How Drawing Is Changing Everything

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Here are some of my latest 15 minutes sketches in the ol’ Moleskine.

There is something really transformative happening with this practice.  Really healing.

And believe me,  I don’t say those words lightly.

It’s not just about the practice of sketching everyday–but rather the intention to sticking with a subject matter that’s present–that’s part of my daily life.

You see, 2013 has always been the year that we were suppose to move to Costa Rica.  But since Hansel’s health plummeted so terribly at the end of last year, we decided it was best to stay another year here in the States so that Hansel could focus on healing with a great team of doctors.

I support Hansel full heartedly, but I would be lying if I didn’t admit that a part of me was very sad about this decision.  When we left Costa Rica in February after a long visit, my heart especially sank.

But like I said, something is happening to me because of this sketching practice.  A softening if you may.  A deeper understanding.

Ask my mother, I’ve always been wildly independent.  I do what I want–when I want to–and that’s just how I am.  Hence why I never ever did well working for other people.

But when you become a mother all of that goes out the door–then add a sick husband you need to support and help care for on top of it, and all of a sudden that wild independence is brought to light to be examined.

Now-a-days I can’t do exactly what I want, when I want–I have the well being of loved ones to consider and hold dearly.

This has really been a place of extreme growth for me–and this daily sketching practice is guiding me to see how beautiful and incredible my life really is right here, right now.  Even on those more difficult days, and believe me–there’s quite a few of those.

My sketching practice not only slows me down to really look at the things around me–but it is helping me see how important it is to actually slow down.

It is teaching me to be present better than any meditation class or yoga teacher training has even done.  It is revealing to me the magic that exists in my day-to-day life….like noticing a delicate, beautiful tree growing in the middle of a mall parking lot.  Or how exciting the lines and shapes of the truck in front of me in the pharmacy drive-thru are!  It is helping me stop what I’m doing and capture intimately the angelic face of my precious Phoenix napping.

These little things make up my life, and for the first real time–I am learning that these little things are more incredible and fulfilling than chasing any dream has ever been. So much so, that in this short time of being dedicated to this practice I’ve made a few big gestures with an intention to reclaim my time and using it to further this practice.

I’ve deleted Facebook off my phone.  I’ve majorly chopped the time I spend on Instagram.  And with the demise of Google Reader, I’ve switched to Blog Lovin and decided to follow only five blogs that I absolutely love.

It’s not that I feel at all that there’s something wrong with the online world and social media–it’s just that my relationship to it has been quite numbing and mindless.  I waste so much time just scrolling and reading with out direction–when I could be using that time to strengthen my drawing skills and dive deeper into something that actually nourishes my Soul.

The beauty of trimming my online connection is that when I do come to the computer it has been with greater focus to be mindful and intentional about why I am choosing to be on the computer.  Before I was just showing up habitually and letting the tides of social media take me where-ever–and for however long.  Not healthy.

So basically, that’s it.  That’s how a tiny 15 minute drawing a day can change everything.

I highly recommend it.

I’ll be hosting another BYOBrushes–free online FEARLESS Painting event this Friday, April 5 at 10am PST to 11:30am PST (1pm EST to 2:30pm EST).

You can join me here on Dirty Footprints Studio

or over at my BYOBrushes Ustream channel!!

Hope to see you then!  And don’t forget to BYOBrushes!

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