Belly LOVE: I’m Ready

Last week for Belly LOVE I realized the relationship between my messy, cluttered, unkept studio to the way I nurture and take care of my own body. Believe me, this has been on my mind the entire week….and, having a new clean and organized studio has energized my creativity incredibly. But I noticed something…..a habit–a pattern, that I wish to be mindful of and to transform.

When I paint or create–I get messy. I’m the type of chica that spreads all my stuff everywhere–supplies, paintings, books, stuff—it all gets spread across the studio as I dive into my creative process. What usually happens next after I finish for the day–is I leave it. Then the next day–more gets buried on top of that–and then the next day, etc. etc. Until I am left with a space that is too uncomfortable and out of control–that I move my creative activities somewhere else in our home.

Then what happens is I feel constricted and stifled–because I’m not in my studio.

I do it to myself.

Huh.

So this past week, I made a conscious effort to treat my studio with the utmost respect and reverence. I even went so far to light a stick of sandalwood incense each time I began my day in there. Then, as I worked at my desk writing–and I noticed things were starting to get piled up and cluttered, I’d take just a moment to breathe deeply and organize again. At the end of my day, when my supplies were everywhere and I so didn’t want to clean up–I made myself.

Later towards the end of the week, I honestly started to tell myself to quit early–so I would have the energy to attend to my studio before leaving.

And, I know it’s only a week, but I am loving the feeling that this is creating in my overall way of Life. I am an Artist–going to the studio is like going to a job/an office. I feel like anything is possible–when my space is nourished and ready to serve and support me.

Just writing this post now makes me realize how much I need to treat my own body with the utmost respect and reverence. To tell you the truth–I have been yakking about Belly LOVE since April, and what has really happened? What physical transformations have taken place?

None.

I’ve actually gained weight since I started. I let my life, my Art, my business, my everything bury me and the way I nurture and respect my body.

I see, in just one week, how amazing taking a little time out each day to nourish and organize my studio has on my overall life and especially my creativity. I can breathe–I feel strong–I feel like anything is freaking possible!

Now I believe the real Belly LOVE journey has begun. Just like I said yesterday–I am done floating on the surface of who I am. I am ready to get to the bottom of this extra weight I carry–and to break my habits of neglect.

If taking time to keep my studio clean, organized, and ready to support the creative process can have this overall amazing effect in such a short period of time–wonder what magic a little self care each day could impose on my body and overall self as well.

Once again, I’m ready.