I have an invite for you this month: Slow down.
"Really, Cindy?," you might be thinking. “Haven't we all been forced to slow down in ways we didn't exactly want to since this pandemic spread at the start of 2020?”
Yes. And...
Despite not being able to socialize, work, or play like we might've expected this year, I have a feeling many of us have let the anxiety of uncertainty take its toll on us. Our constant worrying, information seeking, and pushing to do more has likely been anything short of taking a breather.
After all, one of the hardest things to do is to just be.
To sit still.
To do nothing.
It pulls at everything we know; our natural inclination to tie our productivity to our self-worth; our drive to do, do, do.
Especially when we're faced with such uncertainty. If we slow down, then what happens?
Last month, I found solace in the slow down when I paused in my painting and found the color in the shadows.
Two years ago around this same time, I took comfort in the slow down when I paused to really think about what is enough.
So maybe socializing, work, and play haven't been normal — and maybe there's still a lot to figure out as the season turns next month, but for now?
Slow down. Pause. Just be.
Let the feelings flow: The grieving for what's been missed. The fear of what's to come. The guilt over boundaries you've had to enforce.
And.
Celebrate yourself.
You've made it nearly 6 months through a pandemic. Your head is still on your shoulders. And though we might not know what's to come, when we take a minute to pause and let the fear pass, we can open our minds to what's possible.
—
P.S. I've had the incredible opportunity to showcase my paintings in not just one, but two places, this summer. While the openings + exhibits haven't been conventional, it comes with its perks — you can see the shows online! I hope you can pause, grab a cup of something delicious, and enjoy.
Until August 16: The Art Gallery at Cobblestone
Until September 6: The Spirit of Plein Air Exhibit at Pat Rini Rohrer Gallery