds happiness and confidence.
I cannot possibly know everyone's own unique journey in life, but if you are reading this, I hope you come away with at least a slight bit of inspiration, relaxation, or relief, that there is a way to help get through challenging times.
I believe in a world filled with love and compassion, and if we remind ourselves to slow down and remain in the present, we can feel that love, and realize that it comes from within.
And thus, I return to my drawing, one of my ways to keep myself in this present moment and space. I wish everyone well and a wonderful, inspiring day (or night) filled with love and happiness.
See you later
J